FUTURE FUEL

 Hydrogen

Hydrogen is the simplest and most abundant element in the universe. Stars such as the sun primarily consist of hydrogen-the sun is essentially a giant ball of hydrogen and helium gas. Today, hydrogen is emerging as an important source of energy, and a replacement for fossil fuels, to meet the world's ever-growing demand for energy.

History

Hydrogen energy was discovered in 1671 by Robert Boyle. In 1776, a British scientist named Henry Cavendish noticed that hydrogen is very flammable. Specifically, it quickly and violently undergoes a combustion reaction with oxygen.

2H₂ + O₂ → 2H₂O + heat

Hydrogen and oxygen molecules combine to form water. This reaction is exothermic, which means it generates heat energy.

Cavendish also noticed that hydrogen is quite a light gas and could lift things. Eventually, people started filling massive balloons with hydrogen and flew in them. These were called blimps and were relatively short-lived as hydrogen was highly flammable and could cause much damage.

The Process

Hydrogen is usually produced by separating it from other compounds such as methane (CH4). One way of doing this is steam reform. Commercial hydrogen producers and petroleum refineries use steam-methane reforming to separate hydrogen atoms from carbon atoms in methane (CH4). The steam reforming process results in some carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.

The other way of producing hydrogen is electrolysis. Electrolysis is a process that splits hydrogen from water using an electric current. Electrolysis is commonly used to demonstrate chemical reactions and hydrogen production in science classrooms. On a large commercial scale, the process may be called power-to-gas, where power is electricity and gas is hydrogen.

Electrolysis itself does not produce any byproducts or emissions other than hydrogen and oxygen. The electricity for electrolysis can come from clean, renewable energy sources such as hydro, solar or wind energy. If, however, the electricity for electrolysis is produced from burning fossil fuels (coal, natural gas and petroleum) or biomass, then the related environmental effects and emissions are more significant.

Applications

Hydrogen was used in rocket fuel in the 1950s. The ability of hydrogen fuel cells to generate electricity is a recent discovery. Energy is produced by combining hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Many different hydrogen fuel cells are available for a wide range of applications. Small fuel cells can power laptop computers and cell phones. Large fuel cells can provide electricity for emergency power in buildings and remote areas that are not connected to electric power grids.

There is also a growing interest in the use of hydrogen to power cars. Since it produces no carbon, it is clean and harmless, even for the ozone layer. Most hydrogen-fuelled vehicles are automobiles and transit buses that have an electric motor powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. The high cost of fuel cells and the limited availability of hydrogen fuelling stations have, however, limited the number of hydrogen-fuelled vehicles.

Advantages

Hydrogen is a renewable gas due to its abundance, which means it will never run out. Hydrogen, especially in fuel, is seen as a clean gas, which means it does not produce any harmful gases that may be detrimental to the environment. It is also more efficient than fossil fuels, making it powerful. Hydrogen does not make any noise when used as a fuel, so it causes no noise pollution. It is also highly versatile.

As technology advances, hydrogen fuel cells will provide energy for a range of stationary and mobile applications. Hydrogen-powered vehicles are just one example, but hydrogen could also be used in smaller applications such as domestic products and larger-scale heating systems.

Disadvantages

Despite being the most abundant element in the universe, hydrogen does not exist on its own, so it needs to be extracted from water via electrolysis or separated from fossil fuels. Both of these processes require a significant amount of energy to achieve. They also need a large investment. Precious metals such as platinum are required to speed up the process. The cost of storing hydrogen is also exceptionally high. Moreover, hydrogen is flammable. Therefore, it may have dangerous impacts.

8 MARCH

International women’s Day

 

Its seeds were planted in the labour movement in 1908 when 15,000 women marched through the streets of New York.

Their demands included shorter working hours, better pay and the right to vote.

A year later, the Socialist Party of America announced the first National Women’s Day.

The idea of celebrating this day as International women’s Day was brought forward by Clara Zetkin, a communist activist and advocate of women’s rights. She first proposed this idea at a conference of working women in Copenhagen in 1910.

At that conference, 100 women from 17 countries were present and all unanimously accepted Clara’s idea.

Women’s Day was celebrated in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland in 1911.

This day became official in1975.

Clara had no specific date in mind when she came up with the idea of women’s day.

In 1917, Russian women went on strike, the political situation at the time led to the abduction of three Russian Czars. Julian calendar was used in Russia at that time and the editorial date was 23 February. According to the Gregorian calendar (which we use today), it was March 7, so international women’s day was finally decided to be celebrated on March 8.

Purple colour symbolises ‘justice and dignity’, hence it has importance on this day.

International Women’s Day is celebrated to commemorate and honour women’s accomplishments, raise awareness about gender disparities and discrimination, as well as promote global support for women.

It recognizes cultural, political and socio-economic achievements of women in various fields.

Women’s Day also marks a call for a gender-equal world that is free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination and is diverse, equitable and inclusive while differences are valued and celebrated.

This year, 2023, the theme for International Women’s Day is “Embrace Equity”.

6 MARCH

 National Dentist's Day 2023: Celebrating the contribution of dental professionals towards ensuring good oral hygiene

Did you know that dentists play an important part in our health and well-being?
It’s a great day to showcase your appreciation for your dentist and their dedicated work!

National Dentist's Day is an opportunity to recognize the hard work and dedication of dental professionals and promote oral health awareness.
National Dentist's Day is observed every year on March 6th in India to raise awareness about the importance of oral health and hygiene. It serves as a reminder to prioritise regular dental check-ups and oral hygiene practices like brushing and flossing.
The first known dentist, Hesy-Ra, worked in Ancient Egypt around 2600 BC. He was a high-ranking official under Pharaoh Djoser and held the title of Chief of Dentist. In 1530, a book titled The Little Medicinal Book for All Kinds of Diseases and Infirmities of the Teeth (Artzney Buchlein), was published in Germany. This was the first book to be devoted to dentistry entirely.
Since then, dentistry has witnessed major advancements, though a lot is yet to be achieved. Observing National Dentist's Day is a way to express and acknowledge the importance of dental care and the impact it has on our overall well-being.
Dental health is often overlooked, but poor oral health can lead to serious health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, and even certain cancers. National Dentist's Day aims to raise awareness of these risks and promote preventative care.
If you want to show appreciation to your dentist, you can demonstrate your commitment to better oral health by improving your dental habits. You can also schedule a dental checkup and ask questions about your oral health. Alternatively, you can also raise awareness on a personal level by teaching others good oral hygiene practices and encouraging family and friends to visit their dentist.
Important Dental Care Tips:

1. Brush twice per day for at least two minutes

2. Floss daily

3. Visit your dentist twice per year or as recommended by your dentist

4. Eat a balanced diet and limit eating and drinking between meals

Dental Facts:

Did you know that dentists ranked number one for top jobs in 2015?

Dentists recommend that a toothbrush be kept at least six 6 feet away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from the flush.

The University of Maryland School of Dentistry is the world’s first dental college. It was established in 1840 by Drs. Horace H. Hayden and Chapin A. Harris.

The average American spends 38.5 total days brushing their teeth over a lifetime.

The most valuable tooth belonged to Sir Isaac Newton. In 1816 one of his teeth was sold in London for $3,633, or in today's terms $35,700. The tooth was set in a ring!

In 1866, Lucy Beaman Hobbs became the first licensed female dentist.

Your teeth are as unique as your fingerprints!

Your smile is the first facial feature noticed by half of the people you come in contact with daily.

STORY

 Five more minutes

While at the park one day, a woman sat down next to a man on a bench near a playground.

“That’s my daughter over there,” she said, pointing to a little girl in a red sweater who was on the swing.

“She’s a beautiful girl,” the man said. “That’s my son, gliding down the slide in the blue sweater.”

Then, looking at his watch, he called to his son, “What do you say we go, Todd?”

Todd pleaded, “Just five more minutes, Dad, please. Just five more minutes.”

The man nodded and Todd continued to swing to his heart’s content. Minutes passed and the father stood and called again to his son. “Time to go now?” Again Todd pleaded, “Five more minutes, Dad. Just five more minutes.” The man smiled and said, “Okay.”

“You certainly are a patient father,” the woman responded.

The man smiled and then said, “My older son, Tommy, was killed by a drunk driver last year while he was riding his bike near here. I never spent much time with Tommy and now I’d give anything for just five more minutes with him. I’ve vowed not to make the same mistake with Todd. He believes he has gained five more minutes to swing. The truth actually is that I get ‘five more minutes’ to watch him play.”

Life is all about making priorities - what are your priorities?

LOOK-ALIKE OF RANI LAKSHMIBAI

 Jhalkaribai

She was born on 22nd November in 1830 at Bhojla village near Jhansi. She was a close friend and commander of the women's army wing of Rani Lakshmibai. She attained martyrdom fighting against the British in the war of Independence of 1857.

Once, Rani Lakshmibai invited the women of the villages of Jhansi to attend Gauri (Maa Shakti) Puja at the Jhansi Fort. Jhalkaribai, wife of Pooran Kori, a soldier of the Jhansi army, was among the ladies who accompanied other village ladies to Jhansi fort to be part of the Puja. Lakshmibai’s eyes fell on Jhalkaribai.Rani was struck by Jhalkaribai’s uncanny resemblance with her.

Lakshmibai enquired about her look-alike. Rani had lost her mother when she was 4 years old. Jhalkaribai too lost her mother at a very young age. Besides, Jhalkaribai killed a leopard with her herding stick while tending cattle.She was also involved in other brave exploits.

Lakshmibai immediately inducted Jhalkaribai into the women contingent of the Jhansi Army called Durga Dal. Later, during battle with the British, on the 10th day, a traitor opened the gate of Jhansi fort for the British to enter. It was Jhalkaribai who disguised as Rani and misled the British army, facilitated Lakshmibai’s safe escape from the fort for gathering forces. Jhalkaribai attained martyrdom at the hands of the British.

DON'T WORRY BE HAPPY

 Keep your worries away

One fine morning, ‘Death’ was walking towards a city.

A man curiously asked him, “What are you going to do today?”

“I’m going to take 100 people,” Death replied.

“That’s horrible!” the man exclaimed.

“That’s the way it must be,” Death said. “That’s what I’m destined to do.”

The man hurried along to warn everyone about Death’s ruthless plan. When evening fell, he met death again.

“You told me you would take just 100 people,” the man said. “But you have taken 1000 instead. Why did 1000 have to die?”

“I kept my word,” Death responded. “I only took 100 people; ‘Worry’ took the others.”

When there was an outbreak of COVID-19, every day, every hour and every minute, we were flooded with news regarding deaths due to the deadly virus. Thousands around us caught the disease each day. While some recovered, many others died because no proper cure or vaccine was found for it,

There were no schools, no entertainment, no social gathering or outing to keep us engaged. We remained confined to our homes and worried about the situation.

But does worrying make the situation any better? No. It only makes the situation worse. As the adage says “Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow; it only saps today of its joy.”

Remember, worry is, and always will be, a fatal disease of the heart. Therefore, release the regrets of yesterday, refuse the fears of tomorrow, and receive the peace of today. Read good books, watch inspirational videos, and learn new lessons.

Always be engaged.

Be prayerful, and pray for all, as well.

Do not forget to thank God for the wonderful gift of life.

MEET THE SCIENTIST

 Antoine Lavoisier

I am Antoine Lavoisier, a famous chemist. I was born in France on August 26, 1743. I grew up in an aristocratic family. My father was a layer but my mother died when I was only five years old.

I didn’t practice law because I found science more interesting. Since I had inherited a good deal of money when my mother died I was able to live as a nobleman and pursued various interests. I also worked in various government positions and was elected to the Royal Academy of Science in 1764.In 1775, I set up a laboratory in Paris where I could run experiments. This lab became a gathering place of scientists and I made many important discoveries in chemistry. 

Do you want to know what scientific discoveries I have done?

The Law of Conservation of Mass:

One of the main scientific theories in my time was the phlogiston theory. This theory thought fire was made up of an element called phlogiston. But I disproved this theory and demonstrated that there was an element called oxygen that played a major role in combustion. I also showed that the mass of products in a reaction are equal to the mass of the reactants and no mass is lost in a chemical reaction. This is known as the Law of Conservation of Mass and is one of the most important and basic laws of modern chemistry and physics.

The Elements and Chemical Nomenclature:

I spent a lot of time isolating elements and breaking down chemical compounds. I also invented a system of naming chemical compounds that were made up of multiple elements and named the element hydrogen. The First Chemistry Textbook:

I also wrote the first Elementary Treatise of Chemistry. This was the first chemistry textbook. The book contained a list of elements. I died when the French Revolution began. I wanted to remain separate from the revolution. But because I had worked as a tax collector for the government, I was branded a traitor and was executed on May 8, 1794 by guillotine.