My Science School

You might think that looking clean is just something that adults worry about. But you should think about it too. Keeping yourself clean helps you stay free of harmful germs.

Whether you play, work, shop or visit a friend, your hands pick up germs all day. If the germs get into your food, or if you lick your fingers or bite your nails, it is easy to see how the germs can get inside your body. But you do not have to let this happen.

You can get rid of the germs you collect. After going to the toilet, wash your hands with soap and water-and don’t forget the backs of your hands. Wash your hands before meals so germs don’t get into your food-and inside you. Also wash your hands after sneezing and coughing, especially if you are sick.

The skin on other parts of your body picks up germs too. These germs may even cause an unpleasant smell. That is because they feed on the oil in sweat. Then they multiply and die-that’s where the bad smells comes from. So take a bath or wash the places where you sweat most.

Keeping clean not only makes you feel good, it also helps you to stay healthy.

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Think about how you feel when you don’t get enough sleep. You feel tired, you can’t think very well, and you may get angry easily.

Sleep helps keep you healthy. When you sleep, your muscles rest. So does your brain.

People who get enough sleep each night are able to think more clearly. They do not make as many mistakes as people who do not get a good night’s sleep. And they may react more quickly.

People who get enough sleep night after night also are better able to fight off diseases. They do not get as many colds and other illnesses as people who are always tired.

The best way to get a good night’s sleep is to go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning. While you may want to sleep late on weekends, try not to. Oversleeping can keep you awake the next night.

The next time it’s bedtime, give your brain a treat. Go to bed on time, and give it the rest it deserves.

If you have trouble falling asleep– or simply do not want to go to bed– try these ideas to make bedtime a good time:

• Listen to a book or soft music on a CD.
• Imagine yourself in your favourite place.
• Think about what you did today, and what you will do tomorrow.
• Imagine sheep jumping over a fence one by one. Count each sheep as it jumps.

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There is a war going on inside your mouth. The enemy is plaque, sticky white coating that grows on teeth. Plaque destroys the outside of teeth by sending out an army of acids. It sends poisons into the gums.

How can you fight back? The handiest weapon you have is your toothbrush. Brush with small, round movements to clean the outside of your teeth. Then move the toothbrush up and down to clear away the plaque between your teeth. To hold back plaque, your dentist may also tell you to floss your teeth at least once a day.

You also can help your teeth by choosing healthy foods. The more often you eat sugary things, the worse it is for your teeth. As soon as something sugary is around, plaque sends out a new army of acids. The more often you eat sweets, the more acid you have to fight. That’s why dentists suggest that you eat snacks such as fruit and vegetables.

If you do eat sugary things, eat them at mealtimes and brush your teeth soon afterwards. Try to avoid sweet foods that stick your teeth, such as sugary cereals and mints.

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Go ahead-run, jump, skip, climb! Not only is it fun, it’s good for you, too. Your body parts need exercise to stay healthy.

There are different kinds of exercises. Some building your muscles. Some strengthen your heart and lungs. A strong heart and lungs are better at getting oxygen to the rest of your body. Exercises that build your muscles include climbing ropes and wall bars. You can also try handstand contests, walking on your hands, walking on all fours, and doing push-ups while on your knees.

Walking, running, swimming, skipping, playing saucer, dancing, and cycling are all aerobic exercises. They help make your heart and lungs strong. What is your favourite aerobic exercise? Try it for at least 20 minutes, and you can feel your heartbeat faster.

Get fit and you will be ready for anything-a sports game, a busy day, and a healthy life.

Before you exercise, warm up your body. Warm muscles stretch more easily and are less likely to get hurt. Walk, slowly skip, or gently jog on the spot. These activities increase the blood flow to your muscles. Do these again at the end of exercising. This lets your body cool down slowly.

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You wake up one morning. Your mother asks, “What would you like for breakfast -crisps, chips, ice cream, sweets, or lemonade?”

You think to yourself, “Am I dreaming?” Yes, you are.

Your parents try to limit how much junk food you eat for a reason. Too much junk food is not good for your body.

Junk foods are called “junk” because they contain a lot of substances your body does not need. Some contain a lot of sugar. Others have a lot of fat-far more than your body needs.

But many people eat a whole lot of junk food. And if all you ate was junk food, you would soon be very unhealthy. You would not get enough of the things your body needs, such as protein, vitamins, and fibre. And you would have too much of the things you need only a little of, such as sugar, salt, and fat.

It would not hurt your body if you never ate any junk foods. They are fun to eat, though. Happily, a little junk food now and then will not hurt you.

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Sometimes excessive sweating can lead to dipped water content in the body. Extreme physical activity in hot weather signals the body to produce more sweat in order to keep it cool but it also can cause dehydration if water is not replenished along with.

The ideal way to avoid dehydration is to drink fluids before getting thirsty. Thirst is usually a late sign dehydrated and should not be waited for.

To avoid dehydration in summer, people who are planning for heavy physical activity outdoors should drink minimum 1.5 litres of water 2 hours before the activity. After the activity, they should again consume enough fluids.

If diarrhoea and vomiting are observed, immediate check is needed. Fluid replacement may be needed, oral or through IV line.

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Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn't have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. If you don't replace lost fluids, you will get dehydrated.

The most common cause of dehydration in young children is severe diarrhea and vomiting. Older adults naturally have a lower volume of water in their bodies, and may have conditions or take medications that increase the risk of dehydration.

This means that even minor illnesses, such as infections affecting the lungs or bladder, can result in dehydration in older adults.

Dehydration also can occur in any age group if you don't drink enough water during hot weather — especially if you are exercising vigorously.

You can usually reverse mild to moderate dehydration by drinking more fluids, but severe dehydration needs immediate medical treatment.

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There are some things you learn in school that never leave you. Your skin is the largest organ (true!). Your tongue is the strongest muscle (false). Your body is 70 percent water. True? At least, it was true at one point. Depending on a number of factors, your body could be a lot drier than that.

When you were born, you contained the most water, percentage-wise, that you ever will. Human babies are about 78 percent water by weight. But within a year, your water content had already dipped below that classic 70 percent factoid your teachers taught you, weighing in at about 65 percent. You maintain that level of moisture throughout your childhood.

That's thanks to two things: muscle contains more water than fat, and women have more body fat than men. As a result, teenage boys' bodies are about 60 percent water, while teenage girls' bodies are drier at about 55 percent. By adulthood, the differences are even more pronounced: Adult men are around 60 percent water while adult women average around 50 percent. After 50, your body is sapped even more, with men at around 55 percent water and women at 47 percent.

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For the overall growth and development of children, it is important to give them a healthy, balanced diet. The food they eat not only contributes to their physical growth, but also towards the development of their brain. It helps make the mind sharp and boost memory power. In fact, the brain is an energy-hungry organ that absorbs nutrients from the food they eat. What you feed children in their initial years may help improve their brain function, memory and concentration. Unhealthy food can impair memory and learning. So, here we list some memory-boosting foods.

Berries: Colourful berries such as strawberries and blueberries are a rich source of antioxidants, which are associated with improving cognitive performance, learning capacity and memory.

Nuts and seeds: Packed with protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, nuts and seeds may boost mood and strengthen the nervous system. You can give children peanut butter or sunflower butter. Sunflower seeds are rich in folate, vitamin E and selenium. If children can't cat seeds, use the spread on whole grain crackers or bread. Make pesto combining nuts, olive oil and dark leafy greens and serve it over whole grain pasta.

Eggs: Eggs contain helpful traces of selenium, omega-3 and several other nutrients tied to neurological health. Plus they can be relished at any time of the day as a meal. Kids can have boiled eggs, and omelettes on a regular basis. The egg yolk is packed with choline, which helps memory development. Eat scrambled egg and toast, egg muffin, or just fried egg on top of a toasted English muffin and a slice of low fat cheese.

Beans: Beans are special because they are rich in protein, complex carbs (such as fibre), vitamins and minerals. These are an excellent brain food, as they keep children's energy and thinking level at peak all afternoon if they enjoy them with lunch. Kidney and pinto beans contain more omega-3 fatty acids than other beans. Sprinkle beans over salad, mash them and spread on tortillas or fill pita pockets with beans, shredded lettuce and low fat cheese.

Oatmeal: A healthy, nutritious breakfast option, oats boost brain health and mental performance in growing years. They also contain vitamin E potassium and zinc all good for the brain.

Milk: Milk and milk products are generous sources of protein and vitamin B, which are vital for the growth of brain tissues and neurotransmitters. Cheese sticks are a great snack item, low fat yoghurt are also fun topped with berries, fresh fruits and nuts.

Fish: Fish like salmon, trout, sardines and mackerel are full of essential and omega-3 fatty acids which boost brain development. The more omega-3 the brain gets, the better it will function. Fish can be had either grilled or made into tacos and sandwiches.

Whole grains: Whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat and millets are rich in vitamin B, trace minerals and glucose which the brain needs for proper functioning. Since they are filling, they can give children the energy they need during long study hours.

Veggies: Green leafy veggies like spinach and kale are rich in folate and vitamins which promote growth of new brain cells. They are also high in iron content that helps improve concentration and memory. Some children may not like greens. So, rather than serving as a salad, you may whip spinach and kale into a smoothie for snack time, add spinach to omelette or make kale chips.

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Positive impact

CO2 Emission

Reports that emerged late 2020 showed that the pandemic did have an impact on the CO2 emission last year. Widespread shutdowns, drastic reduction in industrial activities and commuter traffic led to significant drop in the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In November 2020, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) estimated that the annual global CO2 emission reduced 4.2-7.5 % in 2020. April 2020 saw a drop of about 17% in global monthly CO2 emissions from fossil fuels, but the annual CO2 emissions for the globe were only 7% lower than they were in 2019. However, the WMO called it a blip on the planet’s uncontrolled emission scenario. Scientists pointed out the Earth’s atmosphere has a heavy concentration of greenhouse gases, including CO2. The temporary reduction in emission due to the pandemic would not curb global warming and resultant climate change. However, we can consider this a positive impact because the pandemic has shown us that it is not impossible to reduce CO2 emission and it has offered us many lessons on Nature conservation – lessons, albeit learnt the hard way.

Pollution

Besides CO2, the concentration of other pollutants such as carbon monoxide, NO2 and PM2.5 also saw a sharp reduction in major cities of the world last year.

Water quality

Water quality too improved in 2020. For the first time in decades, the water of river Ganga was found to be fit enough for drinking as per a study conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. Scientists attributed it to the lockdown induced by the pandemic. There was 500% reduction in sewage and industrial effluents, and human activities in the vicinity of the river were almost nil. Studies conducted in the U.S., European countries, and China had also found an improvement in water quality in the rivers and lakes of their respective countries.

Less noise

With industries and traffic falling silent for a major part of the pandemic, there has been a reduction in noise pollution. A short-term study conducted in Pune last year showed that commercial areas witnessed the maximum drop from 74.56 decibels (dB) in March 2020 to 66.55 in April 2020, and residential areas saw it drop from 49.75 dB to 47.48 dB and silent zones from 49.53 dB to 47.11 dBIn Kanpur, the average noise levels before and during the lockdown were found to be in the range of 44.85 dB to 79.57 dB and 38.55 dB to 57.79 dB respectively. Similar reduction in noise was also found in other parts of the world. However, it is to be remembered that these improvements won’t last if the world goes back to its pre-pandemic ways.

Wildlife

After several early cases of COVID-19 were linked to a wet market in China, wildlife trade became central to discussions on public health. Countries such as China and Vietnam acted quickly to introduce large-scale prohibitions of wildlife trade. China upgraded the legal protections for pangolins to the same status as the nation’s beloved panda, prohibiting nearly all domestic trade and use. This is among the biggest positive outcomes of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the lockdown brought wildlife to the cities. Animals in urban areas were exploring empty streets and waterways. Those in the nature reserves and parks caught some quiet time without the disturbances from tourists. Even sea turtles were spotted returning to areas they once avoided to lay their eggs, all due to the lack of human interference. Scientists reported that plants were growing better because there was cleaner air and water.

Negative impact

Biomedical waste

The management of biomedical waste such as personal protective equipment (PPE), gloves, face masks, head cover, among other gear and medical equipment used by both healthcare providers and patients is the biggest challenge that governments around the world are facing. According to the data shared by Central Pollution Control Board, India generated over 18,000 tonnes of COVID-19-related biomedical waste between June and September last year. India’s Covid vaccination drive is also seeing thousands of syringes being disposed of every day. The Indian government has defined standards, protocols and guidelines for different categories of biomedical waste but unsafe disposal of such waste in open dustbins is not uncommon in the country.

Plastic is back

Just a couple of years ago, the world woke up to the problem of plastic and was taking measures to find an alternative to single-use plastic. Many countries and States of India had restrictions on the usage of single-use plastic. But those commitments were thrown out the window when the pandemic hit us. Moreover, plastic products play a significant role in protecting people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials such as PPE suits, face shields, masks and gloves are plastic, and they are meant to be disposed of after single use. Besides, the fear of surface contamination has made disposal cups, cutleries, and plastic bags make a swift comeback. The amount of plastic waste generated worldwide since the COVID-19 outbreaks estimated at 1.6 million tonnes / day. This could cause a surge in plastics washing up on the ocean coastlines and littering the seabed.

Deforestation and poaching

Many people have lost their jobs and livelihood due to COVID-19 and this has contributed to illegal tree felling, illegal mining and wildlife poaching. There are reports of increased deforestation in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Areas that are economically dependent on tourism face reduced resources as tourism has come to a halt. This is leaving animals in the reserves with much less protection. There has been an increase in wildlife poaching – either to provide food for hungry families or for illegal sales.

 

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