My Science School

You might not often think about it that way, but cooking is a difficult skill with a number of factors in play. Just ask a robot! While human beings can learn to cook through observation, the same cannot be done easily by a robot. Programming a robot that can make a variety of dishes is not only costly, but also time-consuming.

A group of researchers from the University of Cambridge have programmed their robotic chef with a cookbook - eight simple salad recipes. The robot was not only able to identify which recipe was being prepared after watching a video of a human demonstrating it, but was also then able to make it. The results were reported in the journal ‘IEEE Access.’

Simple salads

For this study, the researchers started off by devising eight simple salad recipes and then made videos of themselves making these. A publicly available neural network programmed to identify a range of different objects was then used to train the robot chef.

The robot watched 16 videos and was able to recognise the correct recipe 93% of the time (15 times out of 16), even though it detected only 83% of the actions of the human chef in the video. The robot was able to recognise that slight variations (portions or human error) were just that, and not a new recipe. It even recognised the demonstration of a new, ninth salad, added it to its cookbook and made it.

Hold it up for them

The researchers were amazed at the amount of nuance that the robot could grasp. For the robot to identify, the demonstrators had to hold up the fruit or vegetable so that the robot could see the whole fruit or vegetable, before it was chopped.

These videos, however, were nowhere like the food videos with fast cuts and visual effects that trend on social media. While these are too hard for a robot to follow at the moment, researchers believe that robot chefs will get better and faster at identifying ingredients in videos like those with time, thereby becoming capable of learning a range of recipes quickly.

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Volcanism is the eruption of molten rock or magma onto the surface of a planet. This activity is crucial in changing the topography of the concerned planet. Planet Earth has volcanoes on all the continents. But which is the largest volcano in the solar system?

Olympus Mons

Towering high, some three times as high as Mt. Everest (8.8 km) is a huge volcano on planet Mars. Christened "Olympus Mons", the volcano is the largest in the solar system!

It sits on the edge of a huge plateau called the Tharsis Bulge. It was formed as a result of the continuous flow of lava over millions of years. It is said to have begun some 115 million years ago.

Olympus Mons is one among a dozen large volcanoes in the Tharsis Montes region. Most of these volcanoes are ten to hundred times larger than their terrestrial counterparts. Olympus Mons is the tallest of them and towers 16 miles (25 km) above the surrounding area.

So how big is Olympus Mons?

Let's take the case of Hawaii's Mauna Loa, the largest volcano on Earth. The volume of Olympus Mons is 100 times larger than Mauna Loa. It is said that the whole of the Hawaiian islands will fit inside the Olympus Mons. It spreads across 374 miles, the size of the state of Arizona.

A shield volcano

A shield volcano is called so because of its shape. Instead of the lava getting violently thrown out, here the molten material would be flowing down the sides of the volcano slowly.

As such it would appear like a warrior's shield seen from the side and hence the name. Shield volcanoes are wider when compared to their height. The outer edge of Olympus Mons is surrounded by a cliff that reaches a height of about 6 miles. This cliff itself is as tall as Mauna Loa. The base of the volcano is surrounded by a wide depression.

According to studies, Olympus Mons is a relatively young one though it took the volcano over a hundred million years to form, there are regions on the mountain that are just a few million years old. The volcano is considered to be active even now with the potential to erupt.

But why did such a giant volcano form on the red planet and not on Earth, one may ask? According to scientists, the low surface gravity of the planet and the rate of eruption led to the lava piling up higher on Mars. In the case of Earth, the movement of the crust prevents the build-up of lava.

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Stylometry is a powerful tool that helps one figures out who wrote what based on their unique writing style.

Stylometry is a field of study that uses statistical methods and computational tools to analyse and identify patterns in how people write. In simpler terms, stylometry can be understood as a detective tool for words, used to figure out who wrote what.

Finding the author

Authors have been able to write anonymously for centuries, with the belief that their true identity would never be revealed. However, in the past few years, advancements in machine learning methods have increased the effectiveness of identifying different patterns in an individual's writing. Every person has a distinct writing style, similar to a fingerprint. Stylometry analyses a text's word selection, sentence construction, and even punctuation to examine those literary fingerprints to determine the author of a written piece.

One famous example of stylometric analysis is the study of English playwright William Shakespeare's plays. Researchers have used computational tools to analyse the writing style of the bard and compare them to other works from the time period. Through this analysis, they have been able to identify which plays were likely written by Shakespeare and which ones might have been collaborations or even written by someone else entirely.

This kind of analysis was also used to reveal American statesmen James Madison and Alexander Hamilton as the writers of the anonymously published Federalist Papers (also known as The Federalist), as well as link British writer J.K. Rowling to the anonymous author of the book The Cuckoo's Calling. Stylometry can also be used in more serious situations, such as when researchers want to figure out who wrote a particular document or when law enforcement is trying to track down a suspect. By analysing the writing style in different documents, they can look for patterns that might help them identify the author.

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"One of the largest seasonal cycles on Earth happens in the ocean around Antarctica. During autumn and winter the surface of the ocean freezes as sea ice advances northwards, and then in the spring the ice melts as the sunlight returns. However, of late, the area of this sea ice has been shrinking dramatically. And this is of grave concern. But then, Antarctica is so far away. So, does the size of the sea ice surrounding the continent really matter to us? Oh yes, it does. Here's why.

Since the 1970s, we've had satellite records to measure Antarctic sea ice cover. "At the winter maximum, sea ice covers an area more than twice the size of Australia (roughly 20 million square kilometres), and during summer it retreats to cover less than a fifth of that area (about 3 million square km). But then, the record for 2022 showed that the summer minimum was not even 2 million square km. In 2023, this has been a worrying 1.7 million square km.

When the yearly freezing happens, the cold salty water is pushed down into very deep parts of the ocean. The water then flows towards the northern direction. "About 40 per cent of the global ocean can be traced back to the Antarctic coastline." When waters between the surface and the deeper regions are exchanged so, heat and carbon dioxide are trapped in ocean depths. Not just that Nutrients from the deep reach the surface, and since the water moves northwards, these nutrients help support ocean life across the world.

So, when sea ice cover decreases, this exchange suffers, affecting ocean life. Also, without adequate sea ice cover, oceans tend to absorb more heat from the sun, which can lead to increased ocean warming. This can prevent the expansive formation of sea ice during winter, and the deadly cycle would continue. Again, warmer oceans negatively affect the growth of certain marine creatures. This can impact the lives of organisms that consume or are consumed by these creatures, which can have a bearing on marine and terrestrial life the world over.

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Earlier, there were multiple taxes levied both at the central and the State level which often confused the taxpayers.

India's gross GST revenues was the highest-ever in April at ?1,87,035 crore. It is 12% higher than the same month last year, which was the previous highest tax tally of ?1.67 lakh crore.

Let us know more about GST that simplified our tax regime.

Origin

The concept of GST was introduced in the Budget speech on February 28, 2006. Though initially it was proposed that GST would be introduced on April 1, 2010, GST was introduced on July 1, 2017, under the 'one nation, one tax initiative. Its aim was to bring different types of taxes under a single-tax system.

To implement GST, Constitutional (122nd Amendment) Bill was passed by Rajya Sabha on August 3, 2016. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Cabinet approved setting up of GST Council on September 12, 2016. The 49th GST Council meeting took place on February 18, 2023 in New Delhi.

What is GST?

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is levied on the supply of goods and services, which is paid by the consumer. It is imposed in the State where the goods and services are consumed and not where they are manufactured.

However, some goods and services are exempted from GST and are subjected to a State's existing taxes such as the Value Added Tax (VAT), which is paid at every stage of value addition in the supply chain. These levies are paid at each stage of the production process by the consumer.

As the GST is a destination-based tax there are various types of GST-CGST (levied by the Centre), SGST (levied by the State), UTGST (by the Union Territory), and IGST (levied for the interstate supply of goods by the Centre).

Benefits

Earlier, there were multiple taxes levied both at the central and the state level which often confused the taxpayers. The introduction of GST has eased the manufacturer's job of compiling different taxes into one. Besides, it has brought India at par with the global market by following a universally accepted tax regime. With the implementation of IGST, the manufacturers no longer have to pay CST (Central Sales Tax) and other taxes.

Difference between GSTN and GSTIN

GSTN (Goods and Services Tax Network) is a platform that manages the IT system of the GST portal. It is used by the government to track financial transactions and other tax informations. Meanwhile, GSTIN is a 15-digit tax registration number that is provided to manufacturers, traders, stockists, wholesalers, and retailers.

FORMAT OF GSTIN

*First two digits of GSTIN is the State code

*The next 10 digits denote the PAN or Permanent Account Number of business entity/proprietor

The 13th digit is based on the number of registrations done by the business entity within a State

*14th digit is "Z" by default

The last digit is the check code, which can be a number or a letter.

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The Zoological Survey of India is responsible for exploring, surveying and monitoring the faunal diversity of different States and protected areas in the country.

From time to time, we come across news about researchers of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovering new species of fauna. But do you know what ZSI is and what its functions are? Let's find out.

A premier organisation in the field of zoological research and conservation, the Zoological Survey of India was established in July 1916. In fact, it began as the zoological section of the Indian Museum in Calcutta in 1875. Headquartered in Kolkata, its main objective is to conduct research and surveys on the fauna of the country and document the rich animal diversity found in different States and protected areas in the subcontinent.

It is the ZSI which is responsible for the classification, categorisation, and description of new animal species, and maintaining a database of all species found across the country. It makes a periodic review of the status of the threatened and endemic species and comes up with conservation strategies for the endangered ones.

The ZSI carries out surveys in different ecosystems, including forests, wetlands, mangroves, backwaters, and coastal areas with the aim of documenting the distribution and abundance of different animal species. These surveys are crucial as they not only promote understanding of the status of the varied species but also help identify areas where conservation efforts are required.

The apex organisation for zoological studies has taxonomists and researchers who identify new animal species, group them into categories, and provide descriptions about them. Every year, the ZSI consolidates information about new fauna in the country and publishes it under the title "Animal Discoveries". It has also published pictorial handbooks and guides to generate interest in people like us to understand and appreciate the fauna of the country.

Did you know that the ZSI also publishes the Red Data Book on Indian Animals? This book contains a record of all the endangered species of animals endemic to the subcontinent. It was first published in 1983.

The ZSI comes under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. It has 16 regional centres spread across the country and over 300 scientists. Dhriti Banerjee is currently the Director of the Zoological Survey of India. In 2021, she became the first woman to take charge as director of the ZSI in its over 100-year history.

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Researchers have come up with a touch-responsive fabric armband that can pave the way for flexible keyboards and wearable sketchpads

Wearables refer to wearable technology - a segment that continues to see path-breaking innovation on a consistent basis. The next such advance in wearables could literally force you to roll up your sleeves as researchers have developed a fabric armband that is a touch pad in reality.

Problems with hydrogel

While computer trackpads and electronic signature-capture devices can now be found everywhere, these aren't widely used in wearables as yet. Even though there have been suggestions to make flexible touch-responsive panels using clear, electrically conductive hydrogels, it hasn't happened yet. This is mainly due to the sticky nature of these substances, which not only makes them hard to write on, but also irritating to the skin.

A group of researchers looked to solve this issue and decided to incorporate a similar hydrogel into a more comfortable fabric sleeve. For this, they sandwiched the pressure-sensitive hydrogel between layers of knit silk. Their results were published in ACS Nano in May.

In order to make the fabric electrically conductive, the top layer was coated in graphene nanosheets. By attaching the sensing panel to electrodes and a data collection system, a pressure-responsive pad with real-time, rapid sensing was produced. This meant that when a finger slid over it, numbers and letters could be written.

Interprets inputs correctly

The device was incorporated into an arm-length silk sleeve with a touch responsive area on the forearm. A user was able to control the direction of blocks in a computer game and sketch colourful cartoons in a computer drawing program using the armband in experiments. The three-layer, touch-responsive material can thus interpret user inputs and convert it into suitable outputs on a computer.

The success has led the researchers to believe that their proof-of-concept wearable touch panel can inspire the next generation of sketchpads and keyboards. With an armband converting a person's forearm into a flexible keyboard or wearable sketchpads, the way we play games, sketch cartoons, or even sign documents could well change in the future.

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We are on the brink of a massive change happening in the culinary industry where edible cutlery will soon replace single-use, disposable cutlery. This is our weapon against plastic cutlery and single-use compostable utensils. Once edible cutlery becomes mainstream, it has immense potential to prevent single-use cutlery from ending up in landfills or oceans.

Have you felt guilty about tossing away the disposable cutlery you used into the trash? Or ever been told that licking the cutlery was bad table etiquette? What if we told you that now you can eat your cutlery as well?

For instance, the spoon that you used to sip the steaming hot broth would have soaked by the end of your meal and you can just nibble on it and eat that as well! Welcome to the world of edible cutlery.

Plastic utensils and single-use compostable utensils figure among one of the major sources of pollution with a large portion of them ending up in landfills where they remain for years without getting degraded.

By now you must be used to paper or wooden cutlery. Even these aren't hundred per cent natural as they are often coated with plastic or wax to make them resistant to liquids.

They are discarded after single-use and disposing of them is a huge challenge. The solution to this problem is simple. It's cutlery that you can eat!

We are on the brink of a revolution in the culinary industry where edible cutlery will soon replace single-use, disposable cutlery. This is our weapon against plastic cutlery and single-use compostable utensils.

Once edible cutlery becomes mainstream, it has immense potential to prevent single-use cutlery from ending up in landfills or oceans.

The edible tableware line is replete with almost every cutlery you can imagine including straws, spoons, knives, forks, bowls, cups, plates, and even chopsticks!

By now you must be wondering what these are made of and if they are safe to eat.

The edible cutlery is made from ingredients such as millets, flours, grains, herbs, pulses, oil, spices and so on. As such they are generally rich in fibre and protein.

There is even vegan-friendly cutlery that is made from rice, wheat and sorghum, Sorghum, an ancient grain that traces its roots to Africa, is widely used as an ingredient as it's tough and doesn't become soggy in liquids.

Now, what does edible cutlery taste like? The flavour that the cutlery comes in entirely depends on the manufacturer. It can be either, sweet, tangy, savoury, spicy and also plain. In any case, they can complement any kind of food.

So what if you do not want to eat the cutlery? Even then it won't just go to waste. They can be thrown outdoors and can degrade easily as they do not have any specific requirements for degradation. They can even be used as a fertilizer!

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When it comes to classic board games, few have stood the test of time quite like Scrabble. This beloved game has entertained players of all ages and skill levels. It is speculated that the concept of the game was inspired by a short story titled ‘The Gold Bug’ by one of the greatest American writers Edgar Allan Poe.

Welcome to the world of Scrabble, where words reign supreme and strategy is key. For over seven decades, this classic board game has been captivating players with its unique blend of skill and chance. But did you know that Scrabble's origins can be traced back to a short story by the American writer Edgar Allan Poe?

The Great Depression

During the Great Depression of the early 1930s, millions of Americans were struggling to make ends meet and find any kind of relief from the economic downturn. It was during this challenging time that Alfred Mosher Butts, an unemployed architect from New York, began to conceive the idea for a game that could provide a much-needed distraction from the harsh realities of everyday life. Drawing on his own love of puzzles and wordplay, Butts set out to create a game that combined chance, strategy, and language skills, hoping to provide people with a fun and engaging way to pass the time. And thus, the idea for what would become Scrabble was born.

When inspiration strikes

 Butts' childhood fascination with Poe's short story ‘The Gold Bug proved’ to be a key source of inspiration as he began to develop his own word game.

The idea of decoding symbols to uncover a hidden treasure map (which was the basis of the story) resonated with Butts, and he began to experiment with ways to incorporate similar elements into his own game. One idea that particularly intrigued him was the notion of ranking letters by their frequency of use in the English language, as Poe had attempted to do in his story. Butts set out to put together his own ranking system by meticulously counting letters in various publications, including the ‘New York Times’ and ‘The Saturday Evening Post’. After crunching the numbers and devising a complicated grid, Butts determined that the letters e, t, a, o, i, n, s, h, r, d, l, and u were the most commonly used letters, accounting for a staggering 80% of all letters typically used. Using this data as a foundation, Butts went on to create his own word game, one that would go on to captivate players around the world and become a true cultural phenomenon.

The issues that followed

 Butts' road to success was far from smooth, as he spent over a decade tinkering with the rules of his game and trying, unsuccessfully, to secure a corporate sponsor. Despite facing rejection from the Patent Office not once, but twice, Butts persisted in his quest to bring his creation to the masses. He experimented with various names, including the uninspiring "it" and the lacklustre "Lexiko", before settling on "Criss-Cross Words". However, it wasn't until Butts teamed up with James Brunot, a retired American federal officer and social worker, that Scrabble we are familiar with today started to take shape.

Brunot brought his own expertise to the table, redesigning the game, creating the iconic colour scheme, and most importantly, conceiving the name that would become synonymous with wordplay: Scrabble. The game was copyrighted in 1948. Since Brunot breathed new life into Butts' creation, Scrabble has become a global phenomenon. The game is sold in over 120 countries and has been translated into more than 20 languages, with special editions available for those who are visually impaired or prefer magnetic tiles. Such is the game's enduring popularity that April 13 is celebrated annually as National Scrabble Day, in honour of Butts birthday and his legacy as the inventor of one of the most beloved and enduring board games of all time.

When it comes to classic board games, few have stood the test of time quite like Scrabble. This beloved game has entertained players of all ages and skill levels. It is speculated that the concept of the game was inspired by a short story titled ‘The Gold Bug’ by one of the greatest American writers Edgar Allan Poe.

Welcome to the world of Scrabble, where words reign supreme and strategy is key. For over seven decades, this classic board game has been captivating players with its unique blend of skill and chance. But did you know that Scrabble's origins can be traced back to a short story by the American writer Edgar Allan Poe?

The Great Depression

During the Great Depression of the early 1930s, millions of Americans were struggling to make ends meet and find any kind of relief from the economic downturn. It was during this challenging time that Alfred Mosher Butts, an unemployed architect from New York, began to conceive the idea for a game that could provide a much-needed distraction from the harsh realities of everyday life. Drawing on his own love of puzzles and wordplay, Butts set out to create a game that combined chance, strategy, and language skills, hoping to provide people with a fun and engaging way to pass the time. And thus, the idea for what would become Scrabble was born.

When inspiration strikes

 Butts' childhood fascination with Poe's short story ‘The Gold Bug proved’ to be a key source of inspiration as he began to develop his own word game.

The idea of decoding symbols to uncover a hidden treasure map (which was the basis of the story) resonated with Butts, and he began to experiment with ways to incorporate similar elements into his own game. One idea that particularly intrigued him was the notion of ranking letters by their frequency of use in the English language, as Poe had attempted to do in his story. Butts set out to put together his own ranking system by meticulously counting letters in various publications, including the ‘New York Times’ and ‘The Saturday Evening Post’. After crunching the numbers and devising a complicated grid, Butts determined that the letters e, t, a, o, i, n, s, h, r, d, l, and u were the most commonly used letters, accounting for a staggering 80% of all letters typically used. Using this data as a foundation, Butts went on to create his own word game, one that would go on to captivate players around the world and become a true cultural phenomenon.

The issues that followed

 Butts' road to success was far from smooth, as he spent over a decade tinkering with the rules of his game and trying, unsuccessfully, to secure a corporate sponsor. Despite facing rejection from the Patent Office not once, but twice, Butts persisted in his quest to bring his creation to the masses. He experimented with various names, including the uninspiring "it" and the lacklustre "Lexiko", before settling on "Criss-Cross Words". However, it wasn't until Butts teamed up with James Brunot, a retired American federal officer and social worker, that Scrabble we are familiar with today started to take shape.

Brunot brought his own expertise to the table, redesigning the game, creating the iconic colour scheme, and most importantly, conceiving the name that would become synonymous with wordplay: Scrabble. The game was copyrighted in 1948. Since Brunot breathed new life into Butts' creation, Scrabble has become a global phenomenon. The game is sold in over 120 countries and has been translated into more than 20 languages, with special editions available for those who are visually impaired or prefer magnetic tiles. Such is the game's enduring popularity that April 13 is celebrated annually as National Scrabble Day, in honour of Butts birthday and his legacy as the inventor of one of the most beloved and enduring board games of all time.

Picture Credit : Google 

The indelible ink is used to mark a voter’s finger during elections to avoid fraud, multiple voting, and malpractices

During the elections, you must have seen your parents coming out of polling stations with violet-coloured ink on one of their fingers. This ink is called the voters ink or indelible ink.

History

The indelible ink was first developed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in 1952. In 1962, the Election Commission and the National Research Development Corporation signed an agreement with Mysore Paints and Varnish Ltd. (MPVL), established by the Mysuru maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV in 1937, to manufacture and supply the ink.

Since then, the MPVL (an undertaking of the Karnataka government) has remained the sole authorised supplier of indelible ink, having an exclusive licence granted by the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) since 1962.

Usage

For over six decades, the MPVL has been supplying indelible ink for civic body, Assembly and Parliamentary elections.

Besides, this ink is supplied to more than 25 countries, including Canada, Ghana, Nigeria, Mongolia, Malaysia, Nepal, South Africa, and the Maldives.

While in India the indelible ink is applied on the left-hand index finger of the voter in a 25 polling booth, the voters in Cambodia and the Maldives need to dip their finger into the ink. In Burkina Faso, the ink is applied with a brush, and nozzles are used in Turkey.

Mysterious ink

The indelible ink contains silver nitrate that gets absorbed into the nail and skin, making it last for several days. It remains bright for about 10 days before beginning to fade away. It cannot be wiped off by any chemical, detergent, or oil. It gets removed over time as fresh skin cells replace the dead ones.

Though the concentration of silver nitrate ranges from 7% to 25% the exact composition remains unknown as it is manufactured in secrecy.

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You must have often read about earthquakes but do you know that the study of earthquake is called seismology?

Seismology is a scientific discipline to study earthquakes caused by the passage of seismic waves through Earth's rocks.

Seismologists have studied quakes induced by human activities such as impounding water behind high dams and detonating underground nuclear explosions.

Earthquakes

Earthquakes occur most often where rock masses move in relation to one another. The major fault lines of the world are located at the fringes of the huge tectonic plates that make up Earth's crust. Earthquakes are recorded by instruments called seismographs.

There are four seismic zones globally (an area where earthquakes tend to focus): Zone Il to V (of which Zone V is seismically the most active region and zone II is the least). As per the seismic zoning map of India, the total area is classified into four seismic zones.

The need for international exchange of readings on earthquakes was recognised by British geologist John Milne, whose work resulted in the International Seismological Summary (ISS) being set up immediately after the World War I.

In cooperation with the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Milne had set up a number of seismographic stations around the world.

At present there are several seismological centres across the world to study and inform about the intensity of earthquakes.

International Seismological Centre

International Seismological Centre was formed in Edinburgh in 1964 with the help of UNESCO. It was a successor to the ISS. In 1970, the Centre became an international non-governmental body, funded by institutions from across the world.

Global Seismographic Network

The Global Seismographic Network (GSN) is a digital seismic network that provides free, realtime, open access data through Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS). It has over 150 modern seismic stations distributed globally.

National Center for Seismology

National Center for Seismology (NCS) is the nodal agency that monitors earthquake activity in the country. It maintains the National Seismological Network of more than 150 stations across the country.

It monitors earthquake swarm and aftershock by deploying a temporary observatory close to the affected region. It also monitors earthquake activity all across the country through its around-the-clock monitoring center.

The information of earthquakes reported by NCS is disseminated to the central and state disaster authorities concerned in the least possible time to initiate adequate mitigation measures.

NCS provides data on earthquake and seismicity reports of specific regions to even agencies such as insurance companies, industrial units, river valley projects, etc.

The first seismological observatory of the country was established at Alipore (Kolkata) on December 1, 1898, after the 1897 Shillong plateau earthquake.

Meanwhile, the occurrence of devastating earthquakes such as the 1905 Kangra earthquake and 1934 Nepal-Bihar demanded strengthening of the national seismological network progressively from a meagre six in 1940 to eight in 1950, 15 in 1960, and 18 in 1970.

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