My Science School

The fundamental principle or foundation of science fiction (sci-fi) as a genre is to imagine possible futures or alternative presents. The possibility of using fiction to anticipate or inspire the future is what makes reading or writing sci-fi an "essential training" to prepare oneself for what the future might hold. Lets us look at some of the sci-fi novels that successfully predicted the future and inspired the technology we are familiar with today.

The modern electric submarine

Dutch inventor Cornelius Drebbel was the inventor of the first submersible vessel that could remain underwater for a certain period. However, it could only be operated for short distances. Built in 1897 by American mechanical engineer and naval architect Simon Lake, the Argonaut was the first submarine that could perform extensive open-sea operations and salvage cargo from sunken vessels. In his autobiography titled Submarine, the inventor said that the French novelist and sci-fi pioneer Jules Verne's ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues under’ the Sea was the inspiration behind the vessel.

"Jules Verne was in a sense the director-general of my life," Lake's autobiography, ‘Submarine’, quotes him as saying. "When I was not more than ten or eleven years old, I read his ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea’, and my young imagination was fired."

Google Earth and cryptocurrency

American author Neal Stephenson coined the term Metaverse in his 1992 sci-fi novel ‘Snow Crash’, to describe a three-dimensional virtual space or platform where humans, as programmable avatars, interacted with each other. This novel has been a source of inspiration for many innovators and inventors in various fields.

The virtual reality depiction of the Metaverse in ‘Snow Crash’ is often cited as a source of inspiration for Google Earth, which allows users to explore the world in 3D using satellite imagery.

Mimicking the real world, the economy of Stephenson's Metaverse was based on a virtual currency called "Quatloos". This concept is said to have inspired the development of various cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.

Solar power

‘Sultana's Dream’ is a science fiction novella written by Bengali author Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain in 1905, which presents a gender-reversed society where women are in charge and men are confined to the domestic sphere. An ecological invention that was inspired by the themes and ideas presented in this novel was solar-powered houses. In ‘Sultana's Dream’, the city of Ladyland is powered entirely by solar energy. which is used to heat homes, cook food, and provide light. This novel was one of the earliest works that imagined using renewable energy to promote sustainable growth of the community, without harming the planet.

 It is one of the earliest examples of feminist sci-fi, a genre that explores the role of gender in society. The novella has inspired many works of feminist science fiction, including Octavia Butlers ‘Parable of the Sower’. This novella not only helped spark conversations about gender roles and women's empowerment in South Asia and beyond, but also served as the inspiration behind noted Bangladeshi filmmaker Rubaiyat Hossain's 2022 mentorship project called Sultana's Dream, for aspiring female directors.

In ear-devices like wireless earbuds

The growing popularity of wireless Bluetooth earbuds in recent years has led many researchers to speculate that the idea for this portable audio device was inspired by a gadget called "seashells" in Ray Bradbury's ‘Fahrenheit 451’. In the 1953 novel by the American writer, seashells are small electronic devices that fit in the ear and play recorded music or other audio content. They are described as being "no larger than a kernel of maize" and having a "thimble-sized" speaker that fits comfortably in the ears.

Although one might argue that Bradbury's "seashells” are more like tiny radios, than wireless earphones, it does not change the fact that the author imagined them before the advent of the first stereo headphones (1958).

The Moon landing

The French novelist Jules Verne's novel ‘From the Earth to the Moon’ published in 1865, is often cited as an early inspiration for the idea of space travel and space exploration. While it is not known for certain whether Verne's work directly inspired the Moon landing, his vivid descriptions of a manned mission to the Moon in a projectile fired from a giant cannon helped to popularise the idea of space travel and may have indirectly contributed to the development of the technologies that eventually made the moon landing possible.

There are many uncanny similarities between the technical aspects of Verne's narration and the actual lunar landing that was accomplished in 1969 through the Apollo 11 mission. For example, the dimensions of Verne's (fictional) capsule and the one used for Apollo 11's mission were startlingly close. Verne's projectile was launched from Florida, where all the Apollo missions were launched. The book even gave a calculated estimate of the time it should take to reach the Moon as 97 hours and 13 minutes which was pretty close as the Apollo spacecraft took 103 hours and 30 minutes to reach the celestial body.

Picture Credit : Google 

(Pronounced ka luh koh)

Meaning: The noun refers to a plain woven cotton cloth printed with a figured pattern, usually on one side.

Origin: In use since the 16th Century, the word is derived from an alternative form of Calicut (modern Kozhikode), the name of the seaport on the Malabar coast of India where Europeans first obtained the fabric. In the U.S., the use extended to animal colourings suggestive of printed calicos in 1807, originally of horses, and of cats from 1882.

Usage: My grandma's tiny wooden box was wrapped in printed calico.

Picture Credit : Google 

(pronounced as buh.reft)

Meaning: The word bereft is used to imply being deprived of or lacking something. When used with a person, it corresponds to being sad and lonely, especially because of someone's death or departure.

Origin: The word has been around since late in the 14th Century. A past-participle adjective, bereft is derived from the verb bereave. Now slightly different in meaning, the past tense forms of bereave- bereaved and bereft - have co-existed since 14th Century.

After sliding down out of favour for over 100 years from around 1800, the word's usage has increased steadily from around 1950s.

Usage: Some desert landscapes are bereft of any human presence.

Picture Credit : Google 

(Pronounced hold.aut)

Meaning: A noun, holdout refers to a person, organisation, or country that continues to do something despite others trying to force them not to. It is used to describe someone who refuses to reach an agreement with others in a particular situation. In other words, it is an act of resisting something or refusing to give consent to an agreement.

Origin: The term "holdout" is said to have been attested from 1907 in the sense "keep back, withhold". It's a combination of the verb hold and the adverb out. Meanwhile, the phrase "hold out" meaning "resist pressure" has been in use since the late 16th Century.

Usage: It's time to shame holdouts who resist proposals to limit global warming.

Picture Credit : Google 

(Pronounced pre-co-cious)

Meaning: Precocious means having or showing mature qualities at an unusually early age. It can also mean exceptionally early in development or occurrence.

Origin: This word comes from combining the Latin prefix prae-, meaning ‘ahead of’ with the verb coquere, meaning to cook or to ripen. Together, they formed the adjective praecox, which meant early ripening. By the mid-1600s, English speakers had turned praecox into precocious and were using it especially to describe plants that produced blossoms before their leaves came out.

Usage:  She was a precocious child who could read before she started school.

Picture Credit : Google 

Meaning: A verb, portend means to give an omen or anticipatory sign of something.

Origin: The word is derived from the Latin word portendere which means to indicate, point out or foretell. The word was first used in the 15th century.

Usage: The gypsy was always welcome in the king's court, because her visions would portend the fate of his kingdom, and more so now than ever, when he was in his darkest hour.

Picture Credit : Google 

1. Plant a garden:

It will help you learn about botany and the science of plant growth. You can begin by planting a vegetable or flower sapling or sowing some seeds.

2. Build a simple machine:

Use household items to create a lever, pulley, or other simple machine and demonstrate how they work.

3. Make slime:

Learn about the science of polymers by making slime together in class.

4. Conduct a science experiment:

Choose a simple science experiment, such as growing crystals or making a balloon rocket. Take help from your teachers to conduct it and understand the results.

5. Create a nature Scavenger hunt:

Explore the natural world by creating a scavenger hunt that highlights different plants, animals, and insects.

6. Visit a science museum:

 Take a trip to a science museum (if there is one in your city or town) or planetarium to learn about a wide range of topics.

7. Conduct a star gazing session:

Discover more about astronomy by conducting a star gazing session on a clear night with your friends.

8. Experiment with magnets

Use magnets to explore the concepts of magnetism and electric currents.

9. Make a tornado in a bottle:

Demonstrate the science of air pressure and tornadoes by making a tornado in a bottle. It's simple, look it up online and do it.

10. Create a weather station:

Explore the science of meteorology by creating a simple weather station to measure temperature, precipitation, and wind speed.

Picture Credit : Google 

The heat and energy from the sun is what drives life on Earth. That said, humanity is now collectively responsible for so much greenhouse gases that Earth's atmosphere now traps more and more of the sun's energy. This has led to a steady increase in the planet's temperature, and global warming and climate change are causes for concern.

One suggested strategy to reverse this trend is to try and intercept a small fraction of sunlight before it reaches Earth. Scientists, for decades, have considered the possibility of using screens, objects or dust particles to block 1-2% of the sun's radiation and thus mitigate the effects of global warming.

Dust to block sunlight

A study led by the University of Utah explored the idea of using dust to block a bit of sunlight. Different properties of dust particles, quantities of dust and the orbits that would work best for shading Earth were studied. The results were published on February 8, 2023 in the journal PLOS Climate.

Launching dust from Earth to a station at the Lagrange Point between Earth and the sun (L1) would prove to be most effective. The prohibitive costs and efforts involved here, however, might necessitate an alternative, which is to launch lunar dust from the moon.

These two scenarios were arrived at after studying a shield's overall effectiveness, which depends on its ability to sustain an orbit that casts a shadow on Earth. In computer simulations, a space platform was placed at the L1 Lagrange Point (point between Earth and the sun where gravitational forces are balanced) and test particles were shot along the L1 orbit.

While a precise launch was able to create an effective shield for a while, the dust would be blown off by solar winds, radiation, and gravity within the solar system. This would mean that such a system would require an endless supply of dust to blast from L1, making the cost and effort involved astronomical.

Moondust might work

 The second scenario of shooting moondust towards the sun might prove to be more realistic as the inherent properties of lunar dust allow it to work as a sun shield. After studying simulations of lunar dust scattered along different courses, an ideal trajectory that aimed towards L1 was realised.

The authors were clear in stating that their study only looks at the possible impact of such a strategy and do not evaluate the logical feasibility of these methods. If it works, this could be an option in the fight against climate change as it would allow us to buy more time.

Picture Credit : Google 

When we think of very fast land animals, the first one that comes to our mind is perhaps the cheetah. Why not? It is the fastest land animal! Do you know which one is the second fastest? The pronghorn. And, the theory behind how it developed such. speed is fascinating. Let's find out more about the animal and its sprinting capacity.

A hoofed mammal, the pronghorn is native to North America, and does not have any close relative anywhere in the world. Healthy populations of the animals exist in their range and are listed under 'Least Concern' in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. Though it looks a lot like an antelope, the herbivore belongs to its own taxonomic family called Antilocapridae. Pronghorns get their name from the forward-facing projection - the prong on their horns. Interestingly, their ‘horns’ exhibit characteristics of both a horn and an antler. The sheath of its horn is made of keratin, the substance horns are made of. But, these horns are forked and shed every year-just like antlers are! While much can be written about what else is unusual about the pronghorn, its most unique characteristic is its speed.

Running at more than 80 kmph, the pronghorn is the fastest land mammal in its entire natural range- from Canada through the US to Mexico in one aspect, it even gets better than the African cheetah-it can maintain a fast speed for a longer period of time than those carnivores. But the pronghom has no natural predator to match this speed, and so scientists had been stumped by the need for this speed. This is where the science of evolution comes in.

According to a study published recently, during the Ice Age, North America was home to several mammals that no longer exist today. Some of them are well-known today - woolly mammoths, giant sloths, and saber-toothed cats. There were lesser-known ones too, such as ‘Miracinongs’ a cheetah-like cat. The skeletal remains of ‘Miracinonyx’ show that “this now-extinct cat shares the morphological characteristics that indicate high speed capabilities with its African counterpart, the cheetah (Acinony)”. It is a close relative of the puma and the African cheetah. Both puma and ‘Miracinonyx’ are native to North America. Results provide support to "the hypothesis that ‘Miracinonyx’ preyed upon Antilocapra, but not exclusively”. Though it is not seen as conclusive evidence and more study is required, scientists say this "may provide an explanation for why pronghorns are so fast. Maybe they were chased by cheetahs after all".

Picture Crdit : Google 

When we think of very fast land animals, the first one that comes to our mind is perhaps the cheetah. Why not? It is the fastest land animal! Do you know which one is the second fastest? The pronghorn. And, the theory behind how it developed such. speed is fascinating. Let's find out more about the animal and its sprinting capacity.

A hoofed mammal, the pronghorn is native to North America, and does not have any close relative anywhere in the world. Healthy populations of the animals exist in their range and are listed under 'Least Concern' in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. Though it looks a lot like an antelope, the herbivore belongs to its own taxonomic family called Antilocapridae. Pronghorns get their name from the forward-facing projection - the prong on their horns. Interestingly, their ‘horns’ exhibit characteristics of both a horn and an antler. The sheath of its horn is made of keratin, the substance horns are made of. But, these horns are forked and shed every year-just like antlers are! While much can be written about what else is unusual about the pronghorn, its most unique characteristic is its speed.

Running at more than 80 kmph, the pronghorn is the fastest land mammal in its entire natural range- from Canada through the US to Mexico in one aspect, it even gets better than the African cheetah-it can maintain a fast speed for a longer period of time than those carnivores. But the pronghom has no natural predator to match this speed, and so scientists had been stumped by the need for this speed. This is where the science of evolution comes in.

According to a study published recently, during the Ice Age, North America was home to several mammals that no longer exist today. Some of them are well-known today - woolly mammoths, giant sloths, and saber-toothed cats. There were lesser-known ones too, such as ‘Miracinongs’ a cheetah-like cat. The skeletal remains of ‘Miracinonyx’ show that “this now-extinct cat shares the morphological characteristics that indicate high speed capabilities with its African counterpart, the cheetah (Acinony)”. It is a close relative of the puma and the African cheetah. Both puma and ‘Miracinonyx’ are native to North America. Results provide support to "the hypothesis that ‘Miracinonyx’ preyed upon Antilocapra, but not exclusively”. Though it is not seen as conclusive evidence and more study is required, scientists say this "may provide an explanation for why pronghorns are so fast. Maybe they were chased by cheetahs after all".

Picture Crdit : Google 

These are tales not just of perseverance and love for science, but also of discrimination and unfair treatment. Despite making groundbreaking discoveries, their names remain largely unknown, simply because they are women. Let's celebrate these women scientists and their contribution to the world....

ESTHER MIRIAM ZIMMER LEDERBERG (1922-2006)

Esther Miriam Zimmer Lederberg was an American microbiologist, who discovered bacterial virus Lambda phage and the bacterial fertility factor F (F plasmid). Like many woman scientists of her time, Esther Lederberg was not given credit for her scientific contribution because of her gender. While her husband, her mentor and another research partner won 1958 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering how genetic material is transferred between bacteria, Esther wasn't even mentioned in the citation, even though her work significantly contributed to the discovery.

Esther Miriam Lederberg was born in Bronx, New York, into a humble family. When studying masters in genetics at Stanford University, Esther struggled to make ends meet. As recollected by Esther in her interviews, she had sometimes eaten frogs’ legs leftover from laboratory dissections.

Esther met her future husband Joshua Lederberg at Stanford. They moved to the University of Wisconsin, where they would begin years of collaboration. Throughout the 1950s, they published papers together and apart, as both made discoveries about bacteria and genetics of bacteria.

Esther Lederberg's contributions to the field of microbiology were enormous. In 1950, she discovered the lambda phage, a type of bacterial virus, which replicates inside the DNA of bacteria. She developed an important technique known as replica plating, still used in microbiology labs all over the world. Along with her husband and other team members, she discovered the bacterial fertility factor.

CECILIA PAYNE-GAPOSCHKIN (1900-1979)

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin was a British-born American astronomer who was the first to propose that stars are made of hydrogen and helium.

Cecilia Payne was born in 1900 in Buckinghamshire, England. In 1919, she got a scholarship to study at Newnham College, Cambridge University, where she initially studied botany, physics, and chemistry. Inspired by Arthur Eddington, an English astronomer, she dropped out to study astronomy.

Studying astronomy at Cambridge in the 1920s was a lonely prospect for a woman. Cecilia sat alone, as she was not allowed to occupy the same rows of seats as her male classmates. The ordeal did not end there. Because of her gender, Cecilia was not awarded a degree, despite fulfilling the requirements in 1923. (Cambridge did not grant degrees to women until 1948.)

Finding no future for a woman scientist in England, she headed to the United States, where she received a fellowship to study at Haward Observatory. In her PhD thesis, published as Stellar Atmospheres in 1925, Cecilia showed for the first time how to read the surface temperature of any star from its spectrum. She also proposed that stars are composed mostly of hydrogen and helium. In 1925, she became the first person to earn a PhD in astronomy. But she received the doctorate from Radcliffe College, since Harvard did not grant doctoral degrees to women then. She also became the first female professor in her faculty at Harvard in 1956.

Cecilia contributed widely to the physical understanding of the stars and was honoured with awards later in her lifetime.

CHIEN-SHIUNG WU (1912-1997)

Chien-Shiung Wu is a Chinese-American physicist who is known for the Wu Experiment that she carried out to disprove a quantum mechanics concept called the Law of Parity Conservation. But the Nobel Committee failed to recognise her contribution, when theoretical physicists Tsung-Dao Lee and Chen Ning Yang, who had worked on the project, were awarded the Prize in 1957.

Chien-Shiung Wu was born in a small town in Jiangsu province, China, in 1912. She studied physics at a university in Shanghai and went on to complete PhD from the University of California, Berkeley in 1940.

In 1944, during WWII, she joined the Manhattan Project at Columbia University, focussing on radiation detectors. After the war, Wu began investigating beta decay and made the first confirmation of Enrico Fermi's theory of beta decay. Her book "Beta Decay," published in 1965, is still a standard reference for nuclear physicists.

In 1956, theoretical physicists Tsung Dao Lee and Chen Ning Yang approached Wu to devise an experiment to disprove the Law of Parity Conservation, according to which two physical systems, such as two atoms, are mirror images that behave in identical ways. Using cobalt-60, a radioactive form of the cobalt metal, Wu's experiment successfully disproved the law.

In 1958, her research helped answer important biological questions about blood and sickle cell anaemia. She is fondly remembered as the "First Lady of Physics", the "Chinese Madame Curie" and the "Queen of Nuclear Research”.

LISE MEITNER (1878-1968)

Lise Meitner was an Austrian-Swedish physicist, who was part of a team that discovered nuclear fission. But she was overlooked for the Nobel Prize and instead her research partner Otto Hahn was awarded for the discovery.

Lise Meitner was born on November 7, 1878, in Vienna. Austria had restrictions on women education, but Meitner managed to receive private tutoring in physics. She went on to receive her doctorate at the University of Vienna. Meitner later worked with Otto Hahn for around 30 years, during which time they discovered several isotopes including protactinium-231, studied nuclear isomerism and beta decay. In the 1930s, the duo was joined by Fritz Strassmann, and the team investigated the products of neutron bombardment of uranium.

In 1938, as Germany annexed Austria, Meitner, a Jew, fled to Sweden. She suggested that Hahn and Strassmann perform further tests on a uranium product, which later turned out to be barium. Meitner and her nephew Otto Frisch explained the physical characteristics of this reaction and proposed the term 'fission' to refer to the process when an atom separates and creates energy. Meitner was offered a chance to work on the Manhattan Project to develop an atomic bomb. However, she turned down the offer.

JANAKI AMMAL (1897-1984)

Janaki Ammal was an Indian botanist, who has a flower- the pink-white Magnolia Kobus Janaki Ammal named after her.

She undertook an extraordinary journey from a small town in Kerala to the John Innes Horticultural Institute at London. She was born in Thalassery, Kerala, in 1897.

Her family encouraged her to engage in intellectual pursuit from a very young age. She graduated in Botany in Madras in 1921 and went to Michigan as the first Oriental Barbour Fellow where she obtained her DSc in 1931. She did face gender and caste discrimination in India, but found recognition for her work outside the country.

After a stint at the John Innes Horticultural Institute at London, she was invited to work at the Royal Horticulture Society at Wisley, close to the famous Kew Gardens. In 1945, she co-authored The Chromosome Atlas of Cultivated Plants with biologist CD Darlington. Her major contribution came about at the Sugarcane Breeding Station at Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Janaki's work helped in the discovery of hybrid varieties of high-yielding sugarcane. She also produced many hybrid eggplants (brinjal). She was awarded Padma Shri in 1977.

GERTY CORI (1896-1957)

Gerty Cori was an Austrian-American biochemist, known for her discovery of how the human body stores and utilises energy. In 1947, she became the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine and the third woman to win a Nobel.

Gerty Theresa Cori was born in Prague in 1896. She received the Doctorate in Medicine from the German University of Prague in 1920 and got married to Carl Cori the same year.

Immigrating to the United States in 1922, the husband-wife duo joined the staff of the Institute for the Study of Malignant Disease, Bualo. N.Y. Working together on glucose metabolism in 1929, they discovered the 'Cori Cycle' the pathway of conversion of glycogen (stored form of sugar) to glucose (usable form of sugar). In 1936, they discovered the enzyme Phosphorylase, which breaks down muscle glycogen, and identified glucose 1-phosphate (or Cori ester) as the first intermediate in the reaction.

The Coris were consistently interested in the mechanism of action of hormones and they carried out several studies on the pituitary gland. In 1947, Gerty Cori, Carl Cori and Argentine physiologist Bernardo Houssay received the Nobel Prize in 1947 for their discovery of the course of the catalytic conversion of glycogen.

Although the Coris were equals in the lab, they were not treated as equals. Gerty faced gender discrimination throughout her career. Few institutions hired Gerty despite her accomplishments, and those that did hire, did not give her equal status or pay.

Picture Credit : Google 

Environmental science integrates several disciplines, including ecology, biology, zoology, oceanography, atmospheric science, soil science, geology, and chemistry. It throws light on how natural and human-made processes interact with one another to impact our planet. Here's a peek into a few words related to this science

Anthropocentrism

The word means centred on humans. This belief places humans and their existence at the centre of the world to mean that we are more important than everything else. However, many have argued that this is ethically wrong and at the root of the ecological crisis staring at us today. For one, by placing ourselves above other species, we view them as resources to be exploited. And that would explain the unsustainable pace of human growth and development at the cost of other species, and, eventually, perhaps the planet itself.

Artificial selection

In nature, each living creature is different. Each finds a way to survive, and passes on the traits for survival to the next generation. This is called natural selection. In artificial selection though, humans identify desirable traits in plants and animals, and take steps to improve those traits in future generations. Also known as selective breeding, the process has pros and cons. For instance, it can result in a new disease-resistant crop with high yield but can lead to loss of diversity in the long-run.

Carbon sequestration

It refers to the long-term storage of carbon in plants, soils, geologic formations, and the ocean. This stored carbon has the potential to get released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, both naturally (decomposition of organic matter) and through human activities. The amount of carbon dioxide getting released into the atmosphere has been increasing, especially through human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels.

Bioaccumulation

This refers to the process in which external components - such as toxic chemicals or metals gradually accumulate within an organism-such as fish. Since any organism is part of a food chain, it affects- other organisms too. For instance, when chemicals end up in a waterbody through wind or rain, they sink to the bottom. Tiny creatures in the waterbody consume these when they dig the sediment. These creatures are consumed by larger creatures, and finally, large fish are likely to be eaten by humans. And throughout the process, these chemicals can get transferred from one organism to another, harming them.

E-waste

The shortened version of electronic waste, e-waste is non-biodegradable and includes everything from televisions and computers to mobile phones and home appliances and their components. These discarded products can contain toxic substances such as lead and mercury and also metals such as gold, silver, copper, platinum, aluminium, etc. When not disposed of properly, the toxic substances in e-waste accumulate in the environment, in the soil, air, water, and living things.

Commingled recycling

In this process, all kinds of used materials - both biodegradable and non-biodegradable - such as plastics, glass, metals, etc. are gathered in a collection truck and later sorted at a recycling unit. This process has benefits and drawbacks. The absence of segregation eliminates the need for separate trucks for different materials, cutting down on fuel, resultant emission, etc. But, it could mean contamination of materials and indifference on the part of consumers about what they use.

Rainwater harvesting

It refers to the conscious effort of collecting and storing rainwater rather than allowing it to run off. Rainwater-from rooftops, roads, open areas, etc. can either be filtered and stored or allowed into the ground. Rain is one of the few sources of clean water for us, and given the water crisis looming the world over, it is crucial to find ways to conserve this precious natural resource. Rainwater harvesting also lowers our demand on freshwater resources, slows erosion in dry environments, reduces flooding in low-lying areas, etc.

Brownfield

A brownfield is a parcel of land "that was previously used for industrial purposes and which is contaminated by low concentrations of hazardous chemicals". Most such lands are seen as requiring environmental justice because the toxins there can affect air and water quality, and, in turn, human health. Also, they have the potential to become a dumping ground for hazardous waste. "This creates a situation that deters economic development, decreases property values, and harms the aesthetic value of a community."

Waste hierarchy

This is a simple tool of evaluation used for different waste management options - from the best to the worst for our surroundings. The order in the evaluation is usually as follows: prevention, re-use, recycling, recovery, disposal. The most preferred option is to prevent waste and the least preferred choice is disposal in landfill sites. Having a proper idea of waste generated and how to handle it - whether in a small household or a large company-will go a long way in helping us be efficient with our resources and make planet-friendly choices, leading to better environmental results.

Green purchasing

Also known as sustainable or environmentally responsible purchasing, green purchasing refers to acquiring products and services with no or minimal negative effect on human health and the environment. Such a purchase takes into consideration everything from raw material sourcing to packaging and delivery. It conserves resources, cuts costs, supports local people, and encourages a greener lifestyle. In short, it is kinder to the planet and its inhabitants in every possible way.

Intercropping

You may have seen a single crop being raised on a large parcel of agricultural land. This is called monoculture. When two or more types of crops are raised simultaneously in a field, it is called intercropping. It helps in the effective use of land, offers better profit, can prevent soil erosion, improve ecosystem, etc. It also has a few disadvantages. It can be labour-intensive, time-consuming, be affected by disease, etc. But, with proper planning, intercropping can prove to be beneficial.

Picture Credit : Google 

Science fiction (sci-fi) has taken us on incredible journeys through time and space, allowing us to explore the depths of our imagination and the limits of the universe.

The term science fiction was first used by William Wilson in 1851 in a book of poetry titled ‘A Little Earnest Book Upon a Great Old subject’. However, the term's modern usage is credited to Hugo Gernsback, who founded the first sci-fi magazine, ‘Amazing Stories’ in 1926. The American editor used this term to describe stories that combined scientific speculation with adventure and futuristic concepts. The term gained widespread use in the 1930s and 1940s and has since become a popular genre of literature and entertainment.

Generally, the beginning of the literary genre of sci-fi is traced to 19th Century England and the Industrial Revolution, a time when rapid technological change inspired and led to the popularisation of stories and narratives that were ideally set in the future and explored themes such as time travel and interplanetary voyages. These stories dealt with the limits of human knowledge and the unintended consequences of our technological prowess. However, literary scholars claim that the earliest literary work that could fit into the genre of sci-fi dates back to the second Century AD.

A True Story: The earliest surviving work of sci-fi

Written by a Syrian satirist Lucian, ‘A True Story’, (also known as ‘True History’) is a two-book parodic adventure story and a travelogue about outer space exploration, extraterrestrial lifeforms, and interplanetary warfare. It is just extraordinary to know that the author produced a story that so accurately incorporated multiple hallmarks of what we generally associate with modern sci-fi, centuries before the invention of instruments such as the telescope.

Lucian was from Samosata (present-day Turkey), and his first language is believed to be Aramaic but he wrote in Greek. He might not be a household name today but literary scholars call him one of antiquity's most brilliant satirists and inventive wits. He is famous throughout European history for producing his absurd yet fantastical works and for his overt dispelling of the ridiculous and ill-logical social conventions and superstitions of his time. His works have been an inspiration for literary classics such as Jonathan Swift's ‘Gulliver's Travels’ and Thomas ‘More's Utopia’.

The basic classification of sci-fi

Sci-fi can be broadly classified into two categories: soft sci-fi and hard sci-fi.

Soft sci-fi, also known as social sci-fi, emphasises the social and humanistic aspects of science and technology, often exploring the effects of scientific advances on society and individuals. Examples of soft sci-fi include Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale which explores the social and political consequences of a future where women's rights have been severely restricted. Hard sci-fi, also known as scientific or realistic sci-fi, places a greater emphasis on scientific accuracy and realism, often using established scientific principles and theories to explore the possibilities of the future. An example of this is Andy Weir’s ‘The Martian’, which narrates the story of an astronaut stranded on Mars and his efforts to survive by using his scientific knowledge and problem-solving skills.

Picture Credit : Google 

Science fiction (sci-fi) has taken us on incredible journeys through time and space, allowing us to explore the depths of our imagination and the limits of the universe.

The term science fiction was first used by William Wilson in 1851 in a book of poetry titled ‘A Little Earnest Book Upon a Great Old subject’. However, the term's modern usage is credited to Hugo Gernsback, who founded the first sci-fi magazine, ‘Amazing Stories’ in 1926. The American editor used this term to describe stories that combined scientific speculation with adventure and futuristic concepts. The term gained widespread use in the 1930s and 1940s and has since become a popular genre of literature and entertainment.

Generally, the beginning of the literary genre of sci-fi is traced to 19th Century England and the Industrial Revolution, a time when rapid technological change inspired and led to the popularisation of stories and narratives that were ideally set in the future and explored themes such as time travel and interplanetary voyages. These stories dealt with the limits of human knowledge and the unintended consequences of our technological prowess. However, literary scholars claim that the earliest literary work that could fit into the genre of sci-fi dates back to the second Century AD.

A True Story: The earliest surviving work of sci-fi

Written by a Syrian satirist Lucian, ‘A True Story’, (also known as ‘True History’) is a two-book parodic adventure story and a travelogue about outer space exploration, extraterrestrial lifeforms, and interplanetary warfare. It is just extraordinary to know that the author produced a story that so accurately incorporated multiple hallmarks of what we generally associate with modern sci-fi, centuries before the invention of instruments such as the telescope.

Lucian was from Samosata (present-day Turkey), and his first language is believed to be Aramaic but he wrote in Greek. He might not be a household name today but literary scholars call him one of antiquity's most brilliant satirists and inventive wits. He is famous throughout European history for producing his absurd yet fantastical works and for his overt dispelling of the ridiculous and ill-logical social conventions and superstitions of his time. His works have been an inspiration for literary classics such as Jonathan Swift's ‘Gulliver's Travels’ and Thomas ‘More's Utopia’.

The basic classification of sci-fi

Sci-fi can be broadly classified into two categories: soft sci-fi and hard sci-fi.

Soft sci-fi, also known as social sci-fi, emphasises the social and humanistic aspects of science and technology, often exploring the effects of scientific advances on society and individuals. Examples of soft sci-fi include Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale which explores the social and political consequences of a future where women's rights have been severely restricted. Hard sci-fi, also known as scientific or realistic sci-fi, places a greater emphasis on scientific accuracy and realism, often using established scientific principles and theories to explore the possibilities of the future. An example of this is Andy Weir’s ‘The Martian’, which narrates the story of an astronaut stranded on Mars and his efforts to survive by using his scientific knowledge and problem-solving skills.

Picture Credit : Google 

The government is targeting 5 million tonnes (MT) of green hydrogen production by 2030, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in her Budget speech earlier this month. But what is green hydrogen and why are countries keen on promoting its usage? Let's find out.

Clean energy

Hydrogen is an odourless, invisible gas. Highly inflammable at standard temperature and pressure, it is the most abundant chemical element in the universe. However, it is rarely available in pure form. It mostly exists with oxygen to form water (H2O). Hydrogen can be produced from various resources such as natural gas, nuclear power, solar, and wind. But what is green hydrogen? Hydrogen produced, by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen, using power from renewable energy sources such as solar or wind is referred to as 'green hydrogen. The hydrogen thus produced can be used as a clean and renewable fuel for transportation, electricity generation, and other purposes. (Incidentally, hydrogen produced using coal is called black hydrogen.)

Cut carbon footprint

The problem of climate change cannot be resolved unless we cut carbon emissions. Considered an alternative fuel, green hydrogen can change our dependency on polluting fossil fuels. It is also called the fuel of the future as it does not emit harmful, polluting gases during production or use. This means there are no carbon emissions, hence it is eco-friendly and sustainable. This fuel alternative can be used in industrial applications and can be easily stored as a gas or liquid. It can be used to power household appliances and carried by tankers to hydrogen filling stations.

Energy security

Countries worldwide are working on building green hydrogen capacity as it can ensure energy security and help cut emissions. Green hydrogen, which is highly expensive to produce, currently accounts for less than 1% of global hydrogen production. With the goal of making the country an energy-independent nation and decarbonising critical sectors, the Indian Government in January approved a Rs 19,744-crore National Green Hydrogen Mission. Set to give a new direction to India, the mission's aim is to encourage commercial production of green hydrogen and facilitate demand creation, utilisation, and export of the fuel. Under the programme, States and regions capable of supporting large scale production or utilisation of hydrogen will be identified and developed as Green Hydrogen Hubs.

Picture Credit : Google