WHY DO WE YAWN?

 

Everybody yawns — from unborn babies to the oldest great-grandparent. Animals do it, too. But why, exactly, do people and animals yawn? No one knows for sure. But there are many theories (ideas) about why people yawn. 

One is that when we are bored or tired, we just don't breathe as deeply as we usually do. As this theory goes, our bodies take in less oxygen because our breathing has slowed. Therefore, yawning helps us bring more oxygen into the blood and move more carbon dioxide out of the blood.

Yawning is an involuntary reflex (something we can't really control) to help us control our oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.

Other studies have shown that breathing in more oxygen and also breathing in more carbon dioxide does not increase yawning.

Another theory is that yawning stretches the lungs and lung tissue. Stretching and yawning may be a way to flex muscles and joints, increase heart rate, and feel more awake.

Other people believe that yawning is a protective reflex to redistribute the oil-like substance called surfactant that helps keep lungs lubricated inside and keeps them from collapsing. So, if we didn't yawn, according to this theory, taking a deep breath would become harder and harder — and that would not be good!

But there is one idea about yawning that everyone knows to be true. It seems contagious. If you yawn in class, you'll probably notice a few other people will start yawning, too. Even thinking about yawning can get you yawning. How many times have you yawned while reading this article? It seems to be psychological too!

THE HISTORY OF ELECTRIFICATION IN INDIA

Look around you. You are surrounded by electricity. Lights, fans, air-conditioners, washing machines, fridges and even reading devices all work on electricity or electrical charge. Without electricity, our lives would be very different.

Did you know, princely states like Hyderabad and Mysore got electricity even before Bombay (now Mumbai), Delhi and Bangalore (now Bengaluru)? In Hyderabad, electricity was introduced in 1901.

30 years after that, electricity transmission systems consisted of six mains carrying currents of 6,600 volts.

In the next 30 years, 66 substations were introduced. The residents of Hyderabad started using electricity for household lighting because of the New Power House, which was installed in 1927. The government encouraged people to apply for electric connections, and the resulting increase in demand led to a reduced rate per unit. As a result, many more people began to apply for connections.

In Mysore, electric supply began in 1902 after the Sivasamudram Project was completed. This was India's first hydroelectric power station and is located on the Cauvery River. It was commissioned by the Diwan of Mysore, Sir K Seshadri lyer. The generated power was used in the Kolar Gold Fields. In 1911, the government funded an extension of the project. The already existing system produced 11,000kW and with the extension, 14,300kW of power could be produced.

Soon Bombay had electricity. Failure to implement electric lighting in areas like Crawford Market led the Bombay Electric Supply and Tramways Company to develop the first generation station in Bombay in November 1905. It supplied power to tramways and official and domestic spaces. The capacity of the station was over 4,300kW and it lasted till 1908. Then, the tramways started expanding, which resulted in a growing need for electricity and power. In 1912, a factory was set up in Mazgaon, which was of higher capacity. However, high prices of electricity resulted in unequal distribution of electricity. To increase supply, hydropower plants were set up in Khopoli, Bhivpuri and Bhira. The increased use of electricity in Bombay influenced other parts of Maharashtra like Yeola and Bulsar.

In Bangalore too, electricity was inaugurated in 1905. Lahore got it in 1911. Punjab had over 10,000 streetlights, 3,200 fans, 77 motors, 35 pumps and 36 radiators during 1923-24.

While India was a colony of the British, most of the power-generating systems were hydroelectric in nature. They electrified the big ports, cities and offices. The Electricity Supply Act of 1948 led to the rise of State Electricity Boards (SEBs), which subsequently resulted in the emergence of Regional Electricity Boards.

Impact on Agriculture

After electricity was established in Mysore, places like Anekal, Doddaballapur, Mulbagal, Hoskote, Chikkaballapur and Vadaganahalli started to get lit up. By 1928, more than 128 villages received electricity. The government encouraged farmers to invest in electric irrigation pumps and increased rural electrification. Farmers took advantage of these modern mechanised power tools instead of performing manual labour. The raiyat (a person who has the right to hold land), who would bail water from his wells using bullocks, realised that the benefits of using an electric pump allowed him to pump about 2,000 gallons per hour. There were 383 irrigation pumps powered by electricity by 1936. Soon, flour mills and rice mills powered by electricity became popular in the state of Mysore.

How Lives Changed Because of Electricity

When electricity came to Calcutta (now Kolkata), there  was increased demand for electricity from Burma, Punjab, Bihar and other provinces. Consequently, the government introduced the Indian Electricity Act of 1900, which made having an electric inspector necessary to look into each and every electrical installation. Electric meters in all premises having electricity and licenses for companies became the norm. Anyone who tampered with the connections was sentenced to two years of prison. This marked the start of formal all-India electrification.

At the time electricity was introduced, it was not a very well-known service among the locals. Advertisements and pamphlets were used to promote the use of electricity for lighting and heating. By the 1900s, trams took the place of carriages and mechanised fans replaced hand-held fans.

When electricity came to Delhi in 1902, the entire city was to be decorated for the Durbar. In the following year, the streets were lit up by electric lights and electric trams were introduced. The civil lines were among the first places to get electrified. After electrification, a tramcar service was introduced, which ran in the busiest areas of the city. Indians found the new system convenient, and trains were soon jam-packed, especially during the festive season and holidays.

Modern India & Renewable Energy

India is considered to be the world's largest consumer of electricity and the world's largest renewable energy producer. In 2001, alternate forms of renewable energy in Indian households included biomass, firewood, crop residue and cow dung. Since 2014, the adoption of renewable energy for electricity has increased at the rate of 25% per year.

Simultaneously, power installation has increased tenfold and solar energy has grown from nothing to 2,500MW in 2014. More than a million households in 2014 depended on solar energy exclusively to meet their basic electricity needs.

Renewable energy production in India began when the Commission for Additional Sources of Energy was set up in the Department of Science and Technology in 1981. Today, renewable energy forms a quarter of India's total installed power capacity and accounts for 13% of the country's electricity generation. The Electricity Act of 2003 opened up the rural electrification market to decentralised distributed generation systems. Many states including Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have policies to encourage people to harness solar power from the rooftops of buildings.

As part of the Paris Climate Agreement, India has set a target to produce 50% of its electricity from renewable sources and install 450GW of renewable energy by 2030.

Solar Energy in India

Every year, about 5,000 trillion kWh of solar energy is incident over India's land area. Solar photovoltaic cells can easily harness this energy. If harnessed, this has the ability to generate power on a distributed base and promote rapid capacity addition with short lead times.

Considering energy security, solar is the best because it is abundantly available. Millions of Indian villages use solar energy for their cooking, lighting and other uses. It has social and economic benefits as it reduces workload among women in rural areas and girls engaged in gathering wood for fuel from long distances. Cooking in smoky kitchens powered by fuel has also reduced, reducing the risks associated with contracting lung and eye ailments.

The National Institute of Solar Energy works to address sustainable ecological growth while addressing India's energy security challenges, considering the Government of India and the states. To encourage the use of solar power in India, the government has introduced several schemes like Solar Park Scheme, VGF Schemes, CPSU Scheme, Defense Scheme, Canal Bank & Canal Top Scheme, Bundling Scheme and Grid Connected Solar Rooftop Scheme.

WOLRD’S HIGHEST ALTITUDE ATM

 

The world’s highest altitude ATM is located at the Khunjerab Pass border between China and Pakistan, in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.

At an elevation of 15,396 feet, Khunjerab Pass is the highest paved border crossing in the world.

Installed by National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) in 2016, the solar – and wind-powered ATM is used for cash withdrawals, utility bill payments and interbank fund transfers. 

CARRY YOUR HEAVEN WITHIN YOU: A BEAUTIFUL SUFI STORY

 The Sun and the Cave

One day the sun and a cave struck up a conversation. The sun had trouble understanding what “Dark” meant and the cave didn’t quite get the hang of “light and clear” so they decided to change places.

The cave went up to the sun and said, “Ah, I see, this is beyond wonderful. Now come down and see where I have been living.”

The sun went down to the cave and said, “I don’t see any difference.”  

When the sun went down, it took its light along and even the darkest corners were illuminated. That's why the sun couldn't see any difference.

One of the quotes says "The enlightened ones can never be sent to hell or pushed into darkness. They carry their heaven on their shoulders all the time".

We are under the impression that heaven is a place where we should go, but it is our state of mind which imagines heaven or hell.

If you are full of darkness, full of negativity, fear and doubt, you become a cave unknowingly. It's a hell within and no matter how much you accumulate, you still remain hollow.

On the other hand, if you are illuminated like the sun, then the darkness of the cave wouldn't matter. You could be in the worst of circumstances, yet you will still be able to find a blessing somewhere...

Carry your heaven within you!!!

BRAILLE SYSTEM

 A blessing for visually impaired

Braille is a system with raised dots read with fingers by people who are blind. It is important to understand that braille is not a language but a code by which many languages such as English, Arabic, and Spanish can be written and read. It is used by many people all over the world and provides a means of literacy for all.

Who are called Visually Impaired?

We see people around us wearing spectacles and prescription glasses. Can we consider such people as visually impaired? The answer is No! Visually impairment is the decrease in the ability of a person’s sight to a large degree such that it cannot be fixed by any conventional means of corrections like glasses and lenses.

The term blind people or blindness refers to a complete or nearly complete vision loss. This visual impairment is a major problem that affects a lot of people worldwide by slowing down the normally active life and daily activities such as walking, reading, or driving.

Causes of Blindness

The disturbance in the path of light inside the eye, also known as refractive error, is the major cause of vision loss around the world. Cataract, the white milky layer over the eyes which blocks the light from entering your eyes, is a close second. With the advancement in technology, many such devices like magnifying glasses, telescopes, etc were made usable for the visually impaired. In fact, blind people can now read, thanks to a new method of writing called Braille. We will explore the language in-depth in this article but one must remember that knowledge is the key to living with low vision or blindness. People with low vision can enhance their quality of life by learning Braille, with the help of which they can be just as voracious readers as normally sighted people. Braille truly is a godsend for the visually impaired.

What is Braille?

It is a system created by Louis Braille who himself suffered from visual impairment to help people like him to cope with the loss of their vision and still be able to read, learn and write like normal people. 

It was based on a military technique known as Night Writing which was developed during Napoleon’s reign. Night writing was developed in response to Napoleon’s demands for a means for soldiers to communicate silently at night without a light to avoid detection. Though it proved too difficult for soldiers to recognize by touch, it was perfect for the visually impaired which is where Louis Braille comes into the picture.  It is a system of raised dots or dents on the pages that can be read with the fingers by people who are blind or who have low vision. Teachers, parents, and others who are not visually impaired ordinarily read braille with their eyes. Braille is not a language. Rather, it is a code by which many languages—such as English, French, Arabic, Japanese, and many other languages may be written and read. Many Indian languages can also be read using Braille. Braille is unique in the fact that it provides means of education for all irrespective of their impairments and is used by millions of people throughout the globe.

Braille Script A to Z

Braille symbols are formed within units of space known as braille cells. A full cell consists of six raised dots arranged in two parallel columns each having three dots. The dot positions are identified by numbers from one to six. Sixty-four combinations are possible using one or more of these six dots. A single cell can be used to represent an alphabet letter, number, punctuation mark, or even a whole word.

The alphabets of Braille:

As you can see from the chart with the alphabets, that it is meant to be picked up easily. You can see a recurring pattern in the alphabet. The second row is a replication of the first row with an addition of an extra dot in the bottom left corner and the third row is much the same with a dotted bottom row. To remember all the alphabets you just have to remember the first row. 

The following images represent the words Cat, Dog, Mouse and Braille:

If you take the dots, two-row at a time you can easily see from the key that it is simply substituting alphabets for dots. Because of this pattern it is very easy to pick up braille and this helps the parents and families of visually impaired people greatly. 

Writing in Braille is also just as simple. A combination of slate and stylus is used. Here the slate has embossing on it, the notation which is mapped to alphabets and the main point to notice is that the dots here are replaced with a hole. So if a paper is placed over the slate, you can make the dents in the pages by poking the page into the Braille holes in the slate with the help of a stylus.

DO YOU KNOW

 Why biscuits have holes in them?

From children to elders, everyone likes to eat biscuits.

Tea and Biscuit is a combination that reigns in the heart of every Indian.

Apart from this, it is such a snack that has been made according to the needs of everyone.

As per the choice of children, biscuits of every flavour are available in the market from chocolate to strawberry.

Also you get sugar-free biscuits for diabetic patients.

But have you noticed something while eating them?

There are holes on them.

While eating them, you must have felt that these holes are made to give the design. However, apart from this, the holes made on the biscuits have scientific reason.

These holes are called dockers, the main reason for making them is to prevent the biscuits from rising too much which increases their size. Manufacturers first spread flour, sugar, and salt on a sheet-like tray which is then placed under a machine before the baking process. This machine then makes holes as desired in the dough.

On the other hand, if these holes are not made in the biscuit, then some air gets filled in them which swells them during heating in the oven. This makes the size of the biscuit bigger.

Apart from this, a scientific reason for

making holes is also to take out the heat

present in them. That is, if there are no

holes, then the heat of the biscuit will

not be able to come out and they will

start breaking from the middle. 

ASIA'S CLEANEST VILLAGE

 Mawlynnong

Mawlynnong is a small village situated around 90 km from Shillong in the East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya and is also known as God's own Garden. It was declared as the cleanest village in Asia in 2003 by Discovery India which certainly makes it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Indian state. Mawlynnong village is a community-based ecotourism initiative where the entire community made collective efforts in making and maintaining the cleanliness of the village.

Mawlynnong offers some of the most picturesque natural beauty with lush green valleys, crystal clear water in the river, an abundance of flowering orchids hanging from the trees and extremely clean roads which makes this small village a worth visiting destination for tourists visiting Meghalaya. Mawlynnong village also offers pleasant weather throughout the year and especially during monsoon, the village tends to extend its elegance which makes the visitors feels like heaven on earth. Apart from its cleanliness, Mawlynnong is also famous for its living root bridges, tribal locals having a 100% literacy rate with exceptional women empowerment and offering warm hospitality to the visitors.

Matrilineal society: As per tradition the females here are quite privileged as the Mawlynnong property and wealth are passed from the mother to the youngest of her daughters, who also keeps the mother's surname.

Mawlynnong is known for its cleanliness. The waste collected in the dustbins made of bamboo is directed to a pit and then used as manure. The travel magazine Discover India declared the village as the cleanest in Asia in 2003, and the cleanest in India in the year 2005.

Umngot river/Dawki river: While visiting Mawlynnong village from Shillong, you will

come across the Umngot/Dawki river

which is known as the cleanest river in

India. The water is so clean and clear that the boats seem like floating on the river bed, which is a once in a lifetime experience. 

Bophill Falls: While travelling to Mawlynnong from Dawki, you will be delighted to witness an amazing piece of natural beauty in the form of a waterfall known as Bophill falls. The water falls at a very incredible force to form a river in the Sylhet border area of Bangladesh, making the water appears milky white in colour. 

Umgrem Falls: Also known as Dawki falls, it is another waterfall situated near the border Road while travelling to Mawlynnong village which is considered as a hidden gem within the Meghalaya which is highly popular among the tourists. 

Sky view: Also called Sky Walk, the place

is a popular attraction at Mawlynnong

village made up of cane and bamboo which

offers complete view of Indo Bangladesh

border along with the village.

Mawlynnong Waterfall: There is another mid-size waterfall within the village itself which is considered as an amazing picnic spot for the tourists where they can enjoy a peaceful afternoon with the tingling sound of the waterfall in the background. 

Living root bridge and Riwai Village: After you have visited all the popular places in the Mawlynnong village, visit Riwai village which is situated just 2 Km away. The village is well known for its beautiful trekking through the rainforests. However, the most popular tourist destination in the village is the living root bridge. It is a small Bridge designed in the form of trees and made up of aerial roots of rubber fig trees for the purpose of crossing the river.

Mawlynnong offers pleasant weather throughout the year and this is why tourists can visit the cleanest village in Asia at any time of the year. However, monsoon is considered the best time to visit the place as the village turns lavishly green and picturesque which provides an unearthly feeling. During September-November, a number of festivals are celebrated around the village.