How many people are affected by the humanitarian crisis in Yemen?

You must have heard about the humanitarian crisis in Yemen The country has gone through nine years of war. An estimated 4.5 million people-14 percent of the population are currently displaced, according to the United Nations

However, this desert country holds a rich history and vibrant culture that have been influenced by the countrys strategic location at the souther entrance of the Red Sea.

History

For more than two millennia Yemen controlled the supply of important commoilities as frankincense and myrrh and dominated the traite in many other valuable items, such as the spices and armatics of Asia. Over the years, the region was ruled by three famous and large empires the Minaran, the Sabaran, and the Himyante Toallest Homertoe by the Romans) Their time of ascendancy extended from about 1200 BC to 525 AD The last Humyante king was Dhu Nuwas. The region was later ruled by the Aksumites and then Persians before the advent of Islam in 628 AD

During the 16th and 17th Centunes, Yemen and the Red Sea became the centre point of conflict between the Egyptians. the Ottomans and various European powers seeking control over the emerging market for coffee arabica and the long-standing trade in condiments and spices from the East

The country lost its importance and charm when the coffee plant was smuggled out of Yemen and transplanted in other places. With the shift in trade centres, the cities such as Aden and Mocha (once a major coffee centre) shrank to villages The present Republic of Yemen came into being in May 1990.

Geography

Yemen is bounded by the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Oman. It is an arid country with no permanent watercourses. There are evidences of volcanic activity that happened a few hundred years ago.

In the interiors, rugged mountains, including the Sarawat Mountains, can be found. The eastern region is part of the fifth-largest desert in the world, the Rub al-Khali (nicknamed "the Empty Quarter'). It is the longest stretch of continuous sand in the world.

Flora and fauna

 Due to its remoteness, Yemen has great natural beauty and flourishing vegetation in the highlands, unlike elsewhere on the Arabian Peninsula. The country is divided into three regions-coastal plain, middle highlands and the mountains.

In the coastal plains, dry-climate plants such as the date palm, citrus fruits, banana, and cotton as well as spurges (euphorbia), acacia, and tamarisk can be found. In the middle highlands, food crops as melons, nuts, grapes, and grains, as well as various spurges, eucalyptus, sycamore, fig, and carob are found.

Meanwhile, crops such as coffee, the mild stimulant khat, and a variety of woody shrubs and trees can be found in the mountain regions.

While the country had considerable forest cover till the early 20th Century, it diminished by the turn of the century. This was the same case with the country's wildlife.

People

Arabs make up most of the population in Yemen. The others include those of Somali descent along the coasts and small Egyptian communities. The citizens are extremely proud of their pre-Islamic history, including that of the Saba and Hadramawt kingdoms. The traditional and contemporary Yemeni culture has presence of Greek, Roman, Indian, Indonesian, and Chinese influence.

Though the traditional cuisine is somewhat similar to other areas of the Arabian Peninsula, it is also influenced by the cuisine of eastern Africa and South Asia. A popular dish in Yemen is saltah, a stew of lamb or chicken heavily spiced with fenugreek and other herbs.

The best known cultural artefact is domestic architecture that dates back more than 2,000 years. The city of Sanaa and the towns of Zabid and Shibam are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Government

To understand the form of government in Yemen, it is to be noted that the country was once divided as North Yemen and South Yemen. North Yemen was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire while South Yemen was governed by the British. North Yemen became independent after World War I and South Yemen didn't gain its independence from the British until 1967. This caused both regions to have contrasting political systems.

North Yemen was a republic governed nominally under a constitution adopted in 1970. South Yemen, also republican in form, had a Marxist regime wherein the Yemen Socialist Party was the only legal political organisation that determined government policy and exercised control over the state administrative system, the legislature, and the military.

A unified political system was created in 1990, which introduced the multiparty representative democracy. The President is the head of state who is responsible for appointing the Vice-President and the Prime Minister (head of the government).

At present, the country is led by Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council after then-President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi transferred his powers to the council in April 2022. The Presidential Leadership Council was formed in 2022. It is responsible for negotiating with the Houthis to agree an a permanent ceasefire and a political solution to the war.

Picture Credit: Google

HOW ABOUT A CUP OF JOE?

Fiternational Coffee Day is more than just a celebration of a popular beverage its a global recognition of the diverse calluns, economies, and sustainability efforts assodant with coffee. This day serves as a reminder of the millions of individuals who work tirelessly to bring coffee from hean to cup. As we raise a toast to this belowe drink on Cictober 1 lets also take a moment to appreciate the traditions ad compitens that male caffee a symbol of connection and community ammoud the world.

While many countries observe national coffee days at different times of the year, the International Coffee Organization (ICO) officially declared October 1st as International Coffee Day in 2015. The ICO, which comprises 77 member states, dedicated the day to celebrating coffee's diversity, quality, and the millions of people involved in its production and trade.

The day is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a cup of joe and celebrate with fellow connoisseurs worldwide. The choice of October 1st as the date for this celebration was not arbitrary. It was chosen to coincide with the start of the coffee harvesting season in many coffee-producing countries, Since its inception, this annual event has grown in popularity and significance, highlighting coffee's global reach and influence.

Though Coffee's birthplace is considered to be Kefa in Ethiopia, by the 15th century it was placed under cultivation in Arabia. Its popularity grew amongst the Arabs, and became the quintessence of cultural bonding, via the coffeehouse. By the 16th and 17th centuries, coffee slowly got its entry into European countries, which started flourishing by the 17th century across Britain, the British colonies in America, and continental Europe. Before the 17th century ended, Yemen's southern province was the only source of coffee in the world. However, due to the beverage's rising popularity, the plant quickly spread to Java and other islands in the Indonesian archipelago during the 17th century, and to the Americas during the 18th century.

In 1825, coffee cultivation was initiated in the Hawaiian Islands. During the 20th century, the highest amount of coffee production was focused in Brazil. Coffee is cultivated in regions near the equator, commonly referred to as the bean belt. Due to their favorable equatorial climates that make them ideal for coffee production, countries like Brazil, Columbia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Vietnam, spread across three continents, are considered coffee capitals.

Brazil stands out as the world's primary exporter of coffee beans, accounting for 45% of all coffee bean exports globally. On the other hand, the US tops the list as the world's largest importer of coffee. Finland is considered the coffee capital of the world, though it doesn't produce any, due to its long-standing relationship with coffee, dating back to the 19th century when the country was under Russian rule. After gaining independence in 1917, Finland embraced Western customs and traditions. In contrast to Russia's preference for tea, Finns opted to challenge the norm and consume coffee instead.

BREW YOUR COFFEE RIGHT

When it comes to coffee, the type of bean used plays a big role in determining the flavour. For a coffee aficionado or someone who is beginning to explore the specialities of coffee, knowing the differences between types of coffee beans can help in finding the perfect brew to suit the taste.

Growing coffee beans is a complex process that requires significant effort. Unlike crops like corn or soybeans that can be rotated annually, coffee plants can take up to five years to produce fruit and around ten years before they're ready for commercial harvesting. However, once they begin producing, they can continue to do so for up to 30 years, so choosing the right type of plant is crucial for planters. There are two main types of coffee plants that provide the world's coffee supply: Coffea arabica and C. canephora. Arabica coffee is known for its mild, flavourful, and aromatic qualities, while Robusta coffee, which comes from the main variety of C. canephora, has a less complex taste.

The Arabica bean is flatter and more elongated, but also more fragile and vulnerable to pests. It requires a cool subtropical climate and grows at higher elevations of 2,000-6,500 feet.

Arabica coffee needs a lot of moisture and specific shade requirements. Arabica plants are currently grown in over 50 equatorial countries, and the beans' taste and aroma differ significantly between nations and regions. It is commonly produced in Latin America, eastern Africa, Asia, and Arabia.

On the other hand, Robusta coffee has a rounder, more convex bean and is hardier. It can grow at lower altitudes from sea level to 2,000 feet.

Robusta coffee is cheaper to produce and has twice the caffeine content of Arabica. It is often used in commercial coffee brands, ie, the instant coffee that is less expensive. Major producers of Robusta coffee are Western and Central Africa, Southeast Asia, and Brazil.

Liberica and Excelsa are the less preferred coffee beans which were in existence earlier. Liberica coffee beans are rare and have a unique "woody" taste. They became popular when a plant disease called "coffee rust' wiped out Arabica plants worldwide. The Philippines were the first to harvest Liberica, but when they declared independence, the U.S. imposed sanctions, causing the beans to almost disappear from markets.

Excelsa is the newest type of coffee bean and is mostly grown in Southeast Asia. It has a fruity, tart flavour and combines the attributes of both light and dark roast coffees.

Picture Credit: Google

How stars like the Sun generate energy through nuclear fusion?

Stars like our Sun radiate huge quantities of energy because of the nuclear fusion reaction taking place inside their core. Can we use the same idea to generate power that is clean and cheap? Where are scientists around the world working on such projects.

The energy scenario in the world is changing as natural sources conventionally used for generating energy like fossil fuels, oil and coal are fast depleting.

But there are abundant energy sources that cause minimal climate change. Nuclear energy is one such option being used worldwide. In this process, energy is released from the nucleus of an atom either by splitting the heavy atom into two (nuclear fission) or by combining two light atoms into a heavier one (nuclear fusion).

For more than 50 years, energy has been generated in nuclear power plants through fission, a process in which heavy elements such as uranium are bombarded by neutrons, resulting in the splitting of the nuclei and the release of huge amounts of energy in the form of heat.

Nuclear fusion is the opposite process. In fusion reactors, light atomic nuclei are compressed under intense pressure and heat, forcing them to combine together to form heavier nuclei. Fusion also results in the release of huge quantities of energy.

Special conditions Normally, atomic nuclei repel each other if we try to bring them closer; to force them to come close and ultimately fuse together, special conditions have to be generated in the form of very high pressure and extremely high temperatures.

Stars like our Sun radiate huge quantities of energy because of the nuclear fusion reaction taking place inside their core- hydrogen is continuously changing to helium.

The core experiences extremely high pressure because of the gravitational force exerted by the mass of the gigantic star itself, this pressure also leads to the generation of very high temperature inside the star. So, the basic requirement for a fusion reaction is to create a star-like situation inside the reactor in terms of temperature and pressure. To generate such conditions, a lot of energy is needed.

The process must be optimised to generate more energy than it consumes. Fusion could be utilised to generate electricity commercially. The main fuels used in nuclear fusion are deuterium and tritium, both heavy isotopes of hydrogen. Deuterium constitutes a tiny fraction of natural hydrogen, only 0.0153 per cent, and can be extracted inexpensively from seawater. The amount of deuterium present in one litre of water can in theory produce as much energy as the combustion of 300 litres of oil! This means that there is enough deuterium in the oceans to meet human energy needs for millions of years.

Building a fusion power plant that can withstand the immense temperature and pressures produced by this process is one of the century's greatest engineering challenges. The fuel must be heated to about 100 million degrees Celsius. At that hotter-than-the-sun temperature, a fully ionised gas-plasma is formed. The plasma will then be ignited to create fusion.

Picture Credit: Google

What's driftwood?

They are pieces of dead wood floating down a stream or river, having broken off from a tree that was growing near the water body. These woody remnants embark on a journey across the waters, creating a new future for them.

Ever seen pieces of dead wood drifting down streams or rivers? These pieces of wood are on a journey, sailing across the waters, carried by the currents as they move to embark on a new life. Driftwood refers to pieces of wood that were either the trunk or the branches of a tree that grew next to a river and which eventually broke off and fell into the water, thereby embarking on an odyssey across the river.

The driftwood that starts off on the journey from the forest can have a multitude of "afterlives". It can either end up on the ocean bed, get washed up on the beach, or even get refashioned into an artefact!

Once a dead log of wood becomes driftwood, it starts off on an adventure, an adventure dictated by the elements, exploring uncharted waters and eventually reaching its final destination. If you have been to the beach you must have come across driftwood.

Sometimes they may just be twigs, lying like debris on the beach or they can appear like an exquisite piece of wooden art sculpted by an artist. The driftwood always enriches the ecosystem it eventually visits. It might even have inspired us to create our first wooden rafts and boats. Dead trees have even been used as small watercraft or carriers. Sometimes the driftwood is in itself a tiny ecosystem. It feeds and even gives shelter to tiny beings such as insects, birds, etc.

On some occasions, these driftwood pieces that get carried by the waters become tangled in large groups called logjams and can sometimes clog a river. We even have logjams that are hundreds of years old. But in most cases, the driftwood keeps flowing downstream, eventually ending up in a new environment like a lakeshore or beach.

They also become a buffer against erosion in erosion-prone ecosystems such as open beaches. They even carry seeds front the forest to the coast which may germinate. Large pieces of wood are used as shelter by beach-dwelling animals. For instance, some shorebirds nest beside driftwood.

Driftwood also has an aesthetic and artistic value. The many forces of nature that have acted on the driftwood lead to the formation of intricate and ornate swirls and whorls and patterns. Driftwood is sought out by artists who turn it into artefacts.

Picture Credit: Google

 

What is metafiction?

Metafiction is a literary style that invites readers to step into a world where the lines between reality and fiction blur. In this self-conscious narrative approach, the narrator and characters are keenly aware of their existence within a work of fiction. As a result, metafiction often departs from traditional storytelling conventions, offering a unique reading experience that prompts introspection about the nature of storytelling itself.

CHARACTERISTICS OF METAFICTION:

Breaking the fourth wall

 Metafiction boldly shatters the fourth wall that typically separates the creator of a story from its audience. This literary technique involves direct interactions with the reader, with the narrator or characters openly acknowledging their role in a fictional world. This blurring of boundaries invites readers to question the authenticity of the narrative and their own position within it.

 Self-reflexive

A hallmark of metafiction is its self-reflexivity. Authors employ this technique to draw attention away from the storyline and toward the very process of storytelling. By doing so, they encourage readers to contemplate the construction of the text itself. This self-awareness can manifest in various ways, from characters questioning the nature of their existence to authors commenting on their creative process within the narrative.

Examples

• The Canterbury Tales (1387) by Geoffrey Chaucer is an early example of metafiction, using interconnected stories to parody conventional fiction elements. He addresses the audience directly, adding a metafictional layer to the narrative.

• Don Quixote (1605) by Miguel de Cervantes explores the relationship between fiction and reality as the protagonist, Don Quixote, embarks on a quest influenced by his reading. The book invites readers to reflect on the impact of stories on our lives.

Metafiction also appears in children's literature. Here are a few examples:

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (1992) by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith: This picture book playfully twists classic fairy tales, with characters interacting and the narrator intervening for humour and self-awareness.

• We Are in a Book! (2010) by Mo Willems: Part of the Elephant & Piggie series, this book features characters realising they're in a book, engaging in a humorous, metafictional conversation that introduces young readers to interactive storytelling.

Through humour, wordplay, and interactive elements, such books make reading an engaging and thought-provoking experience.

Picture Credit: Google

What is so special about flamingos?

Flamingos are wading birds that are known for their long legs and bright pink feathers. The name "flamingo" comes from the Spanish or Portuguese word for "flame-coloured" Interestingly, flamingos are not born with their signature pink colour. Rather, it comes from the beta-carotene pigment found in the algae. brine fly larvae, and brine shrimp that they eat. Flamingos digestive system breaks down these pigments into fats that are deposited in their feathers and skin. As flamingos primarily eat carotenoid-filled foods, they easily colour themselves. However, humans would have to consume large amounts of carotenoid-rich foods to achieve a similar effect.

There are six different species of flamingos worldwide, and their colours vary based on habitat and food sources. Some flamingos are darker or brighter shades of pink, while others are orange, red, or white.

Flamingos are known for their ability to stand on one leg for extended periods, even while sleeping. While this behaviour puzzles scientists, it is a common ability among large wading birds.

Flamingos can measure anywhere from 32 to 51 inches tall and weigh between 2.2 kg and 3.6 kg. They are social creatures, often found in groups while feeding, preening, or sleeping. They feed on algae and small crustaceans by filtering mud and water through their beaks, which have bristles that form a comb-like mechanism.

Flamingos are striking birds, with their pink feathers that come from a diet rich in shrimp, algae, and larvae. They have peculiar behaviours, such as eating with their heads upside down, sleeping with their heads on their backs, and standing on one leg for long periods. Scientists have offered several theories to explain why flamingos stand on one leg. One theory suggests that it helps reduce muscle fatigue and allows them to move more quickly when threatened by predators.

Another theory suggests that it helps regulate their body temperature, as they lose a lot of heat through their legs and feet. Researchers tested these theories by observing a flock of flamingos and found that flamingos were faster when starting on both feet, contradicting the muscle fatigue theory. On the other hand, more flamingos stood on two feet in warmer weather conditions, supporting the body heat theory. Additionally, flamingos spend most of their time in water, which can lower their body temperature fairly quickly, providing another reason for heat conservation. Yet. another theory suggests that flamingos, like whales and dolphins, turn off half their brains when they sleep, and standing on one leg helps them maintain balance and prevent falling. However, ornithologists admit that none of these theories have been confirmed with certainty, and other reasons may exist, such as reducing exposure to waterborne parasites and other hazards.

Picture Credit: Google

Does the name of the account holder matter if IFSC code and account number are entered correctly?

 

In case someone enters an incorrect IFSC while making an online transfer, the funds are credited back to the sender's bank account.

If you have a bank account, you must have seen an IFSC reference on the passbook. The unique code forms an essential part of the Indian banking infrastructure. Let us find out more about this unique code.

What is IFSC?

The Indian Financial System Code (IFSC) is an 11-character alphanumerical code that is used by banks to identify the branches where people have their bank accounts. Every bank branch has a unique IFSC and no two branches (even of the same bank) will ever have the same code. In an IFSC, the first four digits tell the name of the bank and the last six characters are numbers representing the branch. The fifth character is zero. The IFSC is assigned by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Purpose of IFSC The IFSC is used by electronic payment system applications such as Unified Payment Interfaces (UPI). It is used only to transfer or send funds within India. It is mandatory when transferring money from one bank account to another. Without the IFSC, you cannot make online transfers. The IFSC ensures that the money being transferred reaches the right destination bank without any mishap during the transaction process. It also helps the RBI keep track of all digital banking transactions.

Where to find the IFSC?

The IFSC of a bank's branch can be found in the cheque book. Besides, it can be found on the first page of the passbook. Another simple way to find out the IFSC is to refer to the official website of the RBI or the bank's website.

 

Why was Apple forced to switch to USB-C?

Shreyas Sen

Apple recently announced that it plans to adopt the USB-C connector for all four new iPhone 15 models, helping USB-C become the connector of choice of the electronics industry, nine years after its debut. The move puts Apple in compliance with European Union law requiring a single connector type for consumer devices.

USB-C is a small, versatile connector for mobile and portable devices like laptops, tablets and smartphones. It transfers data at high speeds. transmits video signals and delivers power to charge devices batteries. USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. The C refers to the third type, following types A and B.

The USB Implementers Forum, a consortium of over 1,000 companies that promote and support USB technology, developed the USB-C connector to replace the older USB connectors as well as other types of ports like HDMI, DisplayPort and VGA. The aim is to create a single, universal connector for a wide range of devices.

The key features and benefits of USB-C include a reversible connector that you can insert in either orientation. It also allows some cables to have the same connector on both ends for connecting between devices and connecting devices to chargers, unlike most earlier USB and Lightning cables.

USB-C's widespread adoption in the electronics industry is likely to lead to a universal standard that reduces the need for multiple types of cables and adapters. Also, its slim and compact shape allows manufacturers to make thinner and lighter devices. USB-C refers to the physical connector. Connectors use a variety of data transfer protocols - sets of rules for formatting and handling data - such as the USB and Thunderbolt protocols.

The latest USB protocol, version 4, provides a data transfer rate of up to 40 gigabits per second, depending on the rating of the cable. The latest Thunderbolt, also on version 4, supports up to 40 gigabits-per-second data transfer and 100 watts charging. The newly announced Thunderbolt 5 will support up to 80 and 120 gigabits-per-second transfer and 140 to 240 watts power transfer over a USB-C connector.

Since its introduction in 2014, USB-C has gained widespread popularity and has already become the connector of choice for most non-Apple devices. Apple converted the iPad Pro to USB-C in 2018 and now is doing the same for the best selling Apple device, the iPhone.

Thanks to the industrywide adoption of USB-C, consumers soon won't have to ask "Is this the right connector?" when they reach for a cable to charge or sync their portable devices. (This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence.)

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How many players can be eligible receivers in football?

The National Football League or NFL is a professional American football league in the U.S. For a long time, NFL rules dictated that wide receivers - a forward pass-catching specialist - wear uniform numbers between 80 to 89. The league changed this restriction in 2004 and since then many pass-catchers have preferred lower jersey numbers.

Perception of size

In 2019, ESPN looked at possible reasons as to why so many wide receivers preferred to wear lower jersey numbers. The story stated that many athletes picked these numbers as they believed it made them look faster and slimmer. A professor of psychology and neuroscience who was quoted in the story offered a psychological explanation for this phenomenon, but clarified that there was no scientific research on the subject.

That has changed now with a new University of California, Los Angeles study published in the journal PLOS ONE in September revealing certain insights. Subjects in the study, which included two experiments, consistently rated images with players in jerseys numbered 10 to 19 as thinner than those in jerseys numbered 80 to 89, even for body sizes that were actually the same.

For their study, the researchers showed respondents computer-generated images of players in the same pose, but different body sizes, skin and jersey colours, and asked to judge slenderness. Each player was seen twice by the subjects, but with different jersey numbers - one high and one low. Regardless of the different factors, players in smaller jersey numbers were perceived as thinner than those wearing bigger jersey numbers.

Learned associations

 In a second experiment, the researchers repeated the process in person. To address concerns that the amount of jersey space occupied by numbers from 80 to 89 (since 8 is wider than 1) could make players look larger, they chose number combinations that used the same numerals, but in different orders: 17 and 71, 18 and 81, 19 and 91. In this experiment too, subjects continued to perceive those with lower jersey numbers as being more slender, even though the effect was smaller than in the first experiment.

This study thus suggests that previously learned statistical associations between numbers and sizes influence even the perception of body size. In our everyday lives, we are used to seeing bigger numbers on bigger versions of similar types of objects. These learned associations usually help our brains thrive, enhancing the chances of survival.

While how viewers perceive the body size of American football players will have minimal effect on their performance, such biases might be harmful in other walks of life - be it when it influences judgement or when behaviour towards certain social groups is affected, a phenomenon known as implicit bias. Being aware might help us reduce implicit bias.

Picture Credit: Google

What is the concept of the first british atomic bomb?

Like it or not, science and technology sees unprecedented growth during dire times. This is probably because funding flows into different branches of science like never before, allowing for progress inconceivable during ordinary times. Just like how the COVID-19 pandemic saw a global collective search for vaccines, there have been other times in the past - mostly during wars - when a number of scientific fields received a tremendous boost.

World War II was one such period when scientific progress was at its pinnacle. The ability to split an atom through nuclear fission was discovered in the 1930s. With its ability to release immense power realised, it wasn't long before the race to build a bomb with it was on. The Manhattan Project was born early in the 1940s and we all know what happened in Japan's Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

To retain influence                                           

While the Manhattan Project was led by the U.S., it was done in collaboration with the U.K. along with support from Canada. Following the war, however, the U.S. refused to share atomic information with the U.K. With the objective of avoiding complete dependence on the U.S., and to remain a great power and retain its influence, Britain sought to become a nuclear power.

The prospect was discussed in a secret cabinet committee in October 1946. While Chancellor of the Exchequer Hugh Dalton and President of the Board of Trade Stafford Cripps were opposed to the idea of a British bomb citing the huge costs involved, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Ernest Bevin had his way and work went ahead. By the time the bomb was ready, however, Winston Churchill's government came to power.

Penney at the helm

Led by British mathematician William Penney, who had worked on the world's first atomic bomb in the U.S., the project that went on to become Operation Hurricane began with a secret laboratory tasked with developing the trigger device. With the Soviets managing to successfully explode their first atomic bomb in 1949, Penney's team was under further pressure. Soon enough, the Brits were ready with their bomb.

Early in 1951, the Australian government agreed that the blast could take place at the uninhabited Monte Bello islands, an archipelago of over 100 islands lying off the coast of north-western Australia. The region was declared a prohibited zone and ships and aircraft were later warned to stay clear of an area of 23,500 nautical square miles off the coast.

Plym carries the bomb

 The troops were mobilised, the first set of vessels left for their destination in January 1952 and six months later HMS Plym, carrying the bomb, and the fleet flagship HMS Campania, made their way. The radioactive core, which used British and Canadian plutonium, was flown out later, and installed in the bomb on Plym very close to the scheduled detonation.

On the morning of October 3, 1952, Britain's first atomic bomb exploded, sending thousands of tonnes of rock, mud, and sea-water blasting into the air. The Plym was instantly vaporised, with scant bits of red-hot metal from the vessel falling on one of the islands even starting a fire.

An eye-witness account of a Reuters correspondent stationed less than 100 miles away mentions a grand flash followed by the appearance of a grey cloud-a zigzag Z-shaped cloud as opposed to the mushroom cloud that we instantly associate with such detonations.

The success of Operation Hurricane resulted in Penney being knighted. Churchill, who was serving as the Prime Minister of the U.K. for a second time, announced to the House of Commons that there had been no casualties and that everything had gone according to plan. While he did congratulate the Labour Party for their role in the whole project, he also did take a dig at them saying that 'as an old parliamentarian I was rather astonished that something well over £100 million could be disbursed without Parliament being made aware of it.'

Like it or not, science and technology sees unprecedented growth during dire times. This is probably because funding flows into different branches of science like never before, allowing for progress inconceivable during ordinary times. Just like how the COVID-19 pandemic saw a global collective search for vaccines, there have been other times in the past - mostly during wars - when a number of scientific fields received a tremendous boost.

World War II was one such period when scientific progress was at its pinnacle. The ability to split an atom through nuclear fission was discovered in the 1930s. With its ability to release immense power realised, it wasn't long before the race to build a bomb with it was on. The Manhattan Project was born early in the 1940s and we all know what happened in Japan's Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

To retain influence                                           

While the Manhattan Project was led by the U.S., it was done in collaboration with the U.K. along with support from Canada. Following the war, however, the U.S. refused to share atomic information with the U.K. With the objective of avoiding complete dependence on the U.S., and to remain a great power and retain its influence, Britain sought to become a nuclear power.

The prospect was discussed in a secret cabinet committee in October 1946. While Chancellor of the Exchequer Hugh Dalton and President of the Board of Trade Stafford Cripps were opposed to the idea of a British bomb citing the huge costs involved, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Ernest Bevin had his way and work went ahead. By the time the bomb was ready, however, Winston Churchill's government came to power.

Penney at the helm

Led by British mathematician William Penney, who had worked on the world's first atomic bomb in the U.S., the project that went on to become Operation Hurricane began with a secret laboratory tasked with developing the trigger device. With the Soviets managing to successfully explode their first atomic bomb in 1949, Penney's team was under further pressure. Soon enough, the Brits were ready with their bomb.

Early in 1951, the Australian government agreed that the blast could take place at the uninhabited Monte Bello islands, an archipelago of over 100 islands lying off the coast of north-western Australia. The region was declared a prohibited zone and ships and aircraft were later warned to stay clear of an area of 23,500 nautical square miles off the coast.

Plym carries the bomb

 The troops were mobilised, the first set of vessels left for their destination in January 1952 and six months later HMS Plym, carrying the bomb, and the fleet flagship HMS Campania, made their way. The radioactive core, which used British and Canadian plutonium, was flown out later, and installed in the bomb on Plym very close to the scheduled detonation.

On the morning of October 3, 1952, Britain's first atomic bomb exploded, sending thousands of tonnes of rock, mud, and sea-water blasting into the air. The Plym was instantly vaporised, with scant bits of red-hot metal from the vessel falling on one of the islands even starting a fire.

An eye-witness account of a Reuters correspondent stationed less than 100 miles away mentions a grand flash followed by the appearance of a grey cloud-a zigzag Z-shaped cloud as opposed to the mushroom cloud that we instantly associate with such detonations.

The success of Operation Hurricane resulted in Penney being knighted. Churchill, who was serving as the Prime Minister of the U.K. for a second time, announced to the House of Commons that there had been no casualties and that everything had gone according to plan. While he did congratulate the Labour Party for their role in the whole project, he also did take a dig at them saying that 'as an old parliamentarian I was rather astonished that something well over £100 million could be disbursed without Parliament being made aware of it.'

Picture Credit Google

What is the inculcation of scientific temper?

Gona are the times when children were expected to remain silent in children were expected to remain silent in classrooms and around elders. Today, the world wants to hear the voices of youngsters. Their questions make leaders, thinkers, and scientists reflect on the path that humanity is trudging along. But to enable youngsters to ask the right questions, it's pertinent to instill in them the value of scientific temper.

Despite being a Constitutional mandate, few efforts are made by the collective society to include this vital value in the otherwise exhaustive menu of our value systems that we teach children. Why is this so?

 

The concept

We live in an era of deepfakes and fake news. Blindly believing unverified claims and unsourced information has resulted in riots and cost lives around the world, including in India, in recent years. The fine line separating reality from perceived realities has blurred beyond visibility in the digital era. In these troubled times, scientific temper is the only solace that can help us sift and find truth.

 

What

Scientific temper can be explained as a mindset that encourages curiosity. skepticism, and, most importantly, a willingness to question established beliefs. For instance, while encountering new, unheard information, a person with scientific temper would stop to think, ask questions, and seek explanations.

They will not jump into conclusions based on the face value. They will not allow their emotional response overtake logic. Scientific temper helps us actively engage with the world around us and understand it better. It helps us avoid knee-jerk reactions in sensitive situations, thereby preventing any unnecessary consequences.

The history

Indian’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru wrote about the importance of "scientific temper" in his book "Discovery of India" in 1946, stressing its necessity for everyone to think like scientists. This concept of scientific temper found its place in the Constitution, much later, in 1976.

 

It was included under clause (h) of Article 51A through the 42nd amendment. This amendment bestowed upon every citizen the duty to develop scientific temper, humanism, and the spirit of inquiry and reform." In 2014, the theme for the National Science Day was "Fostering Scientific Temper."

 

The significance

Developing a scientific temper helps an individual develop as a good citizen, and a good human being. It helps youngsters manage their professional and personal relationships with minimal conflicts, while contributing positively to their immediate society. It is a critical building block for a healthy democracy as well

Scientific temper values the importance of questioning established beliefs and being curious. This practice will make individuals voice their opinions and raise questions, thus facilitating collective input in decision-making processes. When students learn to think scientifically, they learn how to make smart choices and solve problems.

In professional settings, it helps them resolve conflicts. Manage teams, and succeed in large matrix structures.

 

The contribution

Scientific temper has played a significant role in the development of India from a primitive civilization into a modern, emerging global war. Over generations, social reformers worked tirelessly to rid India of many, many social evils that arose from inherent superstitions. During this process, they appealed to the scientific temper of the general populace to shed their blind beliefs through reasoning and verbal articulation.

From human sacrifice to window remarriage, intouchability and religious divide- they addressed many issues. Some of these practices have been abolished from our contemporary society while other continues to haunt us even today. Only, continuous and concerted efforts to inculcate scientific temper will help our country move forward from narrow social constructs to embrace peace, prosperity, and pluralism.

Parents, educational institutions, media, and publishers of content for youngsters have a role to play in this process. As Nehru wrote, ‘’ what is needed is the scientific approach; the adventurous, the search for truth and new knowledge, the refusal to accept anything without testing and trial, the capacity to change previous conclusions in the face of new evidence… (This) should be a way of life.

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Where does sunbird live?

Tiny jewels with wings - that would describe sunbirds perfectly. As the bird flies busily, dipping its long, down-curved beak deep into the flowers to suck at the nectar, its feathers glint with a metallic sheen when the light catches it. The amazing thing is that tiny though it is (measuring 10-12 cm), you can count a number of colors - crimson, green, orange, blue, scarlet, yellow and mauve - in a single bird! And it is only the males which sport these colours. The females are generally drab olive green or dull brown. The males are bigger and have longer tails. Sunbirds are distantly related to honeyeaters and hummingbirds. They have the same habit of hovering before a flower, their wings a blur of movement. Sometimes they hang upside-down, pushing their tube-like furry tongues into the centre of flowers which are trumpet-shaped or bell-shaped.

Nests are small, delicate cups, constructed mostly of cobwebs with a few strands of dried grass thrown in. Up to four tiny eggs are laid. Both male and female take turns in feeding the young.

There are 12 species of sunbirds in India and the commonest is the purple sunbird.

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What is the name of the smallest bear in the world?

The sun bear is the smallest bear species in the world. It gets its name from the yellow or creamy white mark on its chest that resembles the rising sun. It is also known as the Malayan bear.

Compared to the biggest bear species - the polar bear and the Kodiak or grizzly bear, which stand almost 3 metres (9.8 feet) tall and weigh around 635 kilos, the sun bear grows to about 1.2 metres (36 cm) in length and weighs around 40 kilos. It has a black coat and a light grey or orange nose. The feet are tipped with long sickle-shaped claws, which are sharper and curvier than in most other bear species. The soles are hairless.

Sun bears build nests in trees by breaking or bending the branches. They spend the day in the nests, sleeping and basking. They hunt only at night.

In 1978, the IUCN included the sun bear in its Red List of endangered species. Although its population has decreased due to hunting, a few thousand can still be found in the forests of the Malay Peninsula, Java, Sumatra, Myanmar, Borneo and Thailand.

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Why are stonefish so poisonous?

Stonefish is perhaps one of the world's best camouflaged fish. But it is also the most venomous. Found in shallow waters of the tropical Indo-Pacific, stonefish stay in the muddy or rocky bottoms of marine environments, living among rocks or coral. It may look like a stone on the ocean floor and deceptively stays blended with the ocean floor while hunting. The skin covered by wart-like lumps helps it in camouflage. It has venomous spines and when stepped on accidentally or there is a contact, it can sting. The sting is painful and can be fatal. Did you know that the fish is a delicacy in certain parts of Asia after its venomous spines are removed.

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What is a venomous lizard native to parts of the US and Mexico?

Native to the USA and Mexico, the Gila monster is a small, venomous lizard that is known to spend more than 90% of its life below the ground. As such you may not encounter the Gila monsters in the wild but bites are known to occur at times. The venomous lizard is known to use its venom only for defensive purposes. A mild neurotoxin, the venom of the creature is produced in the lizards' salivary glands. The saliva is toxic and is found to contain the hormone exendin-4 which could be used to treat type 2 diabetes. Although its venom is deadly, it also has potential medicinal use. While the lizard is strictly nocturnal, above-ground sightings of it are also seen during the day.

Picture Credit: Google