My Science School

Charles Dickens depicted the best of times and the worst of times through his books. Full of wit, astute observations, and autobiographical experience, they offer a realistic portrayal of the Victorian society in the 19th Century.

Hard times

Born in England in 1812, Dickens’ family fell back on hard times when his father was sent to a debtors’ prison. Just 12 years of age, Dickens was forced to drop out of school and work in a shoe polish factory to repay the debts.

A debtors’ prison was where people unable to pay their debts were incarcerated in the 19th Century. With its dingy rooms and stale food, people lived in wretched conditions in these places. They either have to do hard labour or secure outside funds to repay their debts.

At the factory, Dickens worked ten hours a day, Monday through Saturday, pasting labels onto individual pots of polish. All he received was six shillings per week. He toiled in the factory for nearly a year before his father was released from prison. Dickens recounted the harsh conditions he experienced in the factory in his semi-autobiographical novel "David Copperfield and it continued to shape his writing.

Beating the odds

Learning shorthand on his own, Dickens became a journalist and worked as a court reporter. He went on to edit a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles.

Controversy

Although he is highly regarded as a writer, Dickens’ reputation is far from unblemished. Some of his works have been criticised for their racist and xenophobic views.

Significant works

Dickens is credited with popularising serialised novels. "The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club" (popularly known as "The Pickwick Papers”) was published in instalments over 19 issues from March 1836 to October 1837. Dickens wrote most of "The Pickwick Papers" under the pseudonym Boz. His other popular works include "Great Expectations", "Oliver Twist", "A Tale of Two Cities" and "A Christmas Carol".

Did you know?

• India connection: Dickens' second son, Lietuenant Walter Landor Dickens died in Kolkata in 1864. His original grave is located at the Bhowanipore Cemetery, while his tombstone has been moved to South Park Street Cemetery.


• More than cats or dogs, Dickens preferred the company of ravens. His pet raven was named Grip. After its death, Dickens had the bird stuffed and mounted in a display case. You can view it at the Free Library in Philadelphia in the U.S. In fact, Grip also features in his novel "Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of Eighty". It is also believed that Edgar Allan Poe, a friend of Dickens, was inspired by Grip when writing “The Raven", one of his most celebrated poems.


• While working in the shoe polish factory, Dickens used to visit his parents in prison on Sundays.


• The greeting 'Merry Christmas’ became popular after A Christmas Carol was published.


• He called his favourite daughter Kate, "Lucifer Box” because her temper could flare up in an instant.


• Dickens is credited by the Oxford English Dictionary with introducing no less than 247 new words and usages into the language including "butter-fingers", "fluffiness" and the verb "to manslaughter".

 

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Ever since gadgets entered our lives, we have been addicted to them. Checking the mobile phone as soon as we wake up has become part of our daily routine. Similarly, thanks to the pandemic, today our mornings begin with online classes.

While the computer is highly useful for academic purposes such as project work, it is also used as a means of entertainment. However, constant use of the computer can take a toll on our health and leave us feeling tired and exhausted.

The need to detox

Using the computer for long periods of time can affect the eyes as well as the body. The harsh light emitted by the monitor can tire your eyes and leave you with dark circles. The light is also said to affect sleep. Besides, in the absence of physical activity as a result of being confined to the house, your body will feel much weaker than it is.

Prolonged use of the computer can also lead you to develop a poor posture that can result in back and neck pain. Many people also complain of headaches and disorientation.

Another major health problem encountered by many of us today is obesity. Sitting in front of the computer for hours together can lead to weight gain. This in turn affects our heart and mind.

Ways to detox

The best way to stay away from the computer is to keep yourself occupied with other interesting things. Here are a few ways to detox and recharge yourself.

Take regular breaks:

Take a sand clock or set a reminder on your phone and place it on your computer table to remind yourself to get up and move around every half hour. During these small breaks, do simple stretches to relax your muscles before getting back to work.

Take power naps

You could feel exhausted with all the things you need to do during the day. So, to relax, take power naps instead of playing games on the computer or the Playstation.

Listen to music

Music helps us relax and destress. There's a tune for every mood. So, start listening to your favourite songs in your free time.

Allocate time for play

Even if you can’t go out, you can still play at home. There are a lot of games you can play with your family. You could also invent a game.

Reward yourself

It can be difficult to detox. A reward is a good way to keep yourself motivated. Every time you do something other than using the computer, reward yourself with something useful.

 

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Lockdown, social distancing, and quarantine have become an integral part of our lives over the last one year. With fear gripping the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been challenging times for doctors, health care professionals and, of course, virologists – as they had to study and research about the deadly virus and its various mutants.

While the world has found some ray of hope amid gloom – thanks to the vaccination process – most countries have stepped up their health infrastructure and research monitoring. In the recently announced Union budget, the Indian government, too, has pledged to fund four national virology institutes and nine high-containment laboratories for research and studies on infectious pathogens, making virology a viable career option.

A study of viruses and virus-like agents that affect humans, animals and plants, virology is identifying the nature of the virus and coming up with vaccines to prevent them. So if you are interested in science and have a research-orientation, the field of virology could be the perfect choice for you.

How it works

So, one may wonder what exactly is the role of virologists. Virology is definitely a challenging field, but at the same time, it is quite interesting too. Virologists examine the structure of viruses, classify them and monitor their evolution as well as their interactions with host cells and the way other living creatures fight them. Virology also focusses on the spread of infectious disease, including threats such as the common cold, rabies, yellow fever, and polio.

Scope

A plethora of opportunities are available to virologists in both the public and the private sector. In the public sector, virologists work with government institutes and laboratories. They are also in demand in the pharmaceutical sector. Working with pharma companies, virologists help develop vaccines and medicines for contagious disease and infections. Virologists can also opt for an academic life by teaching in colleges and universities. Often medical doctors specialise in virology to carry out clinical research or work with patients with such viruses. If you have a desire to educate people about viruses and infections, you can also venture into science writing after training in virology.

What to study?

To work as a virologist, you need a background in Biology, Microbiology or Immunology. To qualify as a virologist, you can opt for a Master of Science (M.Sc) in Virology offered by several colleges and universities. Some colleges also offer specialisations in Clinical Virology and Infection Biology.

Where:

India:

• National Institute of Virology, Savitribai Phule University, Pune: M.Sc in Virology


• Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati: M.Sc in Virology


• Manipal University, Karnataka: M.Sc in Clinical Virology


• Amity Institute of Virology and Immunology, Noida: M.Sc. (Immunology), M.Sc. (Medical Microbiology), M.Sc. (Virology), and PG Diploma in Clinical Virology and Immunology

Abroad:

• University of Glasgow, the U.K.: M.Sc in Infection Biology


• University of Cambrige, the U.K.: M.Phil in Biology Science (Pathology)


• University of Oxford, the U.K.: M.Sc Integrated Immunology

 

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With its endless grasslands and a slow pace of life, it may appear like nothing much happens in the prairies, the golden wheat-covered land in the middle of the U.S. But reading author Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House on the Prairie” reveals that there is more to this heartland than what catches the eye.

Her semi-autobiographical books set in the period between 1870 and 1894, capture the life of the pioneers, the first people to settle in the frontiers of North America.

Who were the pioneers?

Many of the pioneers were farmers, who embarked on a long and arduous journey (of about 3,200 km) to take advantage of the U.S. government’s offer to homestead land in the Midwest. Homesteading was a scheme launched to develop millions of acres of tribal land.

People left behind their family and friends as they made their way to the Midwest. Days and even years were spent on the road, travelling the length and breadth of the country in tiny wagon carts. Often the pioneers were attacked by Native Americans, who were upset about losing their land.

Wilder belonged to one such pioneer family. And though life was hard, Wilder and her family found happiness in little things such as making homemade toys and treats for Christmas, going on their first trip to town, and bringing in the harvest.

Fear of eviction, a bad harvest and ruined crops often forced the family to change towns. They moved from Wisconsin to Kansas and then to Minnesota and lowa, before finally settling down in De Smet in South Dakota.

Despite all the hardship, Wilder and her sisters felt safe and warm in their little house. And years later, Wilder drew upon these happy childhood memories to paint a beautiful portrayal of the American frontier.

A feminist

At a time when there were not many job opportunities for women, she broke the glass ceiling by taking up multiple jobs, including in traditionally male-dominated fields. To help her family make ends meet, Wilder worked as a teacher, dressmaker, and even in a financial institution that lent money to the farmers.

Her writing career started when she took on the position of a columnist and editor for a local publication, the Missouri Ruralist. Her column, “As a Farm Woman Thinks” made her a favourite among the local farmers. She wrote on diverse topics from home and family to current affairs and travel.

"Little House on the Prairie" books

In the 1930s as America descended into the Great Depression, Wilder wrote "Little Big Woods", the first of her "Little House on the Prairie" books. But did you know that her first manuscript was rejected by every publisher she approached? In fact she was even told that writing for children was a waste of time. But she did not give up and boldly continued writing. The "Little House on the Prairie" series consists of eight books based on Wilder's childhood experiences. Some of the best books in the series are "Little Big Woods", "Little House on the Prairie", and "On the Banks of Plum Creek”.

"Little Big Woods" is about four-year-old Laura who lives in a log cabin on the edge of the Big Woods of Wisconsin. Adventures of Laura and her family continue in the third book "Little House on the Prairie" as they travel to Kansas in their covered wagon until they find the best spot to build their little house on the prairie. In "On the Banks of Plum Creek", the family is forced to leave their prairie house and settle in a little house made of sod on the banks of beautiful Plum Creek.

Popular adaptations

The “Little House on the Prairie” series appealed to different generations of readers around the world.

• TV show: In 1974, the series was adapted into a television series by NBC. It ran for nine seasons until 1983. It bagged 17 Emmy and three Golden Globe nominations along with two People’s Choice Awards. It even won two Western Heritage Awards.


• Mini-series: The series was adapted into a mini-series by Disney in 2005. Directed by David Cunningham, the television series is a faithful adaptation of Wilder’s semi-autobiographical novels.

OH REALLY?

• Wilder is related to the former U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and astronaut Alan Shephard.


• Wilder’s daughter Rose convinced her to write the “Little House on the Prairie” books and even helped edit them.


• Wilder was 65 when the first book in the “Little House on the Prairie” series was published.


• The Laura Ingalls Wilder Award honours children’s authors and illustrators. Maurice Sendak and Dr. Seuss are among its recipients.

 

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Standing in the middle of the sea, the Statue of Liberty is a 93 metre - tall copper statue; think of it as equivalent to the height of a 22-storey building. The statue is a national treasure of the United States visited by millions every year.

A gift from France

To commemorate the centennial of the United States’ independence and honour France's relationship with the U.S., French jurist Edouard de Laboulaye, in 1865, proposed the idea of presenting a gift from the people of France to the people of the U.S. Laboulaye was touched by the recent abolition of slavery in the U.S., which furthered the ideals of freedom and democracy in which he greatly believed.

Sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, who resonated with Laboulaye, conceptualised a colossal structure that is formally known as Liberty Enlightening the World.

A symbol of liberty and freedom

Several elements of the statue symbolise liberty and freedom. The statue is named after the Roman Goddess Libertas who personifies freedom. The tablet she carries is inscribed with July 4. 1776 in Roman numerals, the day America became a free country. The torch carried by the statue is considered a symbol of enlightenment and lights the way to freedom. As a symbolism of abolition of slavery, Bartholdi has placed a broken shackle at the statue's foot.

The Eiffel connection

Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, the man who built the Eiffel tower in Paris, France, was closely involved in the building of the statue. He was engaged by Bartholdi to address structural issues associated with designing the statue. Eiffel designed the massive iron pylon and the secondary skeletal framework that allows the statue's copper skin to move independently yet stand upright.

Of seas and continents

The seven spikes radiating from the statue's crown are meant to be a halo, also known as an aureole. The spikes represent the seven seas and the seven continents of the world and emphasise the statue's message of inclusiveness and freedom.

Modelled on a real person

The face of the Statue of Liberty is said to have been modelled on Bartholdi's mother, Charlotte. This was first discovered in 1876, when Bartholdi invited French Senator Jules Bozerian to his box at the opera, where his mother was also present and Bozerian noticed the similarity instantly.

 

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As we've already seen, gender goes beyond biological sex and the binary of male and female. It is what one chooses to identify with. The word stereotyping refers to an imagined idea that a particular group of people will exhibit only a certain kind of characteristic or behaviour. Gender stereotyping points to the assumption that people of one specific gender possess only a specific set of traits or abilities.

Why is it harmful?

Gender stereotyping is dangerous because it makes a sweeping generalisation of human characteristics and/or behaviour, rather than acknowledging that irrespective of our gender, each of us has different traits that make us who we are. In short, it is a bias, and refuses to see our individual interests or abilities. Here is an example. In a class or at home, when only girls are taught to sew a button and only boys are taught to paint, it would suggest that this is what each gender is capable of or should do. It denies girls who love to paint a chance to do so, and denies boys the chance to learn a life skill. After all, anybody could lose a button on their clothing and would need it to be sewn. Or a button could come off a curtain or your secret diary. Teaching only the girls to sew a button implies that it is somehow their job to do it and that boys could be excussed from doing what could be seen as domestic work for the creative pursuit of art.

In the long run, such actions condition individuals into following these stereotypes. And slowly, what is essentially a social construct becomes an individual belief. This could limit their choice in several aspects of their life. On the other hand, offering individuals choice with an open mind is a step towards inclusivity and liberty. It helps people make informed decisions, be independent, inquisitive, and explore their interests.

Good to know

• Social construct: An idea of something created based on collective views - rather than individual views - in a society.


• Inclusivity: Involving all types of people, and not excluding anyone on any basis.


• Bias: To be unfairly in favour of or against someone or something.


•  

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Threats

Increasing human population is said to be the greatest threat to these bears. This leads not only to the loss and degradation of the bears habitat but also human-bear conflict. And, this is not good news. Sloth bears tend to avoid humans. However, they can also be intolerant of them when the two meet face to face. And their aggressive behaviour coupled with powerful claws and canines don't help. So, a human-bear conflict may not end well. For instance, a media report says that “in Odisha, between 2014 and 2018, 716 attacks by sloth bears on humans were recorded. Out of the 716 attacks recorded, 627 humans were left grievously injured - with many victims severely impaired for life". Which means, there are retaliatory killings too. Other worrying factors include hunting and poaching for meat and body parts for medicinal purposes. It is said that there are no specific numbers for the deaths of sloth bears. This is of concern because there are only rough estimates for their population, meaning we may not know exactly how many bears live and die, and what sort of conservation mechanism should be put in place to save this vulnerable species. Another reason for concern is that these animals have traditionally been captured and made to perform "dances" for human entertainment. Though this has been largely brought down in India and some of the animals have even been rehabilitated, it is believed to be continuing in places such as Nepal.

Though sloth bears are found in Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Nepal too, India hosts its largest population in the world. They appear to be extinct in Bangladesh since no sightings have been confirmed in the region for years now. Within India, they are found in many States, including Karnataka. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and central India. Among the sanctuaries for the species are Ratanmahal Sloth Bear Sanctuary and Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary in Gujarat, and Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary in Karnataka. According to the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, it is a "Vulnerable" species.

Sloth bear facts

• Sloth bears are small bears, and usually have a black coat (and sometimes, a brown coat). What helps identify them is their distinctive whitish or yellowish chest patch in the shape of a wide U or Y.


• They are a lowland species, and occupy different types of habitats such as wet and dry tropical forests, savannahs, scrublands, and grasslands.


• These omnivores feed primarily on termites, ants, and fruits. Apparently, they are fond of honey too.


• Cubs stay with their mothers for roughly two-odd years, and for about nine of those months, they ride on their mother's back.

 

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As the name suggests, slice of life is a genre of fiction that captures the essence of everyday life. Instead of narrating a person’s entire life, these books focus on select events that occur at a particular point in time.

What makes slice of life appealing is though the characters are fictional, the story has no frills, and depicts significant events from people’s lives. Often slice of life stories throw light on a period in history. For instance, Laura Ingall Wilder’s “Little House on the Prairie” books give a slice-of-life account of the pioneers to the American Midwest.

In theatre, the term “slice of life” refers to a naturalistic representation of real life. The term originated between 1890 and 1895 from the French phrase ‘tranche de vie’, credited to the French playwright Jean Jullien.

Often, slice of life books lack a traditional plot. They might not have any conflict or dramatic occurrences. They progress slowly, but pay attention to even the minutest details of the character’s life at a given time. They are considered to be faithful reproductions of real life.

Lucy Maud Montgomery's "The Anne of Green Gables" series is a classic example. It is a slice of life centred on a young woman aspiring to be a writer.

Manga and animé

Slice of life is also a popular genre in Japanese animé and manga. Unlike in literature, slice of life in manga is unrealistic. Packed with melodrama in typical manga style, it shows too many dramatic events in the characters life over a short span of time.

Examples:

In literature:

• “The Fault in Our Stars Looking for Alaska” and “Paper Towns” by John Green


• “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky


• “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee


• “Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott


• “The Casual Vacancy” by J.K. Rowling


• “My Sister’s Keeper” by Jodi Picoult


• “Anne of Green Gables” by L.M. Montgomery

 

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Pangolin is the only mammal said to be covered completely in scales. But it is these very scales that have largely brought about their decimation.

Why is it trafficked?

There are eight pangolin species – four each in Asia and Africa. And in both these continents, the mammals have been hunted for meat, and their scales have been used in traditional medicine. The scales are used in treating several ailments, particularly in many Asian countries. The demand for these scales has been steadily increasing over the years, and alarmingly, in addition to Asia, the number of animals being trafficked from Africa too has been increasing. This has been happening in spite of a 2017 international trade ban on all the species. In the last decade alone, more than one million pangolins are said to have been poached, according to the National Geographic, making them the most-trafficked mammal. It is believed that these numbers could be higher because small-scale smuggling could go undetected.

It’s keratin, after all!

Pangolin parts, especially the scales, are important ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine. They are believed to cure skin infections, among others. Though people continue to believe in these medicines, there has been no scientific evidence to support the theory that these scales could actually cure any ailments. However, it is assumed that it could just be the placebo effect (placebo effect refers to a phenomenon when a fake treatment appears to improve a patient’s condition because the person believes it works). It is likely that the scales have no curative properties because they are made of the same protein our nails and hair strands are made of- keratin!

With its defence mechanism of rolling itself into a ball, the pangolin is relatively safe from predators in the wild. Clearly, humans are its only big problem.

 

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Did you know the oceans absorb 30% of the CO2 emitted on Earth? At the outset, this might seem like a good thing because it means less carbon dioxide in the air and therefore reduction in global warming. But in the past decades, scientists have realised this comes at the cost of changing the ocean’s chemistry.

When carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater, it forms carbonic acid. When emission increases, a lot of CO2 dissolves in the ocean. Incidentally, the rise in CO2 emission is primarily attributed to human activities. The more the CO2, the more acidic the water gets. Subsequently, the pH level of water goes down. (pH is a measure of how acidic or basic water is.) This process is known as ocean acidification. Ocean acidification has the potential to damage the ocean chemistry. Even a small change in the acidity of seawater can have harmful effects on marine life, impacting chemical communication, reproduction, and growth.

Impact on shelled creatures

Ocean acidification affects ocean species in varying degrees. Creatures such as mussels, clams, urchins, starfish and corals are the worst affected. They make their shells and skeletons by combining calcium and carbonate from seawater. As acidification changes the chemistry of the ocean, these organisms struggle to build their shells and skeletons. Even if they are able to build skeletons in more acidic water, they may have to expend more energy which might otherwise be needed for activities such as reproduction. Further, scientists have found that ocean acidification causes shells of some species to dissolve and slows moulting in crabs and lobsters.

Acidification may also limit coral growth by corroding its skeletons. When reef-building corals are affected, a host of marine life that call the reef their home will also be affected.

Impact on fish

A small change in pH can make a huge difference to survival. In humans, a drop in blood pH level of just 0.2-0.3 can cause seizures, coma, and even death. Similarly, fishes are sensitive to pH. If their blood pH drops, they will have to burn extra energy to get rid of the excess acid in their blood through their gills, kidneys and intestines. This will reduce their ability to carry out other tasks such as hunting, escaping predators and reproducing.

Studies have shown that acidification changes the way sounds get transmitted through the water, making the underwater environment noisier.

 

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A list of the world’s most powerful passport was released recently by Henley and Partners, a London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm. While Japan tops the Henley Passport Index 2021 with a visa score of 191, Afghanistan is at the bottom at 110th position with a visa score of 26. India, along with Tajikistan, is ranked 85th. But what is this Index and what do the ranking mean?

We need a passport for global travel. A passport is an official document issued by a country’s government, certifying the identity and citizenship of the holder, and allowing them to travel under its protection to and from foreign countries. But how will you know which countries you can visit with your country’s passport?

The Henley Passport Index periodically measures the world’s most travel-friendly passports, and ranks countries as per the travel access of their citizens. It ranks the 199 passports of the world, according to the number of countries their holders can visit without a visa (prior permission to enter a country) from the host nation.

Passport rankings also reflect the strength of diplomatic relations between countries. The Henley Passport Index lets you know how much travel freedom you can enjoy as a passport-holder, which type of visa you need to visit a particular country, and other such things.

Visa score

A country’s visa/mobility score indicates the number of countries its passport holder can visit visa-free or with a visa on arrival. India has been ranked 85th on the Index 2021 with a visa score of 58. To put it simply, Indian passport holders can visit 58 countries without a prior visa, or with a visa on arrival.

Launched in 2006

What was launched as Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index (HVRI) in 2006 was renamed Henley Passport Index in January 2018.

It was Christian H. Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners, who came up with the concept of a passport index, and the ranking is based on the data provided by the International Air Transport Authority (IATA), the trade association of the world’s airlines.

 

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In the event of a total solar eclipse, the Sun’s light is completely blocked by the Moon. But have you wondered how the Moon, which is about 400 times smaller than the Sun, can block the light from the big star?

It’s a matter of distance

The distance between the Earth and the Sun, and the Earth and the Moon is at the crux of this answer.

Objects that are closer to us appear much larger than objects that are much farther away. For example, the stars in the sky might look like tiny objects but are actually much larger than the Sun. they appear so because their distance from the Earth is much more than the Sun’s distance from Earth.

Thus, though the Moon is 400 times smaller than the Sun, because it is much closer to Earth, it appears to be the same size as the Sun from Earth. So, when the Moon comes between the Earth and the Sun, it appears to completely block the light from the Sun.

An end to total eclipse?

Total solar eclipses won’t be around forever because the Moon’s orbit is changing. The Moon’s orbit grows about 1.5 inches larger every year. And as the Moon’s orbit takes it farther away from the Earth, it will appear much smaller than it does currently. Once the Moon’s growing orbit takes it approximately 23,500 km farther from Earth, it will be too far away to completely block the light from the Sun.

The good news though is, if you look at the maths, this won’t happen for the next 600 million years, at least.

 

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Kinetic energy largely dominates the beautiful game of football as players cover a number of kilometres in a 90-minute game, in search of goals that separate the competing sides. But one of the more dramatic moments produced on the football field depends mainly on the potential energy of a player.

Energy and forces

The overhead kick, also known as the bicycle kick and scissors kick based on minor differences, sees the player utilising potential energy to carry out the acrobatic move. There are also forces in action as a player needs to contend with centrifugal and gravitational forces while trying to kick the ball overhead.

Three main phases

The overhead kick can be broadly broken down into three phases. The first, and most obvious phase, is the jump. The player places himself such that their centre of gravity is a little behind their impulse foot. This enables the player to gain rotational momentum by applying pressure on the ground. The jump phase is thus similar to the back somersault.

There is very little separating the second and third phase as it all happens really quickly in reality. The second phase is the kicking movement done by the player once completely air-borne. With other forces in action, the player needs great strength in their thighs and muscles to carry out this phase.

Changes direction and spread

The third and final phase is the moment of impact, when the player’s foot strikes the ball. When struck properly, the ball not only change direction, but also gains considerable velocity.

While all these happen within seconds, what really matters for the player is what happens next. What we have just described might seem like poetry in motion for those who love physics, but for footballers, their goal with these kind of shots is to find the ball in the back of the net!

 

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Kinetic energy largely dominates the beautiful game of football as players cover a number of kilometres in a 90-minute game, in search of goals that separate the competing sides. But one of the more dramatic moments produced on the football field depends mainly on the potential energy of a player.

Energy and forces

The overhead kick, also known as the bicycle kick and scissors kick based on minor differences, sees the player utilising potential energy to carry out the acrobatic move. There are also forces in action as a player needs to contend with centrifugal and gravitational forces while trying to kick the ball overhead.

Three main phases

The overhead kick can be broadly broken down into three phases. The first, and most obvious phase, is the jump. The player places himself such that their centre of gravity is a little behind their impulse foot. This enables the player to gain rotational momentum by applying pressure on the ground. The jump phase is thus similar to the back somersault.

There is very little separating the second and third phase as it all happens really quickly in reality. The second phase is the kicking movement done by the player once completely air-borne. With other forces in action, the player needs great strength in their thighs and muscles to carry out this phase.

Changes direction and spread

The third and final phase is the moment of impact, when the player’s foot strikes the ball. When struck properly, the ball not only change direction, but also gains considerable velocity.

While all these happen within seconds, what really matters for the player is what happens next. What we have just described might seem like poetry in motion for those who love physics, but for footballers, their goal with these kind of shots is to find the ball in the back of the net!

 

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On February 1, 2021, people of Myanmar woke up to the news that the country’s military has seized power from the elected government in a coup. The country’s President Win Myint, State Counsellor and de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and numerous members of her party National League for Democracy (NLD) were detained. In a television address, the army announced that power had been handed over to the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Min Aung Hlaing, and that it was declaring a national state of emergency for one year. People also fear that there could be wider clampdown under the military rule. Let’s take a look at what led to a coup Myanmar in this Five Ws and One H..

A coup (pronounced koo) is when power is illegally and unconstitutionally seized from the government of country, by a political faction or the military. Violence is part of many coups. In other words, a coup is the forcible overthrow of ruler or government. The word coup is short for the French term “coup detat,” which translates as “stroke of state.”

Coup is often the result of displeasure with how the country is run by the elected government or ruler. A military coup, as in the case of Myanmar, is when the military takes control of governance by staging a coup.

What are the different types of coup?

The world has witnessed different kinds of coup and political scientists categorise them into various types. Some of them are military coup, civil society coup, parliamentary coup, presidential coup, breakthrough coup, silent coup, democratic coup and the guardian coup.

Why did the military stage a coup in Myanmar?

A crisis has been brewing in Myanmar since the November 2020 parliamentary election, in which Suu Kyi’s NLD party won in a landslide against the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development party. The latter won just 33 out of 476 seat. But the military refused to accept the results, claiming widespread irregularities in the election and demanded a new military-supervised election. However, the election commission refused, saying there was no evidence to support its claims of fraudulence.

Citing a provision in the Constitution it had drafted (in 2008), the military warned that it could launch a coup if it felt a threat to the nation’s sovereignty.

And on February 1, which was supposed to be the first day of a new session of parliament since the November election, the military staged a coup.

What is the background?

Myanmar gained independence from Britain in 1948 and Sao Shwe Thaik became its first president and U Nu became its first prime minister. In 1962, the Tatmadaw, as the country’s military is formally known, staged a coup and took over power. Since then, Myanmar has switched between military rule and civilian leadership.

Myanmar was ruled by the armed forces from 1962 to 2011, when pressure from the international community forced the military to cede power and a new government ushered in a return to civilian rule. But the Constitution the military had drafted ahead of this cessation gave it at least 25% of the seats in the Legislature. According to the Constitution, any amendment is possible only if over 75% of lawmakers vote for it. So, in effect, the military holds the power to veto any attempt by the government that could be seen as a threat to its authority.

In 2015, Suu Kyi’s NLD won a sweeping victory in the general elections. However, the military retained significant power under the Constitution that also barred her from the presidency, as her two sons are citizens and ran the government as a de facto leader (a leader in fact, whether or not constitutionally binding).

The election in November 2020 was only Myanmar’s second-ever election since the end of the military rule in 2011. Post election, Suu Kyi proposed to make amendments to Myanmar’s Constitution and Strip the military of many of its authorities. This move received major support from people, but ruffled the feathers of the military.

How has the international community reacted?

World leaders condemn the coup and detainment of Suu Kyi. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said it was a “serious blow to democratic reforms”, while the U.S. President Joe Biden has threatened to reinstate sanctions. Meanwhile, people of Myanmar resorted to non-violent means to register their protest against the coup.

What are some of the coups in the recent times?

Many coups (pronounced kooz) have been staged in the past. Here, we are listing some of the recent ones.

1999 Pakistan coup: The the military leader Parvez Musharraf overthrew the Pakistani government under Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on October 12, 1999. It was a bloodless coup as Musharraf declared an emergency and took control of the entire country.

2013 Egyptian Coup: On July 3, 2013, Egyptian army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi led a coalition to remove the President of Egypt, Mohamed Morsi, from power and suspended the Egyptian constitution.

2016 Turkish failed coup attempt: On July 15, 2016, the Turkish military attempted a coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but could not succeed in overthrowing the government. Hundreds were killed in the violence that ensued and thousands were detained subsequently.

2019 Sudanese coup: On April 11, 2019, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, after nearly 30 years in office, was overthrown by the Sudanese army after popular protest demanded his departure.

 

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