My Science School

              Have you observed the carcass of an animal or a bird decomposing and disintegrating into the soil? If you observe closely, you could find small maggots or worms that eat up the dead body. When animals or plants die, they slowly become part of the soil thanks to the presence of decomposers.

             Decomposers play a crucial role in the process of recycling. They eat away the dead remains of the plants and the animals. They have the capability of breaking down organic matter and converting them into simpler substances. This means that these substances go through a cyclical life by being integrated into organisms and are used repeatedly.

              Nowadays, people are encouraged to use biodegradable materials. Materials that can be broken down into simpler substances naturally are called biodegradable materials. However, human activities have hindered the process of natural recycling.

              Materials such as tin, plastic and glass are non-biodegradable. These materials cannot be broken down naturally; and therefore, they can remain in the environment for hundreds or thousands of years. They can pose a threat to life and are possible health hazards.

             Governments, these days, are urging people to replace non-biodegradable products with biodegradable products.

            If every living thing is comfortably placed in nature and allowed to grow and multiply at leisure, the earth would soon become inadequate for life! Therefore, the equilibrium of life on earth should be kept in check. Food chains play that vital role in our environment.

            Every living thing, at one or other time, is consumed by another. The process of who eats whom is called food chain. It is basically, a series of living beings linked together because each one is the food for another. The position each species occupies within a food chain is called a feeding level. Thus, plants come to the first as they represent the lowest level. The final consumer comes at the last level. Thus a pyramid is formed in the biosphere.

            For example, grasshoppers eat plants; meanwhile, grasshoppers become prey to frogs. Snakes consume frogs. However, snakes are eaten by peacocks, which is the final consumer in the pyramid. When the final consumer at the top of the pyramid dies and disintegrates, its substances are taken up as nourishment by plants. Thus this chain or cycle continues. If any of the links is lost or damaged it affects the whole chain. All living beings are inter-connected and inter-dependent; and therefore, all living things are part of this chain.

            Have you ever wondered whether we would run out of oxygen at some point in time if all living things used it for their existence? However, we know that trees and plants release oxygen to the atmosphere. Life in biosphere is cyclical. The elements that sustain life travel from one form of life to another making each of them dependent upon the other. The most important cycles in the biosphere are nitrogen cycle, oxygen cycle, carbon cycle and water cycle.

            Nitrogen is required in all living beings to produce proteins. Nitrifying bacteria present in certain plants carry out the process of nitrogen fixation. Denitrifying bacteria decompose the dead remains and waste products of plants and animals and release nitrogen back into the atmosphere.

            Living things take in oxygen from the air as it helps the release of energy from the food they consume. The process of photosynthesis that occurs in the leaves of green plants releases oxygen. Additionally, green plants play an important role in carbon cycle. They consume carbon dioxide to produce food. When animals consume these plants, they get some part of carbon. Carbon dioxide is released back to the H atmosphere when the animals exhale. Carbon is returned to nature when the animals die.

            In the case of water cycle, water changes into vapour and rises up in the atmosphere. When it cools down, it condenses into water droplets which combine together to constitute clouds. When clouds become heavy with water droplets they fall back on Earth in the form of rain or snow.

            These cycles are vital for the existence and sustenance of life on Earth.

            If you observe a pond or a river, you would be amazed to see the variety of living things there. You would find not only fishes, but also plants, frogs, insects, birds and many more creatures! They all live there quietly and interdependently.

            An ecosystem is the coexistence of different life forms in a given geographical area. Various species of creature from a community at such locations. The communities with its surroundings such as soil, temperature, vegetation etc. from an ecosystem.

            Individual animals fight for resources in an ecosystem, because there is a limit to resources available for a biological community. Different species interact with each other in the ecosystem for their survival, food, shelter etc.

            This interaction, however, may be in the form of relationships like that of the prey and the hunter. It may be one of mutual benefit or symbiotic. Symbiotic living means interdependence and a friendly relationship with nature and living beings.

            Life in an ecosystem is cyclical in nature as living organisms depend on each other. The continuity of the fragile ecosystem depends on the interrelationship between various physical and biological factors.

            In the entire universe known to him, Man is yet to find another planet like Earth where there is life. Our planet, therefore, is unique because it holds a system that contains life in its diverse manifestations. This diversity is so enormous that our attempt to study it seriously has just begun!

            You may have heard the saying that nature is the greatest teacher. Man tries to know more about nature systematically and scientifically. Ecology is the science that studies the behaviour of plants and animals, and in Particular, environmental conditions. Ecology addresses the full scale of life, from tiny bacteria to processes that spay entire planet.

            Ecology comes from the Greek word ‘Oikos’. The word means a place to live in. Ernest Haeckel, a renowned German biologist, used the term for the first time. However, his idea of ecology was forgotten until about 1900 when biologists began to take serious interest in it. Ancient Greek philosophers such as Hippocrates and Aristotle were the first thinkers who discussed ecology in their studies on natural history.

            Ecology has many practical applications today. Modern ecology became a much more rigorous science only in the late 19th century.

            When Man goes into space, he needs protective gear because he is out of his environment. We live comfortably in the biosphere where life thrives.

            Biosphere comes from the Greek word 'bios', which means life. We humans live in the biosphere. Biosphere is a layer that extends slightly above and slightly below the surface of the earth. This space covers the earth's entire surface.

            Biosphere is, in fact, the living part of our home planet and it comprises a number of ecosystems. It also includes the atmosphere. The atmosphere acts just like a blanket over the earth as it protects our planet from harmful rays of the sun.

            Millions of different ecosystems are present in the biosphere and they are contained within many geographical areas known as biomes. The ecologists divide the biosphere into smaller units such as ecosystems, habitats and niches. This division makes its study easier because each of these units can be studied individually in detail.

            Biosphere consists of some 35,000 species of living creatures including human beings.

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            We tend to take our life for granted and think that the survival of living beings on earth depend; exclusively on the availability of fresh air, food and drinking water. However, our life depends on so many other factors too. The environment around us preserves life as a mother's womb protects the child within!

            Environment is formed by whatever surroundings we live in. In the case of Earth, all the physical surroundings present on our planet are called environment. In other words, environment is the setting in which human life, as well as countless other life forms, comfortably exists.

            The environment includes both living and non-living things. The part of the environment where life exists is called the biosphere. All the living beings including human beings and plants are part of the biosphere.

            The non-living part of the environment has three main parts: the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, and the lithosphere. The atmosphere is the air, which comprises of various gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon. Hydrosphere, as the name suggests, consists of water bodies. All oceans and other bodies of water on earth such as rivers and lakes make up the hydrosphere. The lithosphere denotes the outer layer of Earth.

            Our existence and survival depends entirely on atmosphere. All animals, plants, and other living beings rely on the non-living aspects of the environment to survive.

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I am introvert, How can I go in Hospitality industry?

 

To be successful in this profession you need to have a pleasing personality, outgoing temperament and be adaptable. Being an introvert does not mean that you cannot be successful in this field. There are certain departments like front office, which require goo interpersonal skills. But you can join any function, such as food and beverage, housekeeping and so on. One quality that is very essential is grooming. Leading hotels even have a manual stipulating dress code and hairstyle- down to the type of earrings and bangles that are permitted.

 The test is designed to measure your general mental ability, analytical ability, numerical aptitude and English language ability.

The interview will test how well you can communicate and how pleasant you are in various circumstances.

 

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Indian students accustomed to mugging up textbooks and reproducing them in exams will have to gear up for new way of learning. Foreign universities expect students to be analytical in their approach. Instead of just applying formulas and information, they are expected to produce reasoning and theories of their own. Critical thinking and questioning is appreciated, unlike in India, where exact reproduction of classroom lectures fetches you marks.

 

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Representatives of foreign universities have one lament about Indian students: the moment they get out of the flight they announce, ‘I want a job.’ But the purpose of your going abroad is to study, not to earn. Keep it in mind that you cannot cover the cost of your studies by taking up work. That will only partially cover your extra expenses

 

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Even when students have got admission notice from a foreign university, their chances can be marred on account of denial of visa. This is perhaps the toughest stage to clear. The authorities are very strict in issuing visas and try to judge your attention of going abroad, do you have enough finances and are you proficient enough in English to understand the language as it is spoken in that country. Of these three criteria, the toughest part will be trying to convince the authorities that you intend to come back upon the completion of the course.

 

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Scholarships are very difficult at the undergraduate level. Most scholarships are given at postgraduate level and these demand excellent academic standards. Britain gives arguably the largest number of scholarships at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. These can either cover all costs (tuition, accommodation, airfares and books) or can be partial scholarships. Some scholarships like Rajiv Gandhi Cambridge Bursaries, Chevening Shared Scholarships are for Indian students, while for some international scholarships, Indian students must compete with other international students to get them. The complete list of British scholarships is available with the British Council.

The USA also gives full or partial awards, based on need, merit and potential of the student. Thus, for example, Indiana University of Pennsylvania gives University Tuition Scholarship for undergraduate degree, which is only a partial tuition waiver for the course. The complete list of scholarships is available with the USEFI.

In Australia, it is very difficult to get a scholarship at the undergraduate level. However, a large number of scholarships are available at the postgraduate level, based on merit. The scholarships cover tuition fees. However, a few scholarships do exist for undergraduate students, like Beaufort College Scholarships for Class XII and Curtin University scholarships for undergraduate studies.

 

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How else do they judge your personality sitting thousands of miles away? From the mission statement, they can gauge your character strengths, your career goals, and where you want to be in life. This will help them decide whether you would be the right candidate for their university or not. The mission statement can be a small, one-page matter. But it should be impressive. Don’t write it with a carefree attitude. Write everything about yourself. Tell your background, the reasons for choosing the subject and the university and state your career goals.

 

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Students keen on joining foreign universities should prove proficiency in English. American universities require a score of 550 in the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL), which tests the ability to understand American English through a multiple-choice format examination. The test is conducted in March, June, September and December.

British institutions require proof of English proficiency, which can be obtained by taking the International English Language Testing Service (IELTS), administered by the British Council, or the TOEFL. Australian Universities ask for an IELTS score of 6 ton 7 or TOEFL score of 550. In Germany, not only is a TOEFL score required, but a German proficiency test, Test DAF, is also required.

Those of you who are keen on joining a graduate programme in engineering, physics, chemistry or maths will have to show Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. The test can be taken three times in a year: April, November and December.

 

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Foreign universities look for outstanding academic record. Students applying for an undergraduate degree programme should have good 10+2 scores. Students keen to join a postgraduate degree or diploma course should have performed very well in their graduation. Besides academic record, certificates in sports, debates and other extracurricular activities are always an added advantage because foreign universities look forward to students with all-round personality, who can contribute to the college.

You will need to get reference letters from your teachers, who can write an impressive personality statement for you. You might be asked to produce a certificate of financial status, signed by a chartered accountant.

 

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