My Science School

Geologists propose that lying beneath New Zealand is a long-hidden continent called Zealandia.

A continuous expanse of continental crust covering 4.9 million sq/kms, Zealandia is bigger than the Indian subcontinent, but it would be the smallest of the world’s continents. Unlike the others, around 94 per cent of Zealandia hides beneath the ocean. Only New Zealand, New Caledonia and a few small islands are visible above the sea, Zealandia rises about 9800 feet above the surrounding ocean crust. “If it wasn’t for the ocean level, long ago we’d have recognized Zealandia for what it was – a continent,”says geologist Nick Mortimer.

Zealandia rises about 9800 feet above the surrounding ocean crust.”If it wasn’t for the ocean level, long ago we’d have recognized Zealandia for what it was – a continent.” says geologist Nick Mortimer.

Zealandia probably began as part of the south-eastern edge of the super continent Gondwana before it began breaking off around 100 million years ago. This break-up distorted Zealandia, ultimately lowering it below sea level.

Zealandia faces a battle for continent status as there is no scientific body that formally recognizes continents. Recognizing it as a continent would help scientists piece together ancient super continents, and help in the study of how geologic forces reshape landmasses over time.

 

Picture Credit : Google

An underground vault in Billund, Denmark, contains every LEGO set ever. The vault, called Memory Lane, is located under the house of Lego’s founder, Ole Kirk Christiansen, and contains every set the Danish toymaker has ever made in its 85-year history.

Speaking about the LEGO products in those years, it seemed that the company was focused solely on the male construction sets. But this is not entirely true, as the toys designed for girls were also available in the assortment of LEGO. For example, in the 70s, they produced dollhouses with furniture. Although, even today, most of LEGO sets are created with a focus on the male audience. That is not discrimination, but the fact is that boys enjoy playing with a construction set more than girls do.

On June 07, 1968, LEGO opened LEGOLAND park. It was built on the territory of 59 hectares in Denmark. During the first season, the park was visited by 625,000 people.

The famous logo of LEGO was designed in 1973, which today is known to most people on the planet. In 1974, there were designed LEGO figures – the LEGO family. This set brought the company a big success around the world. In the same year, there was an opening of the factory LEGO AG in Baar, Zug, Switzerland. First LEGO products were produced outside Denmark (In 1992, the name will be changed to LEGO Produktion AG).

In the 1990s, LEGO kits had a high demand over the world. And of course, the market was not without fraud, like Atko. However, Atko toys looked different from the original LEGO sets and had much lower quality.

 

Picture Credit : Google

No one has ever gotten a perfect score on the Gaokao, the Chinese college entrance exam that lasts over 2 days in June. It is made up of four three hour papers: Chinese, English, Maths and a choice of either sciences (biology, chemistry, and physics) or humanities (geography, history, politics). The exam is national event; construction work is halted near examination halls so as not to disturb the students, and traffic is diverted. Ambulances are on call in case of nervous collapse, and police cars patrol to keep the streets quiet. Students who do well can look forward to successful careers and even good marriage prospects.

It’s mandatory for students willing to pursue higher education. That’s why nearly 10 million candidates appear every year. Only about 0.2% candidates score enough to get into the top colleges. The Gaokao has been such a big cause of anxiety among teenagers that many documentaries have been made on this exam.

 

Picture Credit : Google

A Single gram of poison from Bruno’s casque-headed frog (Aparasphenodon brunoi) is enough to kill 80 humans. The frogs deliver the toxins into the bloodstream of the predator using bony spines that grow out of their skulls which are rooted in glands that secrete the toxic mucous. The frogs live in holes on trees, closing the hole with their heads to maintain humidity inside and reduce water loss from the body. The top of their heads is similar to the barks of trees, making it difficult for a predator to see them. But in case the disguise is identified, it’s impossible for the predator to grab the frog by the head to pull it out of the hole.

Venomous animals have toxins associated with delivery mechanisms that can introduce the toxins into another animal.

Although most amphibian species produce or sequester noxious or toxic secretions in the glands of the skin to use as anti predator mechanisms, they have been considered poisonous rather than venomous because delivery mechanisms are absent.

 

Picture Credit : Google

The first woman in the world to receive a PhD. degree was Venetian noblewoman Elena Cornaro Piscopia. Besides mastering seven languages – Greek, Latin, Hebrew, French, Spanish, Arabic and her native Italian – Elena studied mathematics, philosophy and theology. She received a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Padua in Italy in Italy on 25 June 1678.

Elena came to be an expert musician, mastering the harpsichord, the clavichord, the harp and the violin. Her skills were shown by the music that she composed in her lifetime. In her late teens and early twenties she became interested in physics, astronomy and linguistics. Carlo Rinaldini, her tutor in philosophy, and at that point the Chairman of Philosophy at the University of Padua, published a book in 1668 written in Latin and centering on geometry. The book was dedicated to a twenty-two year old Elena. After the death of her main tutor, Fabris, she became even closer to Rinaldini, who took over her studies.

 

Picture Credit : Google

Created by the Institute ofAdvance Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) the world’s first 3D printed pedestrian bridge is 12 metres long and 1.75 metres wide, and spans a body of water in Castilla-La Mancha Park in Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain. The bridge is made up of eight parts, each made of concrete powder micro-reinforced with thermoplastic polypropylene. “This is an evolutionary technique which involves depositing layers of material one sheet on another. Instead of using ink like a normal printer, we were depositing layers of material one sheet on another. Instead of using ink like a normal printer, we were depositing construction material, “said the IAAC team.

The institute stated in a press release that the parametric design allowed for the optimal distribution of the material and minimized the amount of waste by recycling the raw material during production. The design also allowed for maximum structural performance. The material is used only where it is needed, with complete freedom in terms of form, maintaining its porosity thanks to the application of generative algorithms and challenging the traditional techniques of construction.

 

Picture Credit : Google

No man-made object has survived on Venus for more than 127 minutes. A Soviet spacecraft called Venera 13 lasted for 127 minutes when it arrived on the planet: it was eventually crushed by the enormous heat and pressure of the planet. Venus’ 470 degree Celsius temperature, sulphuric acid atmosphere, and overwhelming air pressure (90 times greater than our home planet’s) have left scientists with the challenge to develop technology to withstand such a harsh environment.

After a four-month journey to Venus, the spacecraft descended through the planet's atmosphere, plunging through the clouds toward the surface. Venera 13 then popped a parachute and rode it all the way down.

Venera 13 touched down safely on March 1, 1982, in the southern hemisphere of Venus, on an area that the Lunar and Planetary Institute describes as "a typical expanse of Venusians’ plains." The broad area around the landing site is known to contain lava flows and small dome volcanoes, which may indicate an active surface.

 

Picture Credit : Google

The Naica mine in Chihuahua, Mexico, yields zinc, lead, and silver – and giant gypsum crystals, some reaching more than 30 feet long, that have made the Cueva de los Cristales or Cave of Crystals famous.

Recently, NASA researchers found microbes that thrive on iron, sulphur, and other chemicals, trapped in fluid pockets inside the massive crystals. Analysis suggests that the microbes may have been tucked away in these tiny time capsules for 10,000 to 50,000 years and may have been dormant for some or all of that time. But they “remained viable and were able to be regrown”. The microbes that ended up growing were genetically distant from any known living microbes.

The microbes could represent some of the toughest extremophiles on the planet – dwelling at depths 100 to 400 metres below Earth’s surface and enduring temperature of 45 degree to 65 degree Celsius. Studies like these show that some microbes are hardy creatures, willing to turn just about any habitat into a home.

 

Picture Credit : Google

Indian long pepper may soon be used as a potential cancer treatment drug, according to a new study. It contains a chemical that could stop the body from producing an enzyme that is commonly found in tumors in large number, according to a study in Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Long pepper’s medicinal properties date back thousands of years. Its benefits were even cited by Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician known as the father of medicine. Its cancer-fighting secret lies in a chemical called Piperlongumine (PL), which has shown activity against many cancers including prostate, breast, lung, colon, lymphoma, leukemia, primary brain tumors and gastric cancer.

Using x-ray crystallography, researchers were able to create molecular structures that show how the chemical is transformed after being ingested. PL converts to , an active drug that silences a gene called GSTPI. The GSTPI gene produces a detoxification enzyme that is often overly abundant in tumors.

 

Picture Credit : Google

Marne biologists working on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Okeanos Explorer spotted this beautiful deep-sea jellyfish at Utu Seamount in the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa. Looking like a flying saucer with tentacles, rhopalonematid trachymedusa is primarily found in the deep ocean, and is identifiable by its umbrella-like appearance. The translucent creature’s reproductive organs can be seen in bright yellow, and its digestive system appears in red. The creature’s two unique set of tentacles – one facing up and one facing down – likely help it to catch prey.

 

Picture Credit : Google

Finland will become the first country in the world to remove school subjects from the curriculum. Instead of individual subjects, students will study events and phenomena in an interdisciplinary format. For example, the Second World War will be approached from the historical, geographic, and mathematical perspectives. When a student takes “Working in a Café” course, he/she will learn the English language, economics, and improve his/her communication skills at the same time. In bringing these changes by 2020, Finland hopes to bring out the full potential of their students as well as their teachers.

The idea of this is to eliminate disengagement of students who have to sit through individual classes that they believe they will not need based on their future hopes and ambitions of a working future, but instead will apply those prior individual subjects to a specific topic of their choice, thereby still learning the same skills, but using them in a more productive way that is most beneficial to their individual learning.

The Finnish education system also encourages collective work, meaning that students will be working together in small discussion groups, instead of sat behind individual desks and being taught by one teacher.

This new system will require all teachers to be on board and adaptable to the new teaching system, and around 70% of teachers in Helsinki have already begun work to prepare for the new teaching style, and as a result will get a pay rise.

 

Picture Credit : Google

A burrowing tarantula keeps frogs as “pets” to protect its eggs from insects. The tarantula Xenesthis immanis has a mutualistic relationship with the dotted humming frog Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata. As the spider feasts on prey, discarded remains begin to pile up. This (along with the spider’s eggs) attracts ants and other hungry pests, which the frog eats up before any damage can be done to the nest. In exchange, the tarantula provides the frog protection from predators.

 

Picture Credit : Google

Chitrakote Falls, located on the Indravati River in Bastar District of Chhattisgarh, is known as the Niagara Falls of India. Because of its horseshoe shape, it is nicknamed the ‘Small Niagara Falls’. Around 100 feet high and about 1000 feet wide, it is the widest waterfall in India. The amount of water discharged per second by Chitrakote is around 20 lakh litres. It is said that the pressure of the falling water is equivalent to the weight of 500 elephants.

The beauty of falls is seen throughout the year, particularly during sunset. As the fast flowing water of the river flows over the sharp near vertical rock exposure at the widest reach of the river, it generates misty clouds and then hits into a pond formed in a semicircular shape at the bottom of the falls. Adventure sports enthusiasts use boats in the stormy part of this pond. Pilgrims bathe in the calmer part of the lake. In the low flow season, paddle boats are used in pools formed in the upstream part of the falls. In the pool below the falls, swimming is permitted and paddle boats are permitted. Local boatmen can paddle their boats under the spray below the falls.

 

Picture Credit : Google

The world’s oldest fish hooks have been discovered on the island of Okinawa, Japan. Made from snail shell, they were used by fisherman who seasonally occupied the limestone cavern on the island in order to exploit the migration of crabs and freshwater snails. Radiocarbon dating of charcoal discovered in the same layer as the hooks places them between 22,380 and 22,770 years old. The hooks are older than previously discovered hooks including a 16,000-year old barb discovered on Timor and an 18,000-year-old hook discovered in Papua New Guinea.

The fishhooks, all carved from shells, were found in Sakitari Cave, which was occupied seasonally by fishermen taking advantage of the downstream migrations of crabs and freshwater snails. Unlike their mainland counterparts, who fashioned tools and beads out of shells and stones, the ancient people of Okinawa Island used shells almost exclusively. Japanese archaeologists excavating the cave discovered both a finished and an unfinished fishhook that had been carved and ground from sea snail shells. The findings lend support to the idea that these early modern humans were more advanced with maritime technology than previously thought, and that they were capable of thriving on small, geographically isolated islands.

 

Picture Credit : Google

Bhutan, Venezuela, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Madhya Pradesh – all have a Madhya Department for happiness! Madhya Pradesh is the first state in India to have a ‘Happiness Department’, inspired by neighboring Bhutan where Gross National Happiness is enshrined in its constitution: ‘The State shall strive to promote those conditions that will enable the pursuit of Gross National Happiness.” In Bhutan, every person gets asked: “Are you happy?” as part of the census of the population.

On the field, children raced in gunny sacks. A dozen girls, hands tied to their back, sprinted to get their teeth into knotty jalebis, a popular sweet. Women, squealing with delight, competed in tug-of-war contests. Jaunty men from a dancing school vowed the crowd with hip-hop dance moves. A four-year-old girl provided a rousing finale with her Bollywood-style hip-swinging gyrations. At the end of it all, beaming participants received glossy certificates.

On the dais crowded with officials and village leaders, there was mirthful insistence that "happiness week" had kicked off well. 

The fun and games were part of a week-long Happiness Festival, organized by the ruling BJP government in what is India's second largest state, home to more than 70 million people. They also provided a glimpse of the rollout of what is the country's first state-promoted project to "to put a smile on every face.

 

Picture Credit : Google