My Science School

Lemurs are 100 or so species of primates in Madagascar. The name lemur derives from the Latin word lemures, which some dictionaries translate as ghosts. In Ancient Rome, lemures were believed to be a kind of eerie-looking malignant dead that wandered the earth at night, causing hurt and injury to the living. It is believed that the name got attached to the primates because of their reflective eyes and their silent nocturnal wanderings.

A number of lemurs are rare or endangered. Several either were not discovered until the late 20th century or were rediscovered after having been thought extinct. Remains exist of species larger than any of today’s lemurs. Some of these may have survived until only 500 years ago. They were probably exterminated by overhunting or habitat modification by the Malagasy people, who arrived on the island less than 2,000 years ago.

Lemurs are less intelligent than monkeys. Their sense of smell is more acute but their vision less so. Although some species are at times active during the day, their eyes seem to be adapted for nocturnal life, trading acuity for increased sensitivity in low light conditions. All lemurs are characterized by a reflective layer (tapetum) behind the retina in the eye, but no fovea or macula lutea; a hairless, moist tip to the muzzle; a noninvasive (epitheliochorial) placenta; comblike forward-directed lower front teeth (with the exception of the aye-aye); and a claw (“toilet claw”) on the second toe of the foot.

Credit : Britannica

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The inner edge of the Kuiper Belt begins at the orbit of Neptune, at about 30 AU from the Sun. (1 AU, or astronomical unit, is the distance from Earth to the Sun.)

The inner, main region of the Kuiper belt ends around 50 AU from the Sun. Overlapping the outer edge of the main part of the Kuiper Belt is a second region called the scattered disk, which continues outward to nearly 1,000 AU, with some bodies on orbits that go even farther beyond.

Just outside of Neptune’s orbit is a ring of icy bodies. We call it the Kuiper Belt.

This is where you’ll find dwarf planet Pluto. It’s the most famous of the objects floating in the Kuiper Belt, which are also called Kuiper Belt Objects, or KBOs.

There are bits of rock and ice, comets and dwarf planets in the Kuiper Belt. Besides Pluto and a bunch of comets, other interesting Kuiper Belt Objects are Eris, Makemake and Haumea. They are dwarf planets like Pluto.

Credit : Solar System Exploration

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The Hubble telescope is named after astronomer Edwin Hubble and is one of NASA's Great Observatories, along with the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (1991–2000), the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and the Spitzer Space Telescope (2003–2020).

Hubble is the only telescope designed to be maintained in space by astronauts. Five Space Shuttle missions have repaired, upgraded, and replaced systems on the telescope, including all five of the main instruments. The fifth mission was initially canceled on safety grounds following the Columbia disaster (2003), but NASA administrator Michael D. Griffin approved the fifth servicing mission which was completed in 2009. The telescope completed 30 years in operation in April 2020 and could last until 2030–2040. One successor to the Hubble telescope is the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) which is tentatively scheduled to be launched in late 2021.

Hubble's launch and deployment in April 1990 marked the most significant advance in astronomy since Galileo's telescope. Thanks to five servicing missions and more than 25 years of operation, our view of the universe and our place within it has never been the same.

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In 1609, using this early version of the telescope, Galileo became the first person to record observations of the sky made with the help of a telescope. He soon made his first astronomical discovery.

Galileo was the first to point a telescope skyward. He was able to make out mountains and craters on the moon, as well as a ribbon of diffuse light arching across the sky — the Milky Way. He also discovered the rings of Saturn, sunspots and four of Jupiter's moons.

Galileo wrote a book "Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, Ptolemaic and Copernican" and dedicated it to the Pope Urban VIII. But his ideas were considered heretical, and Galileo was called to appear before the inquisition in Rome in 1633. He struck a plea bargain and was sentenced to house arrest, where he continued to work and write until his death in 1642.

Elsewhere in Europe, scientists began improving the telescope. Johannes Kepler studied the optics and designed a telescope with two convex lenses, which made the images appear upside down. Working from Kepler's writings, Isaac Newton reasoned it was better to make a telescope out of mirrors rather than lenses and built a reflecting telescope in 1668. Centuries later the reflecting telescope would dominate astronomy.

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Planetary conjunction is a celestial event wherein two planets appear to be closer to each other but, they are far away in space.

Mars and Venus will be closest to each other on July 13, 2021. Such a celestial event is known as planetary conjunction wherein two planets appear to be closer to each other but, they are far away in space.

From Earth, both Mars and Venus will appear to be 0.5 degrees apart. Both the planets could be spotted with a telescope or binoculars in the same frame.

The last time, the planetary conjunction between Mars and Venus happened on August 24, 2019, however, the planets were not visible with the naked eyes. The planetary conjunction between both planets that occurred on October 5, 2017, was the last visible event. The next planetary conjunction between Mars and Venus is expected to occur on February 22, 2024, and a conjunction as close as the one happening on July 12, 2021, will occur on May 11, 2034.

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Space stories are best remembered for their successes. The emergencies and failures are often reduced to footnotes in space history, even if the learnings from them are also valuable. One such emergency that might have even cost human lives happened during the Soyuz TM-9 expedition.

The ninth expedition to the Soviet/Russian space station Mir, Soyuz TM-9 had a two-member crew in the form of Soviet and Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Solovyov and Aleksandr Balandin. Launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on February 11, 1990, the Soyuz TM-9 docked with the orbital station Mir on February 13.

Thermal blankets damaged The departing crew of TM-8 observed that three of the eight thermal insulation blankets on TM-9's descent module were damaged. There were fears that the damaged insulation could block optical navigation sensor or even lead to overheating or cooling that might cause an electrical short. As a result, a spacewalk that was previously unscheduled was forced on the cosmonauts.

For starters, the Mir space station was manoeuvred so as to keep TM-9 facing the sun and hence have the temperature stabilised. The damage to the blankets, however, required special tools and also an EVA (extra-vehicular activity) ladder to reach the impaired area.

These materials arrived with the long-awaited, much-delayed Kristall module, which docked at Mirs front port on June 10 and was relocated to the port opposite Mirs Kvant 2 module the next day. While Solovyov and Balandin were initially scheduled to return to Earth at the end of July, their mission was extended by 10 days to enable them to activate Kristall's systems and perform the EVA to repair TM-9's damaged blankets.

Learning on the go

To add to the existing issues, Solovyov and Balandin had not been trained to perform an EVA. In such a situation, the duo were asked to train using a videotape that had been sent from Earth on a Progress spacecraft. Additionally, they also observed televised practice sessions.

 

On July 17, the cosmonauts exited through the Kvant 2 hatch and began the repair mission. Using the ladders to reach the damaged site, they observed that the TM-9 descent module remained in excellent condition save for the thermal problem.

As the thermal blankets had shrunk to a stage where it was impossible to reattach them, the cosmonauts resorted to their contingency plan by folding two of the three blankets in half and stowing the torn blankets away from the sensor's line of sight. A time-intensive exercise, it took them nearly six hours, meaning that they were well behind their schedule and fast approaching the rated endurance of their spacesuits.

Back in the Kvant 2 airlock, they realised that the outer hatch wouldn't close. Apparently, they had opened the hatch before the chamber had fully depressurised when they had stepped out. As the airlock wasn't completely evacuated of air, the door now didn't close and its hinges were damaged.

Emergency hatch helps out

The central compartment of Kvant 2 was designed to serve as an emergency hatch. With time running out, Solovyov and Balandin depressurised this compartment, moved into it and then re-pressurised it before entering the pressurised portion of Mir. Their unscheduled EVA had lasted 7 hours and 16 minutes.

On July 25, the duo performed another EVA, this time to repair the hatch and secure their ladders. Following several failed attempts to close the outside hatch from inside. They televised images before going ahead to secure the ladders. In the end, a short-term fix was managed when a portion of the hinge cover, which had broken and lodged between the hatch and its frame, was removed. The second EVA, which lasted 3 hours and 31 minutes, proved to be successful as the hatch was easier to close and seal after this.

Solovyov and Balandin's 179-day mission came to an uneventful end on August 9 when Soyuz TM-9 landed without incident at a predetermined area 72 km north-east of the city of Arkalyk, now in Kazakhstan. The duo had 130 kg of experimental results and industrial products to show for their efforts, apart from an egg that was laid by a quail aboard Soyuz TM-10 while en route to the space station.

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Bridgmanite is the new name for the most abundant mineral on earth. It makes up about 70 per cent of the earth's lower mantle (660 to 2890 km beneath the planet's surface) and 38 per cent of the total volume of earth. It is made up of high-density magnesium iron silicate.

Bridgmanite makes up around 38% of the planet's total volume, meaning it is by far the most abundant mineral on Earth. Although scientists have known about its existence for years, they had not been able to observe, analyze, or name the mineral because it does not (and cannot) rise from the depths of the lower mantle to the surface of the Earth. It was historically referred to as perovskite, as the International Mineralogical Association does not allow formal names for minerals unless they have been examined in person.

That all changed in 2014 when mineralogists found bridgmanite in a meteorite that had crashed into Australia in 1879. During impact, the meteorite was subjected to temperatures in excess of 3600 degrees F and pressures around 24 gigapascal, similar to what is found in the lower mantle. Bridgmanite was named in honor of Percy Bridgman, who won a Nobel Prize in 1946 for his research of materials at very high pressures.

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Scientists have created the world's first 'sparkling' apple that fizzes in the mouth when eaten. When the apple is bitten into, the cells in the flesh of the fruit release juices akin to having a mouthful of a fizzy drink. One of the two varieties used to breed the new apple is called Resi- an East German specimen known for its sweet texture. Swiss firm Lubera mixed Resi with the variety Pirouette to create the new apple called Paradis Sparkling. The new breed took years to perfect by trial and error genetic modification.

Swiss firm Lubera mixed Resi with the variety Pirouette to create the new apple called Paradis Sparkling. The new breed took years to perfect by trial and error genetic modification.

“It has a soft texture but a heavy crunch and very big cells that open up in the mouth, releasing a lot of acidity and sugar that gives you a feeling of having a fizzy drink,” said Robert Maierhofer, production manager at Lubera.

Maierhofer said the breeding process involved repeatedly selecting the richest apples produced from a tree to cross-breed with. The sapling trees are now on sale for 34 pounds.

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Researchers have developed a novel technology that allows cyborg cockroaches or "biobots" to pick up sounds with small microphones and seek out the source of the sound.

The technology is designed to help emergency personnel find and rescue survivors in the aftermath of a disaster. For example, in a collapsed building, sound is the best way to find survivors.

The so-called biobots are equipped with tiny electronic backpacks that control the cockroach's movements. In one version, a single multi-directional microphone captures relatively high-resolution sound which is then transmitted wirelessly to first responders. In the other version, multiple three directional microphones detect the location of the sound to innately direct the biobot in that direction.

The team also developed a technology that can be used as an "invisible fence" to keep the biobots at a disaster site within range of each other so that they can be used as a reliable mobile wireless network.

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Students of IIT Delhi have developed a smart cane for blind people. The SmartCane is designed to help users detect obstacles above knee-level and prevent accidents from occurring. Using sensors, the device detects obstructions up to a distance of 10 feet. It attaches to the top of a standard folding white cane, currently used by millions of visually impaired people across the globe.

Costing 3,000, the SmartCane mimics the capabilities of bats, using sonar to detect objects in the surrounding environment. Ultrasound waves are sent out and, when they return to the cane, they vibrate on the relevant side to warn of an obstacle ahead. Different patterns and intensities let the user know how far away an object is. It has a rechargeable battery that lasts nearly a week without charging.

According to the World Health Organization, 285 million people are estimated to be visually impaired worldwide. Almost 90 per cent of these live in developing countries, with India home to the most, at 12 million.

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Turn your pictures into stories with Speaking Photo, an app that lets you add sound to any photo. It allows you to tell a story along with the image before you share it on Facebook, YouTube or via email. The storyboard feature gives users a chance to select multiple photo/audio pairs and customize their play order, creating a larger movie to share. Available for iOS and Android.

With SpeakPic, the voice of the translator will be really fun for you and friends.
Have you thought about making your friend sing his/her team's anthem? Or maybe an unexpected declaration of love. With SpeakPic, anything is possible.

You can change the voice with different effects to make the end result even funnier.
There are dozens of voices to choose from, in multiple languages.

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Light emitted from displays of tablets and similar devices causes suppression of melatonin (the hormone that controls the night-day cycle), affecting our natural body clock. Darkness causes increased production of melatonin, signalling the body to prepare for sleep while light decreases melatonin production signalling the body to prepare to be awake. Using a self-luminous display for 2 hours before bed, suppresses melatonin by 22% making it harder to fall asleep.

Night-time melatonin secretion is suppressed by a relatively dim light when pupils are dilated. This has been suggested as the main way through which prolonged use of devices such as laptops and smartphones before bedtime can have a negative impact on melatonin secretion, circadian rhythms and sleep.

In addition to its production in the body, melatonin can also be taken in capsule form. The clinical uses of melatonin include treatment of age-associated insomnia, jet lag, and shift work. When administered at an appropriate time of day, it can reset the body’s circadian rhythms (see the articles on jet lag and circadian rhythm sleep disorders). This resetting effect of melatonin has been reported for many dose strengths, including those that are equivalent to the concentration of melatonin naturally produced by the pineal gland. Higher doses of melatonin can reset circadian rhythms, bring on sleepiness and lower core body temperature.

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The Muse headband by InteraXon monitors the electrical activity of your brain, and pairs with an app to help you focus better, improve cognitive function and settle your mind. EEG sensors allow Muse to detect and measure your brain activity; the info is sent to your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth. Paired with Calm, a free app (available on iOS, OS X and Android) which guides the user through a simplified form of mindfulness meditation, Pavlok's guided sessions are designed to train your brain to manage stress and calm your mind. With instant audio feedback of either a storm or chirping birds indicating your state of relaxation, you'll learn to improve focus. Muse graphs your data, indicating how you did by telling you how long you were "calm" (your mind was focused on the exercise), "active" (your mind wandered) or "neutral" (somewhere in the middle).

One of the most critical concern is the sensitivity of the gadget. As EEG is measured in microvolts compared to the thousand times more millivolts of ECG, muscle noise can obscure the tracing. Thus, the company helps users how to improve the receptiveness of the sensors: the wearer should remove any make-up and should take care of how to put on the headband, the pads of the sensors should be made wet carefully, or they don’t recommend blinking or chewing on a gum – as they all could worsen the signal.

However, if you can make sure that the Muse receives the brainwaves appropriately, you will get real-time feedback with the help of its app whether or not your mind is too active. In case you have an army of thoughts crossing each other in your brain, the headband will give you advice on how to clear your thoughts.

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Branded as a "personal coach for your wrist", the Pavlok wristband uses mild shock therapy to discourage any bad habits. The idea is that over time your brain will form a connection between the action and punishment that you won't need the shock. It is equipped with a Bluetooth radio linked to a smartphone app that monitors your actions. It is also monitored by a GPS tracker and a Chrome browser add-on that tracks websites you want to refrain from clicking on.

Program the bracelet to change a variety of habits; if you don't complete your goal, you get a shock (up to 300 volts). On the other hand, if you do something good, like waking up early as planned or completing an assignment then a financial reward awaits or friends will be notified of this accomplishment.

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The fruit of the Jabuticaba, or the Brazilian grape tree, is unusual in that it appears to blossom right out of the bark and trunk of the tree.

Found mostly in Brazil, its fruits contain several potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory anti cancer compounds, including one that is unique to the fruit called 'jaboticabin'.

The tree evolved this way to make it easier for animals that can't climb to eat the fruits. The tree "wants" the animals to eat its fruits, so that they can later expel the seeds away from the parent tree to grow even more Jabuticabas.

The edible part of the jaboticaba berry consists of light pink or white flesh, which has a fruity sweet flavor, similar to a grape, although more flowery and aromatic. There is a subtle hint of acidity which doesn’t detract from the delicious sweetness.

The texture of the inside is gelatinous and embedded with a light-brown seed. Discard this seed as it has a tannic flavor with a very bitter aftertaste. Dark purple skin encases the berry, which is edible. In some varieties, it can be unpleasant to eat as it is much thicker than grape skin. It has an astringent, harsh flavor.

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