STONES THAT MOVE

 Racetrack Playa

The Racetrack Playa is a dry lake found within Death Valley National Park, California. It is famous for a very mysterious phenomenon that takes place here. The Racetrack Playa is where stones move alone, with no animal or human intervention. 

Hundreds and hundreds of rocks scattered about this surface have left trails behind them where they have moved across the surface. The stones vary from pebble size to half-tonne boulders in size and shape. Their tracks also vary in length and go every way from zigzags to loops and sometimes they double back on themselves. Some travel only a few feet; others go for hundreds of metres. 

The Racetrack Playa is a seasonally dry lake, meaning that in times of heavy rains, water fills the lake, and under the heat of the hot sun, it dries back. It can also freeze in winter and early spring, leading to the first of many possible theories that the rocks move because of the newly-formed ice sheets after the Playa is flooded. Another explanation is that the high winds drive the stones; on rare occasions when the playa is wet enough to be extremely slippery, conditions are just right. 

Nobody has ever seen a rock move, and the best part is that no scientist has been able to come up with a satisfying reason for this mystery till now, despite all the explanations given!

INDIA’S YOUNGEST IPS OFFICER

Safin Hasan 

22-year-old Safin Hasan, from Gujarat, became India’s youngest IPS Officer and joined Jamnagar police as Assistant Superintendent of Police. 

Hasan, a native of Kanodar village in Palanpur district, Gujarat cracked the coveted 2017 Union Public Services Commission exams by securing an all-India rank of 570.

Having seen a District Collector in his village meeting people and promising to solve their problems, Hasan was inspired to prepare for the UPSC Civil Services exam. 

Hasan belonged to a  low-income family. When his father lost his job in a diamond unit, he took up a job as an electrician to support the family. His mother started rolling out hundreds of rotis for local restaurants every day. "I have seen my mother soaked in sweat even in cool mornings as I studied in the kitchen," says Hasan. 

After clearing AIEEE, he got admission in NIT Surat in B.Tech (EC). He shifted to Delhi for CSE preparation when he finished his graduation and stayed there for 11 months. 

For his studies, Safin also received timely assistance from a local business family, teachers and friends. “People have held my hand and opened doors for me to fulfil my dreams. I would have never become what I have, if not for the kindness of society at large,” says Safin.

His success story is full of challenges and inspiration. On the day of the exam when he was going towards the exam centre, he met with an accident and his knee ligament got completely torn. He had injuries on his left hand and head. The only thing he noticed was his right hand which was safe and hence he decided to go to the exam centre. Even though he was not successful, Hasan attempted without regret for the second time and became the youngest IPS making the country proud. 

Mr. Safin Hasan’s tips for the new aspirants: “Focused preparation with well-planned strategy along with confidence, patience and dedication is the key. I got guidance from many successful candidates which was very helpful to me. Proper combination of Smart study methods, Repeated self tests and Perseverance help to clear the UPSC exam.”

A GEORGIAN FOLK TALE

The witty reply 

Once there was a king in Georgia, who was so angry with one of his noblemen that he asked his servants to chain him and throw him into the dungeon. Just as the man was being taken away, the king said, “I will set you free on one condition!”

The nobleman looked at the king hopefully.

“You should bring me a horse which is not grey or black, or brown or bay,” said the king. “It should not be white or cream, or chestnut or chocolate-coloured….” The king went on naming the colours that he didn’t want the horse to have and the nobleman realised that the king had no plans to set him free. He quickly thought of a reply that could possibly get him back his freedom.

“I’ll get you such a horse, Your Majesty,” he said to the king, “but you must set me free first so that I can find you one.”

The king asked his servants to release the man, knowing fully well that the task was well nigh impossible.

As soon as he was set free, the nobleman said to the king, “I’ll find your horse but please send the groom to collect the horse on any day that suits Your Majesty as long as it’s not a Monday or a Tuesday, a Wednesday or a Thursday and definitely not a Friday, Saturday or a Sunday!”

The man’s clever reply pleased the king who forgot all his anger and reinstated him in the royal court.

DO YOU KNOW

What is a satphone and how does it work?

A satellite phone or satphone is a type of mobile phone that communicates with the help of satellites instead of cell towers. The device may connect to geostationary satellites which are in a fixed position about 35,786 km above the equator or to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites which are stationed at a lower height ranging from 160–2000 km in space.

When a satphone user makes a call, the signal is sent to the satellite, which sends it back to its destination on Earth via a gateway. The gateway then routes the call using regular landline and cellular networks. If the call is made to another satphone, then the satellite directly sends the signal to the receiver without using the land networks.

Satphones may be fixed—they are installed on ships and buildings. Handheld satphones may be as small as regular cell phones. However unlike a cell phone, a satphone is not affected by storms, floods and bad weather and does not have to be in the vicinity of a cell tower. All it needs is a clear and direct line of sight to the satellite i.e. nothing solid like trees, buildings, hills, etc. should block the antenna’s view to the sky. Hence a satphone is best used outdoors and in remote areas where there is no cell phone network.

Satellite network companies like Iridium provide extensive coverage on Earth, including the Poles and oceans. Satphones enable extreme adventurers, survivalists, sailors and travellers on cruise ships to keep in touch with civilisation. However, it is illegal to use satellite phones in some countries like India.

PHYSICIST

 Niels Bohr

Niels Bohr was one of the foremost scientists of modern physics, best known for his substantial contributions to Quantum Theory and his Nobel Prize-winning research on the structure of atoms. He called for responsible and peaceful applications of atomic energy across the world.

Early Life: Niels Bohr was born on October 7, 1885 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The young Bohr eventually attended Copenhagen University, where he received his master's and doctorate in physics by 1911. During the fall of the same year, Bohr travelled to Cambridge, England, where he was able to follow the Cavendish Laboratory work of scientist J.J. Thomson.

Institute of Theoretical Physics: Bohr’s own research led him to theorise in a series of articles that atoms give off electromagnetic radiation as a result of electrons jumping to different orbit levels. Bohr settled again at Copenhagen University in 1916 with a professorship position. Then, in 1920, he founded the university’s Institute of Theoretical Physics.

Wins Nobel Prize: Bohr received the 1922 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on atomic structures, and he continued to come up with revolutionary theories. Bohr came to apply this idea philosophically as well, with the belief that evolving concepts of physics deeply affected human perspectives.

Fleeing Europe: With Adolf Hitler's rise in power, Bohr was able to offer German Jewish physicists refuge at his institute in Copenhagen. Once Denmark became occupied by Nazi forces, the Bohr family escaped to Sweden, with Bohr and his son Aage eventually making their way to the United States. 

Manhattan Project: Bohr then worked with the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos, New Mexico, where the first atomic bomb was being created. He called for future international arms control and active communication about the weapon between nations—an idea met with resistance by Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Atoms for Peace: After the end of the war, Bohr returned to Europe and continued to call for peaceful applications of atomic energy. He helped to establish CERN, a Europe-based particle physics research facility. In 1957, Bohr received the Atoms for Peace Award.

A prolific writer: Bohr was a prolific writer with more than 100 publications to his name. After having a stroke, he died on November 18, 1962 in Copenhagen. Bohr’s son Aage shared with two others the 1975 Nobel Prize in Physics for his research on motion in atomic nuclei.

“Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it.”—Niels Bohr

HOW TO DO WELL IN EXAMS

 Tips to score good marks 

Almost everyone faces examinations at one juncture or the other. A few people fare well whereas others perform only moderately well. Don't think that your ability is worse than them. If you start organising from today, you too can do well in the examinations. 

Here are some interesting tips that will help you to score good marks. There is no short cut to success. For this reason, you have to study well first of all. 

Never fear or hate exam: The first thing that you must remember is that exams are not conducted with the intention to catch you out. An exam is only meant to assess whether you have a concise understanding of the subject or not. So leave all your fears and free your mind before starting to study. You have to be confident and it is the most essential power you should have for attaining victory.

Prepare a good time table: Prepare a time table before starting to study. This should include all the subjects but may not be with equal priority. Tough subjects can be given more time and easier ones less but most importantly, some time shall be allotted for entertainment and also there should be sufficient intervals between each subject.

Select a proper atmosphere for studying: Study atmosphere has a very important role. Can anyone study well while watching TV? So select a place where you feel comfortable. That is where you feel relaxed and can concentrate. If possible, make a small notice board with self instructions. 

Organise study materials: Make the study zone neat. Pick up the specific book and notes you want to study for the particular session. Pick up the supportive materials like pencil or scale. Keep the books of other subjects away from your eyesight so that you won't be upset about the things you have to learn. 

Utilize golden hours: You have to identify your golden hours. It is a block of 3 to 4 hours in which you will find it more comfortable to concentrate. For most of you, it may be 3 am to 7 am when all the surroundings will be in silence. Some of you will be night birds who prefer 8 pm to 12 pm. Your concentration in the golden hours really counts. 

Sit straight: This is so important that you have to sit in a proper manner while studying. Don't study on bed or lying on a chair. Instead sit straight. Keep your spinal cord straight. And try to place your legs parallel to ground, a little bit raised from the ground. 

Make notes while studying: While studying make small notes so that you can remember all the points while doing revision. An ideal note shall include all important formulae and figures and also other important points. It will be a lot worth if you use this for the revision in the last one or two hours.

Sleep well and eat well: You have to sleep well. A sound sleep for 6 hours is ideal for energetic preparation. Even the night before the exam you have to sleep well, at least for 5 hours. And have your food as in your daily diet. Don't fast on the exam day. This will have reverse effect, so it's advisable to have food properly. And don't forget to have a glass of water before you go to bed. It's essential to keep your brain cells charged.

Present well: Presentation is the major factor that affects your marks. Teachers may not be able to read all you have written. Remember they are going through 30 to 40 papers. They will scan for points. So try to present answers in points. In essay answers don't forget to underline the important points. Your hand writing also affects your marks. Try to write neatly. And care shall be taken so that you manage time well and are able to attend all questions. If there is any question out of syllabus, you just attend it. Usually full marks are awarded for such questions.

Believe in you: The last but not the least is your self confidence. Recall your best things and have a positive self talk. A one minute prayer or meditation can give immense energy and peace to your mind. And it is much important that you are confident about what you can do and it will always produce pleasant results.

If you are serious in your studies for the next few months/years of your life, then the remaining part of your life will be fruitful. So start organising from this moment and try your best.

INDIAN FOLK ART

Patua Art

India, with its diverse cultures and traditions, holds a rich artistic heritage. Among the vibrant art forms, the world of Patua artists stands out, offering a captivating journey into storytelling through vivid colours and intricate details.

Patua artists are traditional artists found in India and Bangladesh, particularly in states like West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha. Also known as Chitrakar, meaning 'scroll painter' in Bengali, they have a fascinating history rooted in engraving metal idols, as Patua comes from the Bengali word Pota, meaning engraver.

Their origin dates back to around the 13th century, and despite many being followers of Islam, their traditional occupation involved painting Hindu idols. Patuas later became renowned for their beautiful scroll paintings, known as patras. These scrolls typically depict mangal stories, which are auspicious tales of Gods and Goddesses, mythological heroes and folk legends.

Patuas were not only chitrakars or artists, but also were traditionally travelling storytellers. They would visit villages accompanied by musical instruments unfurling their patras and singing stories. This served as a form of entertainment as well as education, taking myths, moral lessons and historical accounts to the local communities.

While traditional patras remain important, today’s Patua artists are adapting their skills to changing situations. They now create paintings on canvas and murals on walls. Their art showcases social issues, environmental concerns and modern stories alongside the age-old legends. Despite facing challenges like the decline of traditional storytelling and thereby the resultant economic hardships, their art gains recognition through exhibitions and support efforts.

Beyond being artists, Patuas are custodians of a rich cultural heritage, preserving traditions through their vibrant and captivating art. Exploring their work offers a wonderful way to appreciate the beauty and history of their unique artistic expression.