My Science School

Royal patronage bestowed upon Shakespeare's Globe theatre the prestige, and popularity it required to reach a wider audience. This is the reason why literary critics believe that Macbeth which is easily one of the greatest plays written by the bard was skillfully designed to flatter the reigning monarch King James I.

King James I succeeded Queen Elizabeth I as the royal head of the nation following the latters death in 1603. Known for his love for art and generosity towards actors, playwrights and other performers of the day, within ten days of ascending to the throne he offered his patronage to Shakespeare's acting troupe, which the bard graciously accepted. Overjoyed by the sanction of the royal patent, the legendary playwright changed the name of his troupe to The King's men, in honour of the reigning monarch.

The role of a patron

A patron was usually a wealthy aristocrat or royal court official who would fund the playwright's or artist's work and livelihoods. Acting companies based in London at the time would also require their patrons to get them a licence to perform and this was the reason why many such companies would then be named after their benefactors.

Macbeth

Royal patronage bestowed upon Shakespeare's Globe theatre the prestige, and popularity it required to reach a wider audience. These favours are the reason why literary critics believe that Macbeth which is easily one of the greatest plays written by the bard around 1606 (his first play under his new patron) and set in King James I's native land of Scotland, was skilfully designed to flatter the king. It also featured like treason, revolt and downfall of the monarch's murderers - legitimising the divine right of kings as dictated by the European Christianity of the time.

Shakespeare's history plays

Ten plays that are referred to as Shakespeare's history plays cover English history from the 12th to 16th Century and each of these is named after and revolves around, the reigning monarch of the period. These political plays were seen as patriotic exercises that celebrated past greatness and sympathised with the suffering of the bygone days. In An Apology for Actors (1612), Shakespeare's contemporary Thomas Heywood wrote, that history plays are written with the aim to teach their subject obedience to their king. Some examples of these plays include Richard II, Hendry V, and Richard III. Although critics are still divided about whether or not the bard's chronicle plays were merely tools of propaganda, one cannot deny the huge impact the works of this legendary wordsmith have had on our collective understanding of these historic figures.

Picture Credit : Google  

Did you know that the name algorithm comes from the name of Persian mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi?

An algorithm is a set of rules or instructions used in calculations and problem-solving operations. Algorithms date back to 300 BC when their inscriptions were found on Babylonian clay tablets. Originally, they were marking schemes which the common people used to keep track of their cattle and stocks of grain.

The name algorithm comes from the name of Persian mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi who wrote a book on Hindu-Arabic numerals. The Arabic work was translated into Latin as "Algoritmi de numero Indorum." and later into English, "Concerning the Hindu art of Reckoning."

Algorithms became a significant part of mathematics laying the foundation for the algebra of logic, variables in calculations, greatest common divisor, approximation of Pi, prime numbers, etc.

The modern algorithm is a sequence of steps laid down to fulfil a particular task. British mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing worked out how a machine could follow algorithmic instructions and solve complex mathematical problems. Thus began the computer age. Now algorithms are used in all major applications in information technology including navigation (GPS), shopping and internet searches.

Picture credit : Google

An ampersand (&) is a symbol that represents the conjunction 'and'. An alteration of 'and per se and', this sign is simply the product of combining the letters e and t, Latin (et) for the conjunction. It was first used in Roman cursive writing dating back to the first century A.D.

First historical record

Author Keith Houston in his book Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols & Other Typographical Marks claims that this symbol made its first appearance in historical records after being found on an unearthed graffiti from the ruins of Pompeii - a city in ancient Rome which was buried in volcanic ash following the eruption of the Mount Vesuvius in 79 A. D.

Repetitive recitation

In 19th Century Britain, school children reciting the alphabet would include the ampersand as the 27th letter.

At the time, it was customary to recite the Latin phrase 'per se' (which means by itself) before any letter that could also be used as a word in itself (like A, I and &). So their daily alphabet rendering would end with: X, Y, Z and per se and. Over time this phrase was slurred to ampersand and it entered the common vocabulary around 1837.

National Ampersand Day

This day was established by American author, designer and typographer Chaz Desimone in 2015, due to his preception of the ampersand sign as an art form. He introduced this day to pay homage to the illustrious history of this symbol, which is also a central motif in his fun art projects and initiatives. Therefore, September 8 is annually celebrated as National Ampersand Day in the U. S.

Picture Credit : Google 

Fantasmagoria was a popular form of horror theatre that was brought from Berlin, Germany to France in the 18th Century and thrilled audiences with macabre illusions created through audio effects and magic lanterns.

Fantasmagoria was a popular form of horror theatre that was brought from Berlin, Germany to France in the 18th Century and thrilled audiences with macabre illusions created through audio effects and magic lanterns. This kind of experimental visual storytelling can be clearly seen as a precursor to modern horror movies. Étienne-Gaspard Robert, a physicist and stage magician, is one of the most influential figures in this genre of the theatre.

Magic lanterns

The discoveries in the fields of science and technology at the end of the 17th Century allowed for the invention of the magic lantern for the projection of images.

Professor Tom gunnings from the University of Chicago, explains this technology was the precursor to the slide projector of more recent times. It was an invention that consisted of a lamp which allowed images painted on glass to be projected on the objects in dim-lit rooms.

Fantasmagoria was a spectacular theatrical experience which was often held inside abandoned crypts and the stone chambers that were built underneath the floors of old churches. These crypts usually contained religious items like altars, coffins and magical symbols and in combination with the sound effects and optical illusions created by the magic lanterns, would leave the spectators shivering and shuddering, covering their eyes out of fear.

The critical thought

Art is often employed as a tool to push through the boundaries of culture, politics and economics. The fantasmagoria shows under the guise of entertainment opened an avenue to voice social concerns, critique blighted superstitions and bring forth the blind side of enlightenment.

The concept of this revolutionary spectacle was used as a metaphor by influential thinkers like Karl Marx and Walter Benjamin to describe how people were tangled up by the materialism, aesthetic paraphernalia and propaganda of the capitalist world.

Picture Credit : Google 

A newly discovered undersea crater off the coast of West Africa is leading scientists to wonder whether the dinosaurs were wiped out by more than one asteroid 66 million years ago.

What appears to be a second large asteroid impact crater has been discovered under the sea off the coast of West Africa, leading scientists to speculate that it may have been the smaller cousin of the one that struck the gulf of Mexico millions of years ago, wiping out the dinosaurs.

At 9km wide, the newly discovered crater- dubbed the Nadir Crater - is not as larger as the vast Chicxulub Crater in Mexico, which is estimated to be around 180km wide and 20km deep.

However, its size, age and placement on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean is leading geoscientists to wonder if the Earth was hit by more than one space rock that fateful day 66 million years ago, or if the Nadir Crater was caused by a chunk that broke off the Chicxulub asteroid.

Picture Credit : Google 

Originating in China's Jiangyong province in the 19th Century as a code of defiance against social gender inequality, Nishu (Chinese for women's writing) is considered to be the world's only writing system that is created and used exclusively by women.

Once upon a time...

In Ancient and Imperial China a set of moral principles called the Three Obidiences dictated the entirety of a woman's existence. Schools and education were privileges reserved for men while ignorance was seen as a womanly virtue. These unfair stringent rules and social ideals forced women to come up with a new language to tell their stories, comfort each other, sing out their sorrows and express admiration. This was how Nushu the world's only writing script curated and used exclusively by women came into being, Passed down through generations from mothers to daughters, Nushu is based on phonograms (where each character represents a sound). Besides communication, women also embroidered this script onto handkerchiefs, belts, shoes and fans hiding their secrets in decorative patterns.

The earliest record of Nushu

The earliest known artefact with the script on it is a bronze coin from the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1851-1864) unearthed in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province. The characters etched in Nüshu on the coin translate to "all the women in the world are members of the same family".

Picture Credit : Google 

Levi Strauss, a 17-year-old immigrant from Bavaria arrived in San Francisco during the great Gold Rush of the 1850s to sell canvas for tents and covered wagons. When he discovered that the miners trousers wore out fast, he decided to make trousers out of the canvas with metal rivets on the pocket comers to give them more durability. The trousers were in great demand because of their toughness and snug fit, which he got by making a miner sit with his jeans in a horse-watering trough, and then lie down in the sun till it shrank.

Levi's trousers were called jeans after gene, the Genoese name for the heavy, twilled canvas. Later, when Levi used a softer French fabric called Serge de Nimes, his trousers came to be called denim jeans. Levi Strauss & Co., the company Levi founded, is the world's first and largest manufacturer of denim jeans.

Picture Credit : Google 

Isaac Singer made the first commercially successful sewing machine in the 1850s. While developing his famous sewing machine, Singer, at one point was faced with a problem that seemed insurmountable: how to get the thread to run through the needle smoothly and continuously without breaking or getting stuck.

One night he dreamt that he was being chased by tribals carrying large spears. As they drew closer he noticed that every spear had a hole just below the point of the blade. He awoke with a start.

The next morning he made a needle with its eye near the point instead of at the top. That solved his problem. The thread could now run consistently through the needle. His invention was complete and the Singer Sewing Machine soon became the premier sewing machine in the world.

Charles Richard Drew's method for storing of blood plasma revolutionised the medical profession by helping save countless lives across the world.

Picture Credit : Google 

Walls are often erected as military fortifications. Be it the long, winding 'Great Wall of China' or the Peace Walls which are being pulled down, walls are cloaked in mystery and have many tales to narrate. Here is a peek at some of the unique walls in the world.

BERLIN WALL - GERMANY

 In 1949, Germany split into two- the East Germany which allied itself to the Soviet Union and West Germany. A large number of people started moving from Soviet-controlled East Germany to the West. In response to this, the country's government decided to construct a wall. It was built as a barrier surrounding West Berlin thereby preventing any access to West Germany. At first, the wall was built using barbed wire and later followed by concrete. When the Soviet Union began to collapse, the wall was opened and was demolished later.

WALLS OF TROY - TURKEY

Troy is the lost city that has captivated people for years. And so has the Trojan war. This legendary war that was fought between the people of Troy and the Greeks forms the premise of Homer's Illiad. Even as the occurrence of the Trojan war remains a debate, the city of Troy in Turkey is of archeological interest. The ruins of the famous walls at this ancient site are still standing, whispering legends from the past.

GREAT WALL OF CHINA - CHINA

 Running more than 20,000 km, the Great Wall of China is the most famous border wall in the world. Its construction started in the 7th century BCE and went on for two millennia. The wall was built across northern China and southern Mongolia. Many workers died during its construction. Although the gigantic wall was built, it could’t withstand the invasions. For instance, Genghis khan and his Mongolian army could easily break in.

BELFAST PEACE WALLS - NORTHERN IRELAND

In Belfast, a unique 'ritual' has been going on for the past few years. Here, the walls are being pulled down. Back in 1969, Peace Walls (Peace Lines) were constructed in Belfast to separate Catholic neighbourhoods from Protestants. Northern Ireland was going through a conflict period Troubles, with unionists wanting to be a part of the United Kingdom and nationalists (Catholics) wanting to stay with Ireland. Around 100 walls were eventually erected. In 2013, the Northern Ireland government decided to dismantle the walls to improve community relations and have set 2023 as the target for this. Many walls have been dismantled till now.

GREAT WALL OF GORGAN –IRAN

Built in the 5th- 6th century, the great wall of Gorgan was constructed as a barrier in northern iran. The wall was erected to ward off attacks from the Turks and it comprises around 40 forts.

HADRIAN’S WALL – U.K.

Built in the years of 122-30 CE, by the order of the Roman Emperor Hadrian, the hadrian’s wall ran a length of 72 miles. The Roman frontier was built to protect northwestern Britain from barbarians. The walls give an idea of Roman Empire’s military architecture and also had towers and barracks.

Picture Credit : Google 

 

Young Chester Carlson worked as a patent analyser for a manufacturer of electrical components. This required laborious paperwork - he had to submit multiple copies when registering his company's inventions and ideas at the patent office. Each duplicate had to be written by hand. Carlson suffered from arthritis. He knew there had to be another way of doing his job.

Working in his kitchen during his free time, Carlson discovered that some materials changed their electrical properties when exposed to light called photo-conductivity. After years of research, he came up with a patent in 1942 for a reproduction technique based on this, which he named 'electric photography. Another 20 years went by before he found a company interested enough to manufacture the machine. He was turned away by the likes of IBM, GE and RCA, until in 1960, the Haloid company finally thought his idea marketable.

The company was later named Xerox. The process became so popular all over the world that the word ‘xeroxing’ (a trademark) is used instead of the correct term-‘photocopying’!

Picture Credit : Google