MEET THE SCIENTIST

 

Louis Pasteur

Occupation: Chemist and microbiologist

Born: December 27, 1822 in Dole, France

Died: September 28, 1895 in Marnes-la-Coquette, France

Best known for: The discovery of vaccinations, pasteurization, and proving that germs cause disease.

 

Biography:
Early Life
Louis Pasteur was born in Dole, France on December 27, 1822. His family was poor and during his early education he was an average student who enjoyed art and singing. However, when Louis was exposed to science as a teenager, he knew he had found his calling.

College and Career

In 1838, Louis went to college to become a science teacher. He earned degrees in mathematics, physics, and chemistry. He then became a chemistry professor at the University of Strasbourg.
While at the University he fell in love with the daughter of the university's rector, Marie Laurent. He and Marie married in 1849. They had five children, however, three died young from typhoid fever. It was the deaths of his children that drove Louis to investigate infectious diseases in order to find a cure.

Scientific Discoveries

Bacteria and Germ Theory

During Pasteur's time, people believed that microbes such as bacteria appeared due to "spontaneous generation." They thought that the bacteria just appeared out of nowhere. Pasteur ran experiments to see if this was true. Through his experiments he proved that germs (i.e. bacteria) were living things that came from other living things. They didn't just spontaneously appear. This was a major discovery in the study of biology and earned Pasteur the nickname the "Father of Germ Theory."
Pasteurization
Pasteur used his knowledge of germs to investigate how beverages such as wine and milk were spoiled by microbes such as bacteria and molds. He found that heating up the liquids would kill most of the microbes and allow the beverages to last longer and be safer to drink. This process became known as pasteurization and is still done on many foods such as milk, vinegar, wines, cheese, and juices.
Silk Worms
As Pasteur learned more and more about bacteria, he began to think they may be the cause of disease in humans. When the French silk market was threatened by a disease to silkworms, Pasteur decided to investigate. He discovered that this disease was caused by microbes. By eliminating the microbes from the silkworm farms, he was able to end the disease and save the French silk business.
Vaccinations
Pasteur continued to investigate with diseases. He found that he could make a weak form of a disease that would cause people to become immune to the stronger form of the disease. He called this weak form a "vaccine." He first discovered this by working with cattle on the disease anthrax. The first vaccine he gave to a human was the rabies vaccine. He administered it to a nine year old boy name Joseph Meister in 1885.

Legacy
Today Louis Pasteur is known as one of the most important scientists in history. His discoveries led to an understanding of microbes and diseases that has helped to save millions and millions of lives.
Pasteur is most remembered by the Pasteur Institute which he established in 1887. Today the Pasteur Institute is one of the world leaders in battling infectious diseases.
Louis Pasteur died in 1895 from a stroke. He was buried in the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, France.

Interesting Facts about Louis Pasteur

Early on in his career Pasteur studied crystals and discovered why some crystals bend light while others do not.

He was a deeply religious Christian throughout his life.

Pasteur's ideas on micro-organisms causing disease eventually led to the boiling of surgical instruments helping to prevent infections and causing many people to survive surgery.

He once said that "In the field of observation, chance favours the prepared mind."

 

THE OPEN HAND

 The Open Hand

A man once requested the Zen teacher Mokusen Hiki to cure his wife of her stinginess.

Mokusen went to the man’s house and when the man’s wife came before him, he showed her his fist.

“Suppose my hands were always like this, what would you call it?” he asked.

“Deformed,” said the woman.

Mokusen then opened his hand flat.

“And suppose it was always like this?”

“Deformed,” said the woman.

“If you understand this much, you are a good wife,” said Mokusen and left.

The woman realized that the master had been trying to tell her that it was necessary to be both generous and thrifty.

She thus changed her ways.

THOUGHTS & QUOTES

 

Excellence can be attained if you:

Care more than others think is wise,

Risk more than others think is safe,

Dream more than others think is practical,

Expect more than others think is possible.

~Anonymous

                                                 

Everybody is a genius.

But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.

~Albert Einstein

 

Each new day is a new beginning:

To learn about ourselves, to care more about others,

To laugh more than we did, to accomplish more than we thought we could, and be more than we were before.

~Anonymous

 

Words are like keys; if you choose them right, they can open any heart and shut any mouth.

~Anonymous

 

The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope; you will fill yourself with hope. 

~Barack Obama

 

“Your task is to build a better world,” God said.

I asked, “How? This world is such a large, vast place, so complicated now, and I am so small and useless, there’s nothing I can do.”

And God in all His wisdom said: “Just build a better you.”

~Dorothy Jones

STORY

 

The Chess Game

  

A young man said to the Abbot of a monastery, “I’d actually like to be a monk, but I haven’t learned anything in life. All my father taught me was to play chess, which does not lead to enlightenment. Apart from that, I learned that all other games are a sin.”

“They may be a sin, but they can also be a diversion, and who knows, this monastery needs a little of both,” was the reply.

The Abbot asked for a chessboard, sent for a monk, and told him to play with the young man.

But before the game began, he added, “Although we need diversion, we cannot allow everyone to play chess the whole time. So we have the best players here; if our monk loses, he will leave the monastery and his place will be yours.”

The Abbot was serious.

The young man knew he was playing for his life, and broke into a cold shiver; the chessboard became the centre of his world.

The monk began well.

The young man attacked, but then saw the saintly look on the other man’s face.

At that moment, he began playing badly on purpose. After all, a monk is far more useful to the world, he felt.

Suddenly, the Abbot threw the chessboard to the floor.

“You have learned far more than was taught you,” he said.“You concentrated yourself enough to win and were capable of fighting for your desire. Then, you had compassion, and were willing to make a sacrifice in the name of a noble cause. Welcome to the monastery, because you know how to balance discipline with compassion.”

Charismatic Christmas

 

Christmas is a festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on 25 December. The feast is also known as Xmas. The X comes from the ancient Greek language where X refers to Christ.

 

One of the most interesting aspects of Christmas, especially for children, is Santa Claus. Children want to catch Santa Claus bringing them presents. The character is based on St. Nicholas who loved children, and enjoyed giving gifts to them secretly.

The popular song “Jingle Bells” was written for Thanksgiving Day, not for Christmas. Originally this was published under the title “One Horse Open Sleigh” by James Lord Pierpont in 1857.

“Silent Night” is the most sung and recorded Christmas song in history.

The poinsettia is a traditional Christmas flower. In Mexico (its original birthplace), the poinsettia is known as the “Flower of the Holy Night”.

 

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the tallest Christmas tree ever cut was 221 feet high. It was displayed in 1950 at the Northgate Shopping Center in Seattle, Washington.

In Germany, Poland and Ukraine, finding a spider, or a spider’s web, on a Christmas tree is believed to be an indication of good luck.

The first known instances of using Christmas trees were in the 16^th century Germany. They used fruits and nuts for decoration.

The biggest Christmas gift ever presented is the Statue of Liberty. This was gifted by France to the USA as a Christmas gift in 1886.

25 DECEMBER

 Good Governance Day / Sushasan Divas

Every year, in honour of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birthday, India observes "Good Governance Day".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi 2014 announced that "Good Governance Day" will be observed annually on December 25 in memory of the former PM.
The Indian government decided that every year December 25 would be a full day of work. The government has been commemorating Good Governance Day every year since 2014. The day is celebrated to make sure that the country's residents are treated fairly by the government and they receive the advantages of various government services. 

The purpose of Good Governance is to increase public access to various government programmes and services via good governance. It was established with the slogan "Good Governance through e-Governance".

SANE GURUJI

 He taught us humanism

Pandurang Sadashiv Sane was born on 24 Dec 1899 in Palgad village near Dapoli, Maharashtra. During his childhood his family's financial condition deteriorated and their house was confiscated by government authorities. He was sent to maternal uncle in Pune.

He returned and stayed in missionary school in Dapoli and was recognised as an intelligent student with good command over Marathi and Sanskrit.

He enrolled at Aundh Institution, which provided free education and food to poor students. He suffered many hardships but continued his education. An epidemic of bubonic plague led to students being sent home.

Back in Palgad, he overheard his parents expressing concern over his dedication to education. He traveled to Pune and enrolled as a student at Nutan Marathi Vidyalaya.

Living on limited meals, he continued to excel in academics. At New Poona College, he obtained BA and MA degrees in Marathi and Sanskrit literature.

He worked as a teacher in Pratap High School in Amalner town. He chose to teach in rural schools, foregoing a potentially larger salary he could have earned. He worked as a hostel warden.

He was a gifted orator, captivating audiences with his impassioned speeches on civil rights and justice. He inculcated moral values through magazine Vidyarthi, popular among students. His teaching profession continued for 6 years till he dedicated his life for the independence struggle.

He joined Gandhi in Dandi March in 1930 and was imprisoned by British in Dhule Jail for over 15 months for work in Civil Disobedience Movement. In 1932, Vinoba Bhave was in same jail and delivered a series of lectures on Bhagavad Gita each Sunday morning. Gita Pravachane was an outcome of the notes Sane made.

From 1930-47, he was arrested on 8 occasions and imprisoned in various jails for a total duration of over 6 years. He observed fast on 7 occasions. In Trichnapalli Jail, he learned Tamil and Bengali. He translated ancient Tamil moral work of the Kural into Marathi.

He recognised importance of learning Indian languages, for national integration and started Antar Bharati movement.

He helped spread of Indian National Congress in rural Maharashtra, particularly in Khandesh. He was active in organisation of Faizpur Session. He participated in Election Campaign of Bombay Provincial Elections of 1936.

In 1942 Quit India Movement, he was imprisoned for 15 months and became closely associated with socialists like Madhu Limaye.

In late 1930s, he organised textile labour and peasants in East Khandesh District. During this period he associated with communists like S. M. Dange. However Communist position to support Second World War made him dissociate himself. After independence he joined Socialist party and was close to Limaye, N G Gore and S M Joshi.

He took up the cause of Gandhi's promise to Ambedkar during Poona Pact that he will spend the rest of his life campaigning for removal of untouchability. He travelled across Maharashtra for 4 months in 1947.

The culmination of this tour was his fast at Pandharpur to open Vitthal Temple for Dalits. The fast lasted 11 days from 1 May to 11 May 1947 and doors of the temple were ultimately opened for all.

Post independence, he became increasingly disillusioned over possibilities of eliminating inequality from Indian society. Assassination of Gandhi deeply affected him and he fasted for 21 days. He committed suicide by taking an overdose of sleeping pills

He wrote 135 books and 73 books have been published. Almost all these books can be considered literature for children. His most well-known work in Marathi literature Shyamachi Aaee has been translated in almost all Indian languages, Japanese and English.

Others include Bharatiya Saṃskṛti and Patri- a collection of various songs and poems. Teen Muley is a story of 3 children and is regarded as a classic in Marathi. He started weekly journal Sadhana on 15 August 1948 and it has been regularly published since.

He died on 11 Jun 1950.