NOIDA/DELHI
02 EducationPlus
SNAPSHOTS
IISc: cleaning rivers Spellbound by sound
using a nano-composite H
MOHIT M. RAO
A
little bit of sun-
GENE VARIATION shine and a com-
AND OBESITY pound made out
of rare earth ele-
A single ments may hold
the answers to purifying
variation in the polluted rivers criss-cross-
gene for brain- ing the country.
derived neurotropic Scientists from the Indi-
factor (BDNF) may an Institute of Science,
influence obesity in
Bengaluru have developed
a novel reusable nano-
children and adults, composite material, with
says a new study. Cerium being the crucial
compound in it, which can
degrade microbes and
chemical dyes that are
among common effluents
in rivers.
Published in the Journal
of Industrial and Engineer-
ing Chemistry Research re-
cently, the scientists looked
at ceria (CeO2) a cheap rare
earth oxide with properties
that include a strong ab-
sorption of ultraviolet light
(this property also sees it
ICE SHEET
being widely used for UV-
blocking and radiation
MOVING SLOWLY shielding agent).
It is this notion, that the
In the face of
compound can speed up the
melting due to degradation of chemical
global warming,
dyes and the bacterium Es-
cherichia coli (which forms
the movement of a a large chunk of organic
Greenland Ice waste in sewage) led the re-
searchers to develop ceria
Sheet that nanoakes, which com-
terminates on land
has been slowing.
bines ceria with silver salts.
In this composite, ceria ab-
sorbs light across the spec-
trum (and not just UV
light), while the silver salts
(silver phosphate, and sil-
ver bromide) form photo-
Mongoose too can spread rabies
K.S. SUDHI
REWRITE OF MRO U nscientic manage-
ment of domestic
MEMORY waste could lead to the
spread of rabies to wild ani-
Tables stored in mals, as was seen in a vil-
flash memory lage in Kerala.
The issue attains signif-
aboard NASA's icance as the debate over
Mars the management of domes-
Reconnaissance tic refuses and stray dog
population has reached the
Orbiter (MRO) need apex court of the country
to be rewritten for and pro and anti-dog cull-
next year. ing activists are vehement-
ly driving home their
arguments.
Recently, two research-
ers from the Kerala Forest
Research Institute codied
and published reports on 21
cases of rabid mongoose at-
tacking people in Edakkad,
Kannur District, Kerala.
The reported incidents
took place in 2010 and was
considered as the rst re-
A STEM CELL
SURPRISE
New evidence
More brief, above-normal monsoon
suggests that some
human induced
pluripotent stem
rain spells since 1980
cells are the K.S. RAJGOPAL
'functional
equivalent' of
embryonic ones. F or the rst time, a study
published recently has
provided the statistics of
dry and wetter than normal
monsoon season conditions
during July and August over
India for the longest period
(1901-2014) based on a sin-
gle criterion rainfall.
The dry condition, also
called known as break, oc-
curs when large-scale rain-
fall over the monsoon
trough zone (the zone be-
tween which the monsoon
uctuates north and south
STAR-BIRTH: ONE wards) is interrupted for
SIZE FITS ALL several days. On the other
hand, the intervals between
A massive star, spells of dry monsoon con-
25 times the mass ditions when the rainfall is
higher than normal are
of the sun, is known as active spells.
forming in a similar The study was published
way to low-mass in the journal Climate
stars, it is found, Dynamics.
The study found that the
the final piece in a rainfall anomaly during the
long-lasting puzzle. break and active spells was
such that there was above
Researchers managed to degrade methylene blue and methyl orange chemical dyes by 80 per
cent in an hour. PHOTO: ASHOKE CHAKRABARTY
catalysis agents, where
chemical reactions are ac-
celerated in the presence of
light.
The superior photocata-
lytic activity of this nano-
composite for the degrada-
tion chemical dyes is
attributed to its extended
absorption in visible region
and enhanced stability of
the catalyst owing to the
rm adherence of silver
bromide and phosphate to
ceria nanoakes, says Nee-
rugatti Krishna Rao Eswar,
a researcher with the Cen-
tre for Nanoscience and
Engineering, IISc, who is
the lead author of the pa-
per.
The compound was to re-
main stable even after sev-
21 cases of
rabid
mongoose
attacking
people
reported in
Edakkad,
Kerala
port from India on a mas-
sive attack of rabid
mongooses on humans in a
village, said the paper pub-
lished by E.A. Jayson and
Suresh K. Govind of the
Wildlife Department of the
Institute. The paper was
published in the Journal of
the Bombay Natural Histo-
ry Society.
The Indian grey mon-
goose (Herpestes edward-
si), which is distributed
almost throughout India,
Dry and wet
monsoon
season
conditions
studied from
1901 to 2014
normal rainfall during the
active (wet) spell and scanty
or below normal rainfall
during the dry spell.
During the active spell,
rainfall was signicantly
above normal particularly
over the following areas
monsoon trough zone,
along the west coast, along
the foothills of Himalayas
and over southeast Penin-
sula.
The impact of active/
break monsoon conditions
on the rainfall and low level
wind circulation patterns is
not limited to the Indian re-
gion. It is felt over a larger
spatial scale extending up
to west Pacic as well as
other areas of the Asian
The
composite
can speed up
the
degradation
of chemical
dyes and
E. coli
en cycles of its usage with
polluted uids.
The results show that the
composite material ended
up generating large
amounts of hydrogen per-
oxide (a strong oxidizing
agent) that degrades the
feeds on small mammals,
birds, reptiles, fruits, eggs,
and invertebrates. They
live in burrows and breed
throughout the year.
Mongoose species are
known to be vectors of the
rabies virus. Though the oc-
currence of mongoose
transmitted rabies has
been reported from various
countries, the occurrence
of dog rabies has masked its
importance, notes the
paper.
Although the Indian grey
mongoose is listed as a ra-
bies virus vector in India,
the golden jackal is known
to be the principal wild spe-
cies which transmits the vi-
rus. In a survey of incidence
of rabies among wild ani-
mals, 92 cases of mongoose
rabies were conrmed from
wildlife parks and zoos in
India, the paper points out.
An evaluation of the sit-
uation in Kannur proved
The impact of active/break monsoon conditions on the rainfall
and low level wind circulation patterns is not limited to the
Indian region. PHOTO: AP
monsoon region.
During the study period,
both the active and break
spells of short duration of
3-6 days were more fre-
quent than the long dura-
tion (of more than 13 days).
In the case of break spells it
was 63.4 per cent, while it
was 94.3 per cent in the case
of active spells.
During both the halves of
the data period (1901-57
and 1958-2014), there was
dyes and bacteria. Within
60 minutes, nearly all of
methylene blue and methyl
orange (both common
chemical dyes) were de-
graded by the composite. In
comparison, ceria-silver
phosphate compound that
had been synthesized pre-
viously, researchers man-
aged to degrade the
chemical dyes by 80 per
cent in this time frame.
Similarly, for E. coli bac-
terium, colony forming
units (which are responsib-
le for the explosion of bac-
terial population) per ml
had reduced from nearly
200 million units to less
than 100 units in 80 min-
utes when exposed to vis-
ible light.
that the animal population
proliferated as refuses from
poultry farms were
dumped on unattended
holdings along the sea
coast. The easy availability
of food would lead to the
proliferation of the animal
population, unusual situa-
tion of the animals attack-
ing humans too could
emerge, said Dr. Jayson.
The increase in the num-
bers of mongoose and sub-
sequent death of the
animals were noticed by
the villages in Kannur. On
post-mortem examination
of the animals, rabies
symptoms were conrmed,
he said.
As the attention on ra-
bies control focuses on
street dogs, there is need to
watch out for possible
threat of wild populations
getting infected and attack-
ing human beings, he
warned.
to shorter active spells due
monsoon depression days.
no change in the distribu-
tion of the break events.
However, the number of ac-
tive spells showed an in-
crease of about 12 per cent
during the second half; the
increase was mainly in the
short duration (3-6 days)
spells.
In an email to this Corre-
spondent, the lead author of
the paper, Dr. D.S. Pai, who
is the Head of Climate Divi-
sion, India Meteorological
SHUBASHREE DESIKAN
ow many times have you
wished that at the end
of the day, some magic hand
would pick up the things
scattered messily all over the
chairs and tables? That mag-
ic hand, or its ultrasonic
equivalent, has been effec-
tively designed now.
A team of researchers,
Asier Marzo et al, from Uni-
versities of Bristol, Sussex
and Navarre and Ultrahap-
tics Limited have come up
with a way to use sound to
pick up objects.
In a study published re-
cently in Nature Communi-
cations, the team has
demonstrated using 64 mini-
ature speakers how high-
pitch and high-intensity ul-
trasonic sound waves can be
used to surround a small ob-
ject and create a force eld
which can then hold the
object. By manipulating the
output of the loudspeakers
the object can then be
moved.
This is interesting because
it differs from earlier at-
tempts which required that
the object that was to be lift-
ed be surrounded by loud-
speakers in all directions. Dr.
Vanishing African lions
DIVYA GANDHI
A frica's lions are fast 'dis-
appearing from vast
swathes of the continent, in-
cluding from the savannah
grasslands, where they are
the indisputable agship
species, nds a new scientic
paper. Threatened by habitat
loss, a depleting prey base,
poorly regulated sport hunt-
ing and a demand for tradi-
tional African and Chinese
medicines, several lion pop-
ulations have either entirely
disappeared or are expected
to go within the next few dec-
ades, says the paper publish-
ed recently in the
Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences
(PNAS).
Population models suggest
that lions have a 67 per cent
chance of being halved in two
decades in West and Central
and a 37 per cent chance of
halving in East Africa in the
same time frame. Their pop-
ulations are declining every-
where, except in four
southern countries Bot-
swana, Namibia, South Afri-
ca, and Zimbabwe which
may soon supersede the
iconic savannah landscapes
inEast Africaas the most
successful sites for lion
conservation.
The reintroduction of li-
ons in fenced and intensively
managed reserves has been
the key to their growth in
Department, Pune, notes:
It was found that during
the data period, both break
and active days show signif-
icant variation in rainfall
between each decade of the
study period (1901-2014)
for the months of July and
August. This is natural.
According to him, till
around early 1980s there
was more number of mon-
soon depression days lead-
ing to long duration active
spells. Post early 1980s, this
condition reversed leading
to a sudden decrease in the
Post early 1980s, there
was an increase in the short
duration active spells. This
was caused by the signi-
cant increase in periods of
less intense low pressure
than the low pressure on
monsoon depression days.
An increase in periods of
less intense low pressure
compensated for the de-
crease in longer duration
active spells caused by the
monsoon depression days.
THE HINDU | MONDAY | NOVEMBER 2, 2015
Particles ranging from 0.6 to 3.1 mm diameter are levitated
above single-sided arrays. PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Scientists ed the object in a vortex of
sound, and nally, the bottles
have found a were like a cage that trapped
the object within.
way to use In a video released by the
sound to group, the scientist brings in
a small ball, a few millime-
pick up ters across, to a point above
objects the array of loudspeakers. He
then draws away the paper.
As if a pair of ngers is hold-
ing it back, the ball is seized
Marzo and his team achieved and held in place as the paper
it using a plane array of is pulled away. While at the
loudspeakers. moment they are able to ma-
The invisible hand that nipulate objects of width
they created was of three about 2 mm only, the scien-
types tweezers, twisters tists hope to perfect the tech-
and bottles. The tweezers nique to be able to
were similar to lifting the ob- manipulate small, cell-sized
ject with a pair of ngers, objects and also much larger
while the twisters surround- ones.
Lions will be consideredendangered if numbers declined by 50
per cent over three lion generations. PHOTO: AFP
southern Africa, says the
paper.
East Africa and 85 per cent in
West Central Africa between
While the animal is cur- 1970 and 2005. Unless polit-
rently graded as vulnerable
on the World Conservation
ical and funding commit-
ments are scaled up to
Union (IUCN) Red List, it address mounting levels of
will be consideredendan- threat, lions may disappear
gered if numbers declined from most of Africa, the au-
by 50 per cent over three lion thors warn.
generations, it adds. Their For the study researchers
disappearance signalsa ma- looked at data of 47 lion pop-
jor trophic downgrading of ulations. They estimated the
African ecosystems with the population using individual
lion no longer playing a piv- identications, radio teleme-
otal role as apex predator- try, photo databases, tran-
,says the paper. Lions may sects, spoor counts, and
no longer be a agship spe- density estimates. They then
cies of the once vast natural projected the rate of growth
ecosystems across the rest of or decline of each population
the continent. based on several parameters.
Their survival is also in- The authors recommend
extricably linked to prey- that lions should be listed as
base, and herbivore numbers regionally endangered in
declined by 52 per cent in Central and East Africa.
QUESTION CORNER
RED EYES
Why do ones eyes become red on consuming
alcohol?
E.S. CHANDRASEKARAN, Chennai
Since alcohol causes dilation of blood vessels due to
release of histamine so increase in blood ow in vessels.
The tiny blood vessels in sclera , the outermost layer of
our eyes, become dilated causing bloodshot as well as
hot eyes. Our cornea is transparent that's why we can
observe the redness of eyes clearly.
After some time it disappears. Some people tend to
have red eyes very soon after drinking and for longer
duration due to absence of enzyme ALDH2 (aldehyde
dehydrogenase) which is responsible for the breaking
of alcohol into acetic acid and vinegar in liver.
This is genetic and very common in people of East
Asian descent also known as 'Asian ush'. Persons with
this disorder can develop crimson face, headache, nau-
sea, hot eyes etc. even by consuming as little as one
drink. Besides, heavy drinking depletes body of nutri-
ents required for the healthy eyes leading to a condition
termed as alcoholic optic neuritis.
JUNAID ARIF, B.Sc (Biochemistry), Aligarh Muslim University
THIS WEEKS QUESTIONS
Why do cockroaches have spiky legs?
Nisha Sharma, Mysuru, Karnataka
Why do celestial objects spin around their own axis?
Do all celestial objects spin?
Rahul ChanouriaNew Delhi
Readers can send their questions/answers to questioncorner@thehindu.co.in
 NOIDA/DELHI

02 EducationPlus THE HINDU | MONDAY | NOVEMBER 9, 2015

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SNAPSHOTS
Decoding the colours Novel molecule for
on a butterfly cancer therapy
Y. MALLIKARJUN
MOHIT M. RAO

A
new small molecule

F
or the wildlife enthu- synthesised by scien-
EYE DROPS CLEAR siast, the bright col- tists at the Hydera-
ours, rings, spots and bad-based Indian Institute
CATARACTS stripes on the wing of of Chemical Technology
the buttery repre- has shown to effectively
A chemical that sent the pinnacle of natures control growth of cancer-
could potentially be beauty. However, how does a ous cells by preventing the
used in eye drops to predator a bird or a larger mis-expression of a specif-
insect view the wing col- ic micro RNA involved in
reverse cataracts, a ouration and the rings? Does tumour formation.
laeding cause of it tilt the balance in favour of Micro RNAs or miRNAs
blindness, has been the buttery in this millen- play an important role in Dr. Manika Pal Bhadra, one of the study authors, says that
identified by a nia-old battle of survival in cancer biology. They are the team proposes to conduct experiments on rat models.
the evolutionary war that is non-coding RNAs and are
team of scientists. described by biologist Ri- involved in gene regulation
PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

chard Dawkins as the Great- and many developmental in vivo experiments. If it goes through effec-
est Show on Earth? Butterflies are under intense natural selection to be very good mimics. processes. Several thou- HDAC inhibitors are tively in pre-clinical and
A study by scientists from PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT sand miRNAs that control known to promote the clinical studies, there is a
the National Centre for Bi- 30-40 per cent of all genes process of programmed denite chance to add a
ological Sciences (NCBS),
Bengaluru and the National
isnt surprising then that the
palatable Danaid Eggy The lower seems to have affected its
ability to mimic, and in many
have been identied in hu-
man and other organisms.
cell death in which un-
wanted cells that pose a
new molecule for cancer
therapeutics and for re-
University of Singapore (Hypolimnas misippus) has surface of species the males look com- Researchers worldwide are threat to the organism are ducing tumours, said Dr.
(NUS) investigate how well evolutionarily learnt to mim- pletely different from fe- targeting miRNAs to nd destroyed. Manika Pal Bhadra, Head
buttery mimics resemble ic the look of the plain tiger in the wing males. Do their offspring better therapeutics for Interestingly, the re- of the Centre for Chemical
their models, and nds the
complexities that drive the
an effort to fool predators in-
to avoiding eating it.
shows better which inherit genes of mim-
icry as well as colours of sex-
cancer.
In studies carried out in
searchers discovered that
the novel molecule speci-
Biology at IICT and one of
the authors of the study.
evolution of mimicry. The predators point of mimicry than ual advantage see their collaboration with the cally acted as a negative She underlined the fact
Researchers studied over
200 specimens from the lush
view was obtained through
the visual modelling of the
the upper offspring struggle to mimic?
Surprisingly, no. The study
Centre for Cellular and
Molecular Biology, Hyde-
regulator for bantam miR-
NA. The mis-expression of
that the molecule was play-
ing a dual role in not only
DISEASE-SPREAD Western Ghats forests of un- avian colour vision (which nds that evolutionary needs rabad the scientists identi- bantam miRNA is respon- controlling cancerous cell
IN WILD BEES palatable butteries that
serve as models to palatable
differs from the colours and
patterns perceived by hu- eggs, which impairs their es-
trump any genetic dilution.
Another surprising result
ed dual functions of the
newly synthesised mole-
sible for diseases of cell
proliferation that inhibit
growth but was also induc-
ing apoptosis.
An entomologist butteries. For instance, the
Danaus chrysippus (plain ti-
mans).
The study, published in the
cape ight when they are at-
tacked by birds and other
thrown up is that the lower
surface of the wing shows
cule, triazole.
It was found that uncon-
programmed cell death.
With the in vivo studies
Dr. Utpal Bhadra of the
Centre for Cellular and
has come to the ger or African monarch but- latest edition of the journal predators. Because of this better mimicry than the up- trolled cell growth was conducted using Drosophi- Molecular Biology said:
conclusion that tery) protects itself from Evolution, quantitatively risk of predation, female but- per surface which is seen in a drastically reduced when la model (the nature of This work is important as
managed bees are predators by injecting unpal- shows that female butteries teries are under intense butterys ight path. This, the molecule was inserted apoptosis is similar to hu- we used Drosophila for
spreading diseases atable alkaloids from plants were better mimics than natural selection to be very says Mr. Kunte, could be be- into cancerous cell lines. mans), the researchers screening of molecules and
during the larval stage. This their male counterparts. good mimics. cause the buttery is more The molecule also acted as now propose to carry out validation of a molecule for
to wild bees, after protection from predators al- Krushnamegh Kunte from For male butteries, the vulnerable at rest (when its HDAC protein inhibitor in experiments in rat models cancer therapy. The study
analysing study lows it to y leisurely with- NCBS explains: Female but- quest for sexual advantage folded wings displays the human tumour cells and and eventually conduct was published recently in
done in this area. out threat of the predator. It teries carry heavy loads of colours that attract mates lower surface) than at ight. Drosophila larvae during clinical studies. Scientic Reports.

For saving Asian vulture from fatal drugs New light on human
blood formation
K.S. SUDHI
Conservation programmes, steps for ban-
ning the veterinary use of Ke- Our ndings show that the
breeding is
T
toprofen and Aceclofenac urning conventional blood system is two-tiered and

A
fter successfully cam- have to be achieved. wisdom on its head, a changes between early human
paigning for the ban on another The veterinary use of Ke- team of Canadian development and adulthood,
multi-dose vials of
painkiller drug diclofenac in
focus point toprofen has already been
banned in three districts of
scientists has discovered a
completely new view of how
says Dick, director of the
cancer stem cell programme at
HOW BIRD WINGS veterinary use, conservation- of the Tamil Nadu, he said. It has human blood is made. the Ontario Institute for
TAKE SHAPE ists have stepped up pressure
for withdrawing two more
campaign been pointed out that the vet-
erinary use of diclofenac was
According to them, the
whole classic textbook view
Cancer Research. For
redening the architecture of
drugs, which they say, are fa- the major cause of the decline we thought we knew about blood development, the
New research tal for Asian vultures. of vulture population. When blood formation doesnt research team mapped the
has found that the It was recently that the au- India in 2007 was estimated vultures which feed on car- actually even exist. lineage potential of nearly
shape of bird wings thorities slapped a ban on the Vultures disposed of millions of tonnes of waste carrion from at one-thousandth of its level cass of animals treated with Through a series of 3,000 single cells from 33
30 ml multi-dose vials of the dead cattle each year. PHOTO: K. V. UTHAMAN in the early 1990s, the docu- the drug, severe kidney experiments, we have been different cell populations of
is influenced more drug, which was largely re- ment said. damage and extensive viscer- able to nally resolve how stem and progenitor cells
by how closely sponsible for the decline of they, and the services they billed vulture (G. tenuiros- In south India, the vulture al gout were observed. different kinds of blood cells obtained from human blood
related species are the vultures, which used to provided, are nearly all gone, tris), are the worst affected populations have been re- The conservation consorti- form quickly from the stem samples taken at various life
to one another than feed on bovine carcasses. The according a publication of and are threatened with glob- ported from Muthumalai and um has also suggested mon- cell the most potent blood stages and ages.
bird conservationists pointed Saving Asias Vultures from al extinction after rapid pop- Sathyamangalam regions of itoring the ban on veterinary cell in the system and not For people with blood
by flight style. out that twenty years ago Extinction (SAVE), a consor- ulation declines, which began Tamil Nadu, Wayanad of diclofenac, surveys on pop- further downstream as has disorders and diseases, the
there were tens of millions of tium of eleven organisations. in the mid-1990s. Kerala and Bandipur and Na- ulations of vultures to assess been traditionally thought, potential clinical utility of the
vultures in the Indian sub- The three species of Gyps They are listed by IUCN as garhole of Karnataka, where its population trends, testing explained stem cell scientist ndings is signicant,
continent. They provided a vultures endemic to South Critically Endangered, the also the bird numbers are fast of vulture-safe veterinary Dr John Dick. unlocking a distinct route to
valuable ecosystem service and Southeast Asia, oriental highest level of endanger- dwindling, pointed out C. drugs and creation of Vulture The research also topples personalising therapy.
by disposing of millions of white-backed vulture (Gyps ment short of extinction in Sashikumar, a leading Safe Zones. Conservation the textbook view that the The ndings were published
tonnes of waste carrion from bengalensis), long-billed vul- the wild. The oriental white- ornithologist. breeding is another focus blood development system is online in the journal Science.
dead cattle each year. Now ture (G. indicus) and slender- backed vulture population in Besides other conservation point of the campaign. stable once formed. IANS

QUESTION CORNER Why save the rocks of the Deccan Plateau?

RADIATION PROTECTION
DIET STUDY OF SPEAKING OF SCIENCE tems such as mangroves, forests or
animal sanctuaries, of what use are
uing re-adjustment of the layers of
earth, which continues even today.
How do astronauts protect themselves from radiation
PRIMATES in outer space?
these stones and rocks? The volcanoes that resulted and the

A
s our Institute at Hyderabad The answer comes once we real- lava that began owing still contin-
New data about J. MICHAEL NIRANJAN
Madurai, Tamil Nadu
started constructing a new
building, we found a huge
ize how these rocks and boulders
came about in the rst place. The
ue. This is what led to the steps or
staircase-like arrangement of the
chimps' diet has According to the US National Space Administration (NASA), boulder on the site. Such boulders work of geologists over the last cou- landscape in the Mumbai-Pune
been gained based an astronaut's radiation exposure depends on the structure of and rocks are common place in Hyd- ple of centuries has unveiled the Ghats region. These regular forma-
on teeth remains the spacecraft, the materials used to construct the vehicle, the erabad (and indeed in the Deccan scenario of the area, which show us tions as called the Deccan Traps
altitude and inclination of the spacecraft, the status of outer region) and many builders have sim- that these rocks, boulders and steps (borrowing from the Swedish word
vegetable remains zone electron belts, the interplanetary proton ux, ply blasted them away to make room (of the kind we see in the rocks in trapp for staircase). For some stun-
preserved in the geomagnetic eld conditions, solar cycle position, and Extra for buildings. As Hyderabad ex- Mahabaleshwar or Ajanta area) are ning views of the Deccan Trap, go to
dental calculus or Vehicular Activity (EVA) start time and duration among other panded during the last four decades, the result of the churning of the Asteroid impact led to the Google and ask for images. Cynics
plaque of chimps. factors. The Space Radiation Analysis Group (SRAG) of NASA much of the landscape has been re- earth that went on as early as 65 formation of the Deccan Traps. may ask: what use is this barren
measures radiation levels inside and outside the spacecraft. It markably changed from a series of million years ago. Those were the PHOTO: REUTERS land? For the people who live in the
estimates radiation doses to astronauts after assessing inputs boulders to high-rise buildings. pre-human days when giant dino- area, this is an irrelevant, indeed
such as radiation coming from outer space, radiation trapped This irreversible change in the saurs roamed the Indian landscape 66 million years ago that a giant as- irreverent question. And for under-
in the magnetic eld of the Earth after integrating them with landscape has bothered many, and in Punjab, Rajasthan and Deccan. teroid from space came and barged standing the details of our own his-
information on the altitude and inclination of the spacecraft the conservation group Save the The remains of one such dinosaur on earth. The impact was so huge tory, this is a natural gift. Save the
and location and timing of EVAs. SRAG evaluates radiological Rocks at Hyderabad has canvassed that roamed in the Adilabad area that it led to catastrophic changes Rocks Hyderabad ghts a heroic
safety aspects of radioisotopes and radiation-producing against such thoughtless blasting of have been put together and exhib- on earth. Giant series of earth- battle and we wish them well and
equipment carried on the spacecraft Each crewmember carries these natural gifts and for conserv- ited at the Birla Science Museum quakes erupted and massive res support.
a passive radiation dosimeter. SRAG may ask the astronauts to ing them as much as possible. These (which itself stands on such boul- were ignited, wiping out most life Turning to the boulder in our
remain in the shielded areas of the spacecraft and may demand have borne some fruit as some ar- ders) in Hyderabad. Looking at the forms, plant and animals on land building, we asked the world experts
either the cancellation or revised scheduling of EVAs. SRAG chitects have come out with inge- actual bones of the dinosaurs lying and sea. Dark clouds of poisonous on geo-chronology based in Hydera-
ensures that the exposures received by the astronauts remain nious plans to build houses and there, one wonders what caused dust blocked sunlight, vitiating the bad, Drs. Kunchitapadam Gopalan
below established safety limits and are As Low As Reasonably complexes around the boulders, or their extermination from the Ju- atmosphere and climate. This cata- and Kaigala Venkata Subba Rao.
Achievable (ALARA). More details are available at: http:// making the boulders as part of the rassic Park of India of 65 million strophic event changed the entire They tell us that this boulder is ac-
srag.jsc.nasa.gov/spaceradiation/how/how.cfm plan. We too decided to do so and years ago. landscape and natural history of our tually older than 65 million, perhaps
NEW LIGHT ON K.S. Parthasarathy made the boulder part of the ground Geo-chronologists study such earth. close to 1 billion years old! In re-
HEARING LOSS Former Secretary, AERB
oor of the new building, where it events and estimate their time peri- The collaborative work of Profes- spect, we surrounded it with four
THIS WEEKS QUESTIONS ushers visitors. ods. We have such experts at the sor Paul Renne of UC Berkeley, and walls and the artist Surya Prakash
The function of Why does our body temperature rise when we get
fever?
This is yet another example of the National Geophysical Research In- Professor Pande on Indian geochro- covered the walls with murals- as an
pejvakin, a D. Janani, Chennai
debate between ecology and envi- stitute at Hyderabad, Physical Re- nology shows that the effect of such ode to this priceless gift that Mother
molecule that plays ronment on one hand and devel- search Laboratory at Ahmedabad an asteroid impact was not just a Earth has bestowed on us.
What is dark energy? opment and economic demands on and IIT Bombay. One such, Profes- single bang, but a series of earth- Poets retell the past and foretell
a key role in Rakesh Pandey
the other, but with a different focus. sor Kanchan Pande of IIT Bombay, quakes churning out the Indian land the future. Saint Kabir wrote: The
hearing, has been When we light a lamp it always burns in the upward Boulders of Deccan are not green, has been working on the geo-chro- mass, particularly in the Western clay told the potter: you are churn-
direction. Why?
found. Its absence Indu C.,Thrissur
they play no role in agriculture, wa- nology of the Deccan, and has re- and Central regions of India, an area ing me today. There will come a day
ter or the livelihood of the people in cently co-authored a paper in the almost the size of U. P. and M. P. put when I will be churning you.
causes noise-based any signicant way. While we un- journal Science, which gives us an together. The impact was not just a D. Balasubramanian
Readers can send their questions/answers to
hearing loss. questioncorner@thehindu.co.in derstand the role of other ecosys- insight to the scenario. It was over one-off event but a series of contin- dbala@lvpei.org

CM ND-X
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02 EducationPlus THE HINDU | MONDAY | NOVEMBER 16, 2015

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SNAPSHOTS
Western Sahara once Robots learning to walk
MOHIT M. RAO

had a large river network F rom the very rst steps

that an infant takes, to
the expensive surgeries
needed to ensure lower
R. PRASAD limbs function away, walk-
ing remains an integral part
of mankind. In fact, the bipe-

I
f in August 2011 the discovery of dalism, developed through
TIMING IS KEY an underground river in Brazil at evolution, is among the cru-
FOR BIOENERGY a depth of 4 km and stretching for
about 6,000 km made news (The
cial differentiators from our
primate cousins. Scientists are identifying the best possible walking position
Researchers call Hindu, August 31, 2011), scientists
have now discovered evidence of a large
But this simple activity,
oft taken for granted, is quite
for robots that involves minimal energy consumption.
for a rapid shift to river system that once existed in West- complex in reality; and re-
PHOTO: REUTERS

renewable energy,
particularly bio-
ern Sahara.
Based on remote sensing data, the
searchers from the Bengalu-
ru-based Indian Institute of Walking can Engineering, IISc who co-
authored the study.
energy, to avoid existence of a 520 km-long vast ancient Science (IISc) have shown be envisioned The researchers have
river network has been established un- that the uniquely clumsy identied ve physical con-
climate change, der the parched sands of the Mauritania style can be envisioned as a as a straints for instance, mid-
ahead of Climate coast. The river is shallowly buried at sequence of controlled sequence of stance velocity (how fast to
Talks in Paris. present under wind-borne sediments, falls that can be optmised to walk), step angle (how large
says a paper published a few days ago in develop better robots. controlled the steps are) and pushing
the journal Nature Communications.
Water may last have owed through the
Published recently in the
Journal of Bioinspiration
falls capacity (muscles in humans
or motors in robots) to cal-
channels some 5,000 years ago. and Biomimetics, the study culate the optimum con-
Recently, a submarine channel sys- was aimed at identifying the straints for a robot to ensure
tem the Cape Timiris Canyon was constraints of walking and effect on the dynamics of the bi-pedal walking while using
discovered on the Western Sahara mar- so, identifying the best pos- system that is pivoted at the minimal power.
gin off the Mauritania coast. Generally, Evidence of a 520-km long vast ancient river network under the parched sands of sible walking position for ro- hips. A little push is all that is In future, we aim to re-
large-scale submarine channels occur the Mauritania coast has been established. PHOTO: AFP bots that involves minimal needed to move the swinging ne our models to more ac-
off major river mouths. Hence, the Cape energy consumption. The leg forward, and after that, it curately capture the effects
Timiris Canyon must have been linked
to a major river system some time in the Water may last presence of sediments transported by
river were deposited in the Arguin Ba-
work, says the study, can be
used eventually to develop
uses gravity to move for-
ward. The swinging leg then
of the heel striking the
ground, and the energy
recent past. have flowed sin during the mid-Holocene (between bi-pedal robots or even hu- becomes the stance leg, and spent to lift and place legs of
Earlier studies have argued for the 11,000 and 6,500 years ago) suggesting man exoskeletons. the alternative motion con- nite mass, says Mr. Pat-
presence of a large river system in through the that the Tamanrasett River was active Human walking follows tinues. naik. The mechanical under-
BIRDS PREFER Western Sahara. Now, combined with channels some during that period. the inverted pendulum And thus walking be- standing of all the muscles
LOVE TO FOOD geomorphological and sedimentary da- According to the authors, the pres- model. One leg is the stance comes a sequence of con- that goes into walking can
ta already available, the French team 5,000 years ago. ence of the river system during the re- or weight bearing leg, while trolled falls, says Lalit eventually be translated to
Wild birds will suggests that a major river system was cent humid periods provides the the other swings forward. Patnaik from the Depart- motor functions of the ro-
sacrifice access to indeed reactivated during some of the In fact, a fth of the drainage network missing link between the development The swinging leg has little ment of Electronics System bots, he says.
humid periods of the last 245,000 reconstructed matches perfectly with of lakes over Algeria, and Mauritania,
food in order to years, and this river system could have the digital projection model. uvial evidence in Algeria and the river-
stay close to their
partner over the
winter, according
to a new study at
contributed sediments to the Tropical
Atlantic margins during that time.
The authors utilised the data provid-
ed by the Japanese PALSAR radar that
Satellite images reveal that the
course of the ancient river is perfectly
aligned with ancient valleys identied
in the Arguin Basin and proximal trib-
ine signals recorded in the Arguin Ba-
sin. The present study supports the
hypothesis that there was a major drop
in wind-borne sediments to the North-
Now, spider eats a bat
uses L-band frequency to discover the utaries of the Cape Timiris Canyon sys- eastern Tropical Atlantic Western
Oxford. ancient river system. The L-band radar tem. Ocean during the time the river net- K.S. SUDHI
has the potential to see through even The river would have got its water work was active.
metres of loose sand material and can from heavy rainfall in the Western Sah- This nding provides yet another
identify geomorphological features that
are now buried under wind-borne sedi-
aran region during the early Holocene
African humid periods. At that time,
evidence of the extent of the Saharan
wetting during AHPs [African humid A spider feeding on a bat
may sound strange and
taken straight out of science
ments. However, the radar could not equatorial lakes reached their highest periods] and should thus provide valua-
peer through thick sand dunes. level and the present-day Saharan des- ble constraints for numerical simula- ction. But researchers have
But whatever has been reconstructed ert was the location of extensive vegeta- tions of West African climate reported such an event from
perfectly matches with an earlier digital tion, animal life and human throughout the late Quaternary, they Kerala.
projection model of a large river system. settlements, the authors write. The write. It was a giant wood spider
(Nephila pilipes) that
stunned the researchers of

Philae: one year on comet 67P

the Kerala Agricultural Uni-
versity, Thrissur, through
its surprising feeding habits.
The spider was caught feed-
CARBON DECLINE R. PRASAD der was meant to push it down as the comet moved nearer to ing on a Vespertilionid bat
IN U.S. FORESTS to counteract the recoil from the Sun, heading towards clos- on the University campus.
the harpoon. But attempts to est approach in August. But The Giant golden silk orb Giant golden silk orb weavers of genus Nephila feed on
Currently, the
carbon sequestered O n November 12, it was a
year since Philae made
its historic landing on the
arm the thruster the night be-
fore had failed.
Besides helping in locking
only eight intermittent con-
tacts were made between
June 13 and July 9.
weavers of genus Nephila
feed primarily on small in-
small insects too. Photo: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

to the Mygalomorph family,

in US forests Comet 67P/Churyumov-Ge- Philae to the surface on mak- Only intermittent contacts
sects like jewel beetles.
However, they have been Only 2 cases Theraphosidae, and the ara-
partially offsets the rasimenko. Rosetta arrived at ing contact, the harpoons were made as the increasing observed to go for large of spider naeomorph families Neph-
nation's emissions, the Comet 67P on August 6 were to serve another impor- sunlight led to increased ac- catches like cicadas, moths, ilidae, Araneidae and
but that could and Philae was delivered to tant function they contain tivity on the comet. Rosetta grasshoppers, [and even] eating a bat Sparassidae. Most of the
change over the the surface on November 12.
Rosetta did an initial survey
sensors that can measure the
temperature below the sur-
was forced to retreat to sever-
al hundred kilometres for
bats, sh, frog, lizards,
snakes and rats, according
reported bats captured by spiders be-
long to the families Vesper-
next 25 years. before selecting the Agilkia re- face. So the agency might at- safety, well out of range with to a report published in a from India tilionidae and
gion as the landing site. How- tempt to retry ring the Philae. Over the past few recent issue of the journal Emballonuridae.
ever, the Agilkia region did not Philae has completed 80 % of harpoons if contact with Phi- weeks, with the comets activ- Current Science. In all the two cases of spi-
turn out to be a perfect site as its planned first science lae is restored. ity now subsiding, Rosetta has Of the 52 reported events a bat being predated upon by ders feeding on bats report-
it had a very hard surface. The sequence. PHOTO: REUTERS Despite the unplanned started to approach again. of a spider eating a bat, only a spider in the eld. ed from India, the prey
hard surface caused the Philae bouncing, Philae completed This week it reached 200 km, two were reported from In- The bat species that was belonged to the Pipistrellus
to bounce on landing. the surface, notes a European 80 per cent of its planned rst the limit for making good con- dia, including one from preyed upon was identied species, indicating that the
A year after Philae landed at Space Agency release. science sequence before fall- tact with Philae, and on No- Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary as one belonging to a Pipis- large spiders were probably
the Agilkia region, scientists The harpoons, capable of ing into hibernation when the vember 12 it dips to within 170 in Kerala. The rst report of trellus species of Vesperti- a potential predator of the
have found why Philae working in both softer and primary battery got exhaust- km, the release notes. bat being caught in a spider lionidae family. The head of small-sized bats of the fam-
bounced. Ice screws, har- harder material, were sup- ed, the release claims. The The comet is now heading web was noted in 1842. the bat could not be reco- ily Vespertilionidae, observ-
poons and a small thruster posed to re on contact and secondary batteries could not out beyond the orbit of Mars The insectivorous bats vered for cranial and dental ed the authors.
were to be used to secure Phi- lock Philae to the surface. But be charged as there was not and the temperatures are dip- occupy a relatively safe posi- character examination as The spider web was on a
lae after it landed on the that did not happen. enough sunlight in Philaes - ping. Beyond January-end tion in the food web, usually the spider had already eaten tree at height of about 2
comet surface. The ice screws The problem was either nal location at Abydos. In the Philae cannot work as the being predated upon only by the bats head. Hence, the metres from the ground.
JAWS AND were designed keeping in with the four bridge wires absence of fully powered sec- temperature will dip below owls, hawks and snakes. On- species-level identication The presence of human be-
mind a relatively soft materi- taking current to ignite the ex- ondary batteries, science mea- 51 degree C. The plan is to end ly a few people who study of the bat could not be con- ings near its web, it ap-
CLIMATE CHANGE al, but the Agilkia region turn- plosive that triggers the har- surements will not continue. the mission with a controlled bats (chiropterologists) and rmed, it was reported. peared, might have deterred
ed out to be very hard and so poons, or the explosive itself. Plan was to reactivate Philae impact of Rosetta on the sur- arachnologists (who study The spiders that dom- the spider from completing
The hunting the screws failed to penetrate The thruster on top of the lan- once the batteries get charged face in September 2016. spiders) have ever reported inate bat-predation belong its feed, the authors note.
ability and growth
of sharks will be
impacted by
increased CO2
levels and warmer
oceans by the end FLAME DIRECTION
QUESTION CORNER
Antarctica sanctuaries talks fail
of the century. When we light a lamp, it always burns in the upward direction, K.S. RAJGOPAL penguins, whales, seabirds, colos- When the revised proposal was
why? sal squid and the remarkable Ant- introduced, Russia stated that
INDU. C THRISSUR, KERALA arctic toothsh the main target they had continued concerns
A ame is a burning gas drawing fuel through a wick or from a fuel pipe (as
in case of gas stove). The burning gas is at a very high temperature, making U nfortunately, this year too
the meeting of the Commis-
sion for Conservation of Antarc-
of shing companies in the re-
gion.
The Southern Ocean is a cru-
with the proposals which relate
to research and monitoring, how
to review the effectiveness of the
it much lighter in density as compared to the surrounding air at room
temperature. As we know a lighter substance always moves against the tic Marine Living Resources cial area for scientic research, MPA and how long the MPA
gravity when dipped in a medium of heavier density, so is the case in a (CCAMLR) ended without reac- both for studying how intact ma- would be in effect as well as con-
ame. As the hot gas is pulled in the upward direction, the vacuum caused hing an agreement on the estab- rine ecosystems function and for cerns about some of the specics
is lled up by surrounding gases comprising oxygen, nitrogen etc. The lishment of the Marine Protected determining the impacts of global related to the Krill Research
oxygen accelerates the burning of fuel and the ame is sustained till the Areas (MPAs). climate change. Zone.
fuel exhausts. Another interesting observation about the ame is that the The goal of CCAMLR, now The Ross Sea and East Antarc- Dae Levine, Communications
shape of the ame is narrow at the top as it goes up and up. This is because numbering 25 members (24 na- tica proposals were put on the Director of Antarctic Ocean Alli-
as the gases are pushed up, their velocity increases. As the velocity tions and the European Union), is Russia seems reluctant to table in 2011, and 2012 respec- ance, noted in an email to this
increases, the diameter reduces as at every section vertically, same amount to preservemarine life and envi- support the two proposals. tively. They have both been Correspondent: From our per-
ronmental integrity in and near stalled since October 2012, due to spective, its difficult to know ex-
LESS SNOW, of gases are passing. In a media with no gravity, such as in the space, it is
Antarctica. It meets every year in
PHOTO: REUTERS
blocking actions by several coun- actly what is driving Russias
difficult to predict which way the ame would turn and it all depends on
LESS WATER the difference in density of gases around the ame. With no gases around, late October to deliberate on the rounding East Antarctica conti- tries, most notably Russia. A ray reluctance to support these pro-
the ame would normally be spherical in shape. establishment of MPAs in the nent proposed by Australia, of hope in this years meeting is posals. Russia has identied
Snow- S.P.S. JAIN Antarctic Ocean. France and the EU. that China has joined with the US what seems to be an evolving set
dependent Greater Noida The marine protected areas are The creation of an MPA to pro- and New Zealand to support the of concerns which limit their
those where certain activities are tect 946,998 square km of East Ross Sea proposal. ability to support the proposals.
drainage basins limited or prohibited to meet Antarctic waters would allow ex- On the nal day of this years We cant speculate on why this is
across the northern THIS WEEKS QUESTION specic conservation, habitat ploratory and research activities CCAMLR meeting, New Zealand happening, but its clear that
hemisphere run the Why does it rain heavily all of a sudden, while at times it takes a while for it protection, or sheries manage- within the MPA if they are con- and the U.S. introduced the re- many modications have been
risk of declining to become heavy? ment objectives. sistent with its objective pro- vised version of the Ross Sea made to both the East Anatarctic
At stake are two key proposals tection of biodiversity. MPA proposal. This new version Ocean and Ross Sea proposals
supplies in the Vasudev, Chennai
an MPA in the Ross Sea pro- The Southern Ocean is home to of the proposal now includes ak- when countries came ready to ne-
coming century. posed by U.S. and New Zealand more than 10,000 unique species rill research zoneon the western gotiate with clearly dened con-
Readers may send their questions/answers to questioncorner@thehindu.co.in
and the other, in the ocean sur- including most of the worlds boundary of the MPA. cerns.
CM ND-X
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02 EducationPlus THE HINDU | MONDAY | NOVEMBER 23, 2015

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SNAPSHOTS
Chennais new strategy to eliminate TB
R. PRASAD
The 'island of will form the key focus of
the project.
in an accelerated fashion to-
ward the pre-elimination
elimination' For instance, the gaps in phase, which is seen in

T
hanks to the Zero TB ghting the disease have al- wealthy health systems
Cities project, if all strategy does ready been identied by the where TB exists but is no
goes well, Chennai
may drastically re-
not call for Chennai Corporation, and
ruling out TB in HIV positive
longer an urgent public
health problem, Mr. Nichol-
duce TB mortality, any adults using an advanced son said. Realistically we
shrink the number of new
cases annually and impact
breakthrough tool (GeneXpert) has been
going on since June this year.
expect that any city can ex-
pect to reach pre-elimina-
WHEN DID ANDES TB prevalence in the city in a
matter of 3-5 years. municipal authorities in Li-
Actively tracing and testing
people living in the same
tion phase with
comprehensive approach.
the
FORM? Chennai has been chosen ma or Chennai stand up and household as a recently diag- Only after the infrastructure
as one of two cities in the identify TB as a priority pub- nosed TB patient and there- is in place to search, treat
The Andes have world where the Zero TB Ci- lic health menace that needs fore at high risk of and prevent will moving to-
been a mountain ties project will try to create to be tackled, other locations contracting the disease is al- ward the more ambitious
chain for much an island of elimination; may follow suit, and build ready being done. From goals of zero deaths, zero
Lima in Peru is the other their own locally appropriate Stop TB we are already sup- transmission, and ultimately
longer than city. The project will be for- plans to more toward ulti- porting a TB REACH project zero patients be even con-
previously thought. mally launched in Chennai mate elimination of TB.If we in Chennai which among ceptually possible.
It has gone up in a few months time. can help, we will of course The project intends to fight the TB war in Chennai by actively searching for people with TB other things is focussing on Despite the disease being
slowly over at least The project will be imple- nd a way to do so, Mr. Ni- disease. PHOTO: K. MURALI KUMAR how to implement contact airborne and presence of a
mented by the Municipal cholson said. investigation better, said large population infected
the last 30 million Corporation of Chennai with The goal is to help com- ght against tuberculosis as in an email to The Hindu. tools for early and accurate Dr. Sahu. with TB bacteria (latent TB)
years and are the the Chennai-based REACH munities move to zero the global decline in the Making a marked depar- diagnosis and providing ap- The city is planning to go acting as a reservoir, Mr. Ni-
result of gradual and the National Institute deaths from tuberculosis in number of new TB cases ev- ture from the current highly propriate therapy immedi- beyond household contacts cholson is condent that TB
thickening of the for Research in Tuberculosis their own way, and create ery year has been extremely ineffectual methods used to ately, and nally by making to look for hotspots of trans- can be and has been con-
(NIRT) assisting it. islands of elimination, slow in the last 25 years. At tackle the disease, the pro- sure the right supportive mission in slums and poverty trolled in thousands of set-
crust. Our U.S.-based team which will hopefully reverse this rate, it will take another ject envisages a comprehen- programmes are in place to pockets, and to implement tings in the past.
partnered with the Clinton the overall tuberculosis epi- two centuries to eliminate sive tuberculosis keep patients on therapy. active case nding in such While referring to the
Health Access Initiative demic, Pamela Das, Execu- the disease, The Lancet elimination strategy at the Fortunately, the Revised settings, said Dr. Sahu. problems posed by migra-
(CHAI) India, to do exten- tive Editor and Richard notes. community level by using all National Tuberculosis Con- Seamless integration be- tion of people into the city
sive scoping missions across Horton, Editor-in-Chief, The Zero TB Cities project the currently available arse- trol Programme (RNTCP) tween public and private sec- from high-burden settings
major Indian cities starting note in an Editorial in The that began in 2014 and nals. The island of elimina- guidelines are very forward tors for TB care will be less Mr. Nicholson said: The Ze-
in 2014. Over the course of Lancet. launched in active form last tion strategy does not call looking and already advocate challenging in Chennai as ro TB Cities approach needs
several visits, Chennai came The icker of hope shines month has earnestly em- for any breakthroughs but most of the strategies to be the Corporation and REACH to be part of a larger move-
out as the strongest site to brightly amidst the gloomy braced the Zero TB Declara- only requires a change of adopted by the Zero TB Ci- already work closely with the ment and cannot fully suc-
explore a Zero TB City ap- and grim tuberculosis scena- tion in 2012 that calls for a mindset and better use of ties project. private sector to make case ceed in isolation in India in
proach in India, Tom Ni- rio in the country 220,000 new global attitude in the methods and tools that al- Though how soon the ini- notication more effective terms of getting to the nal
cholson associate in research avoidable TB deaths in 2014 ght against TB. ready exist. tial objective will be reached and to address the issue of zeros in Chennai.
at the Duke Center for In- in people who were HIV neg- In India, there is evi- To cut the transmission will depend on how quickly availability of TB medicines The Project is a collabora-
ternational Development ative and 2.2 million new TB dence that transmission of cycle and reduce mortality, and how well the programme to people approaching pri- tive effort between Har-
(DCID), Durham, and who is cases, accounting for 23 per TB is much higher in cities, the project intends to ght is rolled out, Chennai al- vate practitioners. In a small vards Department of Global
CORALS AND heading the new project said cent of the global total. The and cities are often the the TB war in Chennai by ready enjoys a head start. To- way, REACH already has a Health and Social Medicine,
CLIMATE CHANGE in an email to The Hindu.
The very objective of the
country today faces the
world's greatest TB crisis de-
source of infection for rural
communities. So, getting to
actively searching for people
with TB disease, providing
gether with
stakeholders NGOs, pri-
other public-care representative
embedded in private hospi-
Duke Universitys Sanford
School of Public Policy and
New research project is that other cities in
India and elsewhere take the
spite halving TB prevalence
and the mortality rate in the
zero in cities will eliminate
important reservoirs of TB,
preventive therapy to people
infected with TB and belong-
vate practitioners, pharma-
cies, deans of medical
tals to facilitate medicine
availability to poor patients.
Duke Center for Interna-
tional Development. Stop TB
has found that fat initiative in a similar way last 25 years. Dr. Suvanand Sahu, Deputy ing to high-risk groups, con- colleges and NIRT the We see Zero TB as a Partnership provides the op-
helps coral survive and tackle their own TB epi- Business as usual can no Executive Director of Stop trolling TB transmission by Corporation has already ini- long term goal, a catch-all erational and strategic
heat stress over the demics urgently. When the longer be an option in the TB Partnership, Geneva said routinely using efficient tiated some measures that way of saying we are moving collaboration.
short term and
over the long term.
Some corals resist
repeated bouts of
heat stress called
Drinking pie melon juice may counter diabetes REGENERATING
bleaching due to
the presence of fat.
Y. MALLIKARJUN
Juice should
not be
world have been increasingly
consuming processed calo-
rie-rich and energy-dense
BONES
D rink juice of Mother Ma-
ry's Pie Melon (Dosa- consumed if foods and beverages.
He said the study looked at THROUGH
the fruit
kaya in Telugu; Dosaka in
Tamil) and counter the life-
style diseases like diabetes, tastes bitter
nding a traditional dietary
method which would be ben-
ecial in terms of health.
NANOPARTICLES
obesity and cardiovascular Another unique nding
disorders. was that Dosakaya juice re-
With sugar-laden diet and tion, Dosakaya juice boosted duced sucrose feeding in- MOHIT M. RAO
beverages posing a major risk the indigenous anti-oxidant duced hyperlipidemia
factor for lifestyle diseases defence system of the body (excessive amounts of fats
such as diabetes, obesity and by multiple mechanisms. and fatty substances in

A
degradable polymer, with a tinge of a new-age
cardio-vascular disorders, a The results of the research blood), a major risk factor for carbon nanomaterial, can perhaps one day be
NEW EBOLA group of scientists from Indi- work were published in heart diseases. It was also used to mend broken bones.
an Institute of Chemical Pharmacognosy Magazine in found that it reduced trigly- A recent study by scientists at the Indian
VACCINE IS SAFE Technology, Hyderabad has Dosakaya juice also reduced sucrose feeding induced the October-December, 2015 ceride levels in blood. We Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru suggests that
studied the effect of Dosa- hyperlipidemia (excessive amounts of fats and fatty issue. are the rst group to work on
A clinical trial of kaya (DK) (Cucumis melo substances in blood) say Dr. Ashok Tiwari (sitting). PHOTO: Lead author of the study Dosakaya. Our highlight is its
3D scaffolds of graphene composites can be used
for bone tissue regeneration as they mimic the
a new Ebola var. chito) juice on sucrose- SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT and senior principal scientist therapeutic effects against environment of the bone.
vaccine found it is induced glucose intolerance at IICT, Dr. Ashok Kumar Ti- diabetes and cardio-vascular The researchers from the department of
well tolerated and and oxidative stress. While diovascular disorders and During the study, the sci- wari, said our literature as risk factors, he added. Materials Engineering went about strengthening
glucose intolerance leads to cancer. entists orally administered well as international litera- Dr. Tiwari cautioned Polycaprolactone (PCL) a biodegradable
stimulates strong more than normal levels of Dosakaya fruit is widely prepared sugar solution to ture over the years has against consuming juice polymer by adding graphene, a two-dimensional
immune responses glucose in the blood stream used in different culinary rats for a month. When the shown that people who ad- when the fruit tastes bitter as hexagonal lattice of carbon atoms.
in adults in Mali (also called pre-diabetes items in South India. It dis- animals were given Dosakaya here to traditional dietary it could be toxic. He said dia- Though PCL is biodegradable, it is considered
and the U.S. Larger state), oxidative stress is plays multiple anti-oxidant juice, it was found that the practices are least prone to betics should consult their too soft to be used as a bone template. However,
caused by free radicals and activities which help in pre- glucose intolerance inducing develop modern-day lifestyle physicians before consuming graphene has a strength that is more than 200
trials of the vaccine associated with many diseas- venting damage to tissues capacity of sucrose was sig- diseases. Since the past 50 as its cumulative effect might times that of steel.
has already begun. es, including diabetes, car- caused by free radicals. nicantly reduced. In addi- years, people around the lead to hypoglycaemia. The addition of graphene dioxide was found to
have increased the strength of PCL by 22 per cent
and its capacity to resist deformation by 44 per

QUESTION CORNER Genetic cataloguing of generated species-specic

DNA barcodes of nearly 500
marine and freshwater spe-
Vembanad Lake holds
rich sh diversity with ap-
proximately 142 n and
cent enough to
sustain bone growth,
while also being Arrangement
aquatic germplasm cies. The current project
envisages generating DNA
shellsh species recorded
so far. The Ashtamudi Estu-
biodegradable. of cells in 3D
The purpose of the
DARK ENERGY barcodes of the sh and ary, which is fed by the Kal- scaffold is to provide scaffolds is
What is dark energy?
shellsh species, which will
serve as specic markers to
lada River, is a tropical
brackish water habitat in
only a temporary
home for the
similar to
RAKESH PANDEY
Dark energy is some kind of energy which is said to exist but
facilitate accuracy in docu- the Kollam District. It sup- regenerating cells. The what is seen
scientists know very little details of it. About 14 to 15 billion
menting the valuable sh
resources of the study area.
ports 92 sh species includ-
ing prawns, crabs and other
scaffold should
degrade slowly over
inside bone
years ago, when the Big Bang happened, the universe came into
existence. The matter formed from huge energy started ex-
Approximately 250 species bivalves, of which 28 are of time allowing for tissue
of n shes and shell shes commercial importance, healthy tissue to
panding due to outward force of the Big bang. From the theory are reported so far from the research document eventually replace the
of gravity postulated by Einstein, the particles having mass these wetlands in Kerala, said. scaffold, says Sachin
should attract each other and the expansion of the Universe said the project document. According to the project Kumar, the lead author of the study published in
should stop at one point of time. The Ramsar Convention document, the genetic cata- the Journal of Biomedical Materials Research.
However from the observations made by the astronomers, it has listed 2,122 wetlands of loguing of the species of the The researchers viewed the response of
appeared that the rate of expansion has increased after about 7 international importance wetlands was not carried osteoblast cells (bone precursors) to grapheme-
billion years. This shows that some other force is acting against spreading over 20.53 crore though the resources were based polymer that was made as a 2-D structure (a
the gravity which is forcing the expansion of universe instead hectare across the world. In assessed. Taxonomic ambi- plane surface) and a 3D structure with protruding
of contraction. Scientists gave name to this unknown force as DNA barcodes for the fish varieties would be prepared under India, there are 26 Ramsar guity existed in several nanoparticles.
the dark energy. the project. PHOTO: H. VIBHU sites which cover 6.89 lakh groups of shes and there In 2-D scaffolds, the osteoblast cells spread at
It is interesting to know that what we see as the matter in the hectare. The wetlands of In- was the possibility of many least 15 per cent more on the composite, and were
universe in the form of stars, planets, clouds of dust, only forms K.S. SUDHI ta Lake and Vembanad-Kol dia are considered as the of them misidentied. spread across the sheet in a random pattern, than if
about 5 per cent of the universe mass, rest being dark energy Wetland in Kerala. most threatened of all eco- The Project Investigator one were to use a regular PCL. However, in 3D
(about 68 per cent) and dark matter (about. 27 per cent).
S P S JAIN
Former Member, Engineering, Indian Railways, Greater Noida A genetic catalogue of the
aquatic germplasm of
the Ramsar sites of Kerala
Under the project sup-
ported by the Kerala State
Council for Science Tech-
systems in India due to hab-
itat degradation, salinity,
excessive inundation, water
Divya P.R. says the study
would help in developing
species-specic molecular
scaffolds, the cells have a compact arrangement
similar to what is seen inside bone tissue. Also,
bone mineralization (process needed for
THIS WEEKS QUESTIONS using molecular tools will nology and Environment, pollution, excessive devel- signature through DNA strengthening the bone) was found to be higher in
soon be created. DNA barcodes for the sh opment like road building, bar-coding of the sh diver- 3-D scaffolds as compared with 2-D substrates.
Is there any effect of neutrinos when they pass through The Kochi-based Penin- varieties would be pre- the document pointed out. sity of the Ramsar sites of And in these observations, lie the opportunity
our body? sular and Marine Fish Ge- pared. The project attains The rain-fed Sastham- Kerala. The DNA-based ap- for research into nanocomposites for medical
BHANU JAMWAL, Jandial, Jammu & Kashmir netic Resources Centre (the signicance in the wake of kotta Lake, the largest fresh proaches could resolve the sciences.
regional centre of the Na- the decline of the extent of water lake of Kerala, is taxonomic ambiguities and While the study demonstrates the suitability of
Why is it very difficult to burn a heap of fresh green tional Bureau of Fish Ge- wetlands due to anthropo- spread out in the adjacent may even lead to the pos- using the composite for bone regeneration, the
leaves but once the leaves dry up they burn easily? netic Resources, Lucknow) genic activities and the re- villages of Sasthamkotta, sible identication of new researchers believe either of the two structures
SHARATH CHANDRA has embarked on a project sultant loss or the Mynagappally and West species hoped the could be used depending on the type of bone tissue
What are gravitational waves? to prepare the document of extinction of countless spe- Kallada of Kunnathur Ta- scientists. damage. According to Dr. Kumar, while 3-D
CHAITANYA VUDDANTI, Hyderabad the shell and n sh varie- cies of plants and animals, luk of Kollam District. Ear- A handbook on the sh scaffolds are better for bone tissue engineering,
ties of the sh diversities of explained the Scientist-in- lier researchers have species diversity of the re- 2-D scaffolds may nd use in bone tissue repair.
Readers may send their questions/answers to the Ramsar sites of Ashta- charge of the Centre. recorded the presence of 26 gion has also been planned,
questioncorner@thehindu.co.in
mudi estuary, Sasthamkot- The Bureau has already sh species from the lake. they said.
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02 EducationPlus THE HINDU | MONDAY | NOVEMBER 30, 2015

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SNAPSHOTS
Alas, topical steroids sold Ramanujans gift: solutions
as over-the-counter drugs to elliptic curves
SHUBASHREE DESIKAN nujans notes, and we figured
R. PRASAD out his secret[Ramanujan]
arrived at the formulae on

A s numbers go, 1729, the this page by producing a

C
orticosteroids can be Hardy-Ramanujan much more general identity.
sold in India only on number, is not new to math One which I recognised as a
ANTS' SEX production of a regis- enthusiasts. But now, this K3 surface (a concept that
tered medical practi- number has triggered a ma- mathematician Andrew
DETERMINATION tioners prescription jor discovery on Ramanu- Wiles used for solving Fer-
as they are included in sched-
25 per cent of ule H of the Drugs and Cos-
jan and the theory of what
are known as elliptical
mats last theorem), an ob-
ject that mathematicians did
the progeny metics Rules 1945. However, curves. not discover until the
produced by a footnote in the Rules ex- The anecdote goes that 1960s, notes Dr Ono.
empts eye ointments and once when Hardy visited Ra- Ramanujan died in 1920,
inbreeding in ants topical preparations like skin
Ramanujan arrived at the
manujan who was sick, Har- formulae by producing a long before mathematicians
is sterile. Scientists ointments, creams and lo- dy remarked: I had ridden much more general identity. discovered the K3 surfaces,
discovered that this tions from the list. in taxicab number 1729, and but from research done by
is due to the Thus, topical preparations
presence of two containing steroids, includ-
it seems to me a rather dull
number. I hope it was not an 1729 is the Ono and Trebat Leder, it
transpires that he knew of
separate sex
ing strong corticosteroids,
prescribed by dermatologists
unfavourable omen. To this sum of two these functions long before.
Ramanujan had replied, No, Dr Ono continues, Ramanu-
determination and others can essentially be Steroid cocktails mixed with antifungal and anti-bacterials make the drugs extremely dangerous, it is a very interesting num- cubes in two jan produced so many mys-
regions inants. sold as over-the-counter
(OTC) drugs.
irrational and may lead to emergence of drug resistance. PHOTO: MOHAMMED YOUSUF ber. It is the smallest num-
ber expressible as the sum of
different terious formulas, which can
be misunderstood at first
Even ofloxacin, which is a
Ofloxacin, a drugs extremely dangerous published a few days ago in two cubes in two different ways glance. We have come to
schedule H1 drug, is freely and irrational. Use of irratio- The BMJ. ways. learn that Ramanujan was
used in topical preparations, schedule H1 nal topical steroid combina- Topical steroids can cause Yes, 1729 = 93 + 103 and looked again and found that perhaps the greatest antici-
said Dr. Abir Saraswat, der- tions can lead to drug substantial and permanent
matologist based in Lucknow drug, is resistance. damage, especially to thin
also 1729 = 123 +13
This story is often narrat-
there was another equation
on the same page that indi-
pator of mathematics. His
bizarre methods and formu-
and a member of the Indian
Association of Dermatolo-
freely used in Dermatologists are seeing
increasingly widespread fun-
skin such as on the face and
groin, even if used for a short
ed to explain Ramanujans cated Ramanujan had been las have repeatedly offered
familiarity with numbers but working, even then, on a fa- hints of the future in mathe-
gists, Venereologists and topical gal diseases where the use of period of 15 days. Side effects not more than that. Recent mous seventeenth century matics. In this case, we have
Leprologists.
The schedule H1 category
preparations irrational combination drugs
has been implicated. The fun-
include pigmentation and
atrophy of the skin. Misuse
discoveries have brought to
light that it was far from co-
problem known as Fermats
Last Theorem (proved by
added to Ramanujans leg-
end.
was introduced with an ex- gal diseases do not respond to of steroid combinations can incidence that Ramanujan Andrew Wiles in 1994). Commenting on their own
press intent of preventing register that has details of pa- conventional drugs for con- cause bacterial or fungal re- knew the properties of 1729. I thought I knew all of the work on this, he says, He
any misuse of 46 third and tients and prescribing doc- ventional duration and dose, sistance, which can make in- There are now indications papers there, but to my sur- [Ramanujan] anticipated the
fourth generation drugs and tors. The register has to be said Dr. Shyam B Verma, der- fections difficult to diagnose that he had, in fact, been prise, we found one page theory of K3 surfaces before
CLIMATE CHANGE delaying drug resistance retained for at least three matologist based in Vadoda- and treat, Dr. Verma writes. looking at more general with near misses to the Fer- anyone had the merest
SPEEDS UP from emerging. Since March
1, 2014, the schedule H1 drugs
years.
Worse, steroid cocktails,
ra, Gujarat.
Indian doctors are wit-
According to a 2011 study,
nearly 15 per cent of dermat-
structures of which this mat equation, writes Dr glimpse. These surfaces are
number was but an example. Ono, who is also a Ramanu- now at the forefront of re-
Greenhouse gas could be sold by chemists on-
ly on production of a valid
which are in fixed dose com-
binations, are mixed with
nessing a pandemic of ad-
verse effects induced by
ological patients were found
using topical corticosteroids.
Mathematicians Ken Ono
and Andrew Granville were
jan scholar, in an email to
this correspondent. Having a
search in mathematics and
physics. In addition to add-
emissions that prescription. The chemist various antifungal and anti- topical corticosteroids, Dr. Of the 15 per cent, over 90 per leafing through Ramanujans sneaking suspicion that Ra- ing to Ramanujans legacy,
arise naturally are has to maintain a separate bacterials, thus making the Verma writes in a news piece cent had adverse effects. manuscripts at the Wren Li- manujan had a secret meth- Sarah and I were able to ap-
also affected by brary in Cambridge Univer- od that gave him his amazing ply his formulas to a problem
increased sity, two years ago, when formulas, Dr Ono returned in number theory (finding
they came across the equa- to Emory University and large rank elliptic curves),
temperatures,
concludes a new
study, which
Missing dissolved organic carbon tion 93 + 103 = 123 +13, scrib-
bled in a corner. Recognising
the representations of the
started working on these
leads with his PhD student
Sarah Trebat Leder.
and his formulas immediate-
ly set the record on the prob-
lem. We hardly had any work

in oceans riddle solved

conrms this by number 1729, they were Together we worked to do. Ramanujans formula
amused at first; then they backwards through Rama- was a gift to us.
measuring natural
methane emissions.
K.S. RAJGOPAL the form of organic com-
pounds, is lost from solution
either through mineralisation
Dissolved
organic
present in the extreme envi-
ronments of hydrothermal
vents played a role in the re-
eBird: India lists 20 lakh sightings
K.S. SUDHI
S cientists have finally
solved the riddle of where
or deposition during circula-
tion through the vents where carbon gets moval of the solid phase ex-
tractable dissolved organic sent in more than 36,000
the most ancient dissolved or-
ganic carbon in our deep
the fluid temperatures reach
212-401 degree C.
destroyed in carbon. The microbes con-
sumed the organic carbon B ird enthusiasts of India are
scripting a popular sci-
checklists, almost twice as
many as Karnataka, which
oceans, which is not in high There are two types of dis- hydrothermal compounds as they were labile ence record of sorts. Till last comes in second with about
month, over 4,000 dedicated 19,300 checklists, according
enough quantity, ends up after
millennia in solution in sea-
solved organic carbon (DOC)
hydrophobic and hydrophil-
vents meaning that they could be
easily metabolised by the volunteer birders have upload- to an official communication.
water. The carbon is being de- ic. Hydrophobic DOC does not microbes. ed over 20 lakh bird sightings Each check list may contain
stroyed by the high react with the seawater in global oceans water to flow The dominant dissolved or- from India, which has caught multiple bird sightings and
temperatures and pressures which it is dissolved and is eas- through hydrothermal vents. ganic carbon production re- even the seasoned ornithol- Kerala birders have so far
CARBON BURIAL prevalent in ocean-bottom hy- ily extracted in its solid form Almost all extractable dis- sults from the reduction of ogists pleasantly off guard. sighted close to 5 lakh birds.
drothermal vents, suggests a while the hydrophilic DOC is solved organic carbon (SPE- inorganic carbon and leaching Birders of all hues and shades PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT The Kerala Forest Department
IN REMOTE LAKES new study published recently non-extractable. DOC) is destroyed, that means of previously buried organic are flocking together with their and NGOs together have suc-
in Nature Geoscience. In laboratory experiments, that SPE-DOC cannot be older carbon as particles in sedi- bird sighting data on an elec- ted at various levels before ceeded in generating popular
The rate of This finding comes from where samples were heated to than the hydrothermal time- ments. tronic platform eBird they enter the database. The interest in birding and bird
carbon burial in field observations at various 380 degrees C for four days, scale, Dr. Jeff Hawkes, the In the lab, organic acids (www.ebird.org) in a big way. sightings recorded in the site conservation programmes,
remote lakes has vent sites around the world the results were similar indi- lead author from Uppsala Uni- (formic acid, acetic acid) and According to the site, anyone would be credited against which have reflected in the
and laboratory experiments cating that thermal degrada- versity, Sweden said in an amino acids (aspartic acid, taking a stroll or even peering those who upload it, said P.O. highest number of sightings,
doubled over the which reproduced the envi- tion alone can account for email to this Correspondent. glutamic acid) were all non- from a window can contribute Nameer, Kerala coordinator of explained Dr. Nameer. Accord-
last 100 years, as ronment (temperature, pres- almost all loss of solid-phase However, he points out that extractable, probably as a re- to the careful documentation the Asian Water bird census. ing to a communication, bird-
remote ecosystems sure) found in the deep sea extractable DOC in natural there are uncertainties in de- sult of their having insuffi- of nature. eBird is a platform Kerala, one of the smallest ers have been using eBird in
too are feeling the vents. The low concentrations hydrothermal systems and its riving the value of the hy- cient hydrophobic groups. But for birdwatchers to upload States by size, has grown big in India since 2014, and a page
of the organic carbon in vent maximum lifetime is limited drothermal flux. they are all labile and easily their data and keep track of the minds of birders as it con- dedicated to India eBird In-
effects of climate environments suggests that to about 40 million years Another important finding removed by microbes in the their sightings. tributed the largest number of dia was launched in August
change. the carbon, which is present in the time it takes for the entire of the study was that microbes vents. The uploaded data gets vet- eBird uplo ads. The state has this year.

Why save the rocks of Deccan a historical reason BURNING LEAVES

QUESTION CORNER
SPEAKING OF SCIENCE These plates float on the
soft plastic mantle below
basanos or touchstone or the
Egyptian bauhun, or slate), Why is it difficult to burn a heap of fresh green leaves
the crust. Earthquakes, vol- which has several hues to it. but once the leaves dry up they burn easily?

A fter reading the last co-

lumn (Why Save the
Rocks of the Deccan Plat-
our earth come to be, how
she has adjusted over time to
internal and external forces,
canoes and the building of
mountains occur across
these plate boundaries when
Mostly formed by the cool-
ing of volcanic lava nearer
the surface, basalt is far
SHARATH CHANDRA
Almost all plants have leaves. All kinds of plant leaves have
certain common vascular, cellular and other anatomical fea-
eau, The Hindu, Nov 9, and supports not just us hu- these plates collide. more common, and is found tures. Like an animal cell, a typical plant cell also contains
2015), one reader asked: mans, but millions of other In the beginning, the earth all across the earth both land about 70 per cent of water in it by purpose. Materially being
What is the purpose behind life forms. It also tells us how was just one globular mass. and on ocean bottoms. Bas- mostly organic in content, after water is excluded, plant leaves
saving them? Are there any and when millions of other As the mantle and crust alt thus reveals the history of are essentially organic fuel. Fuels react with oxygen in air
reasons other than aesthet- life forms come to be, how formed and the plates began volcanic eruptions and lava releasing a lot of heat that usually results in fire. Combustion
ic? This is a valid question they were lost and how the colliding, continents were flows. of a fuel would not occur unless activated, usually, by heating
that needs to be answered. surviving ones have kept the formed. Such re-adjust- These then are not just to certain elevated temperatures. This condition is called Ar-
After all, these rocks are not relay, continuity and evolu- ments of the land masses is a history written in stone. rhenius Principle. Further, the extent of a chemical reaction
like tigers or lions which we tion of new forms of life. slow process and is thought They are, as Prof. Renne of (here, combustion) is more favoured forward if the quantity of
want to save and not get ex- It is now generally accept- Deccan Basalt reminds us of the grandeur of Mother Earth and to occur even now. (We re- California, Prof. Kanchan its reactants (the fuel and oxygen) outweighs the quantity of
tinct; they maintain an over- ed, based on theoretical and the place we humans occupy. PHOTO: REUTERS cently heard how the plate Pande of Maharashtra and the products and vice versa. This principle is called Le Chate-
all balance in the animal and observational basis, that the under Reunion Island is hit- Drs. K. Gopalan and K.V. liers Principle. Both Arrhenius and Le Chateliers Principles
vegetation population by earth itself was born about C) fluid, while its body is a set billion years of its birth, ting against the Asian plate, Subba Rao of Deccan remind should operate in favour of combustion, if a fuel has to be set
feeding on other animals and 4.54 billion years ago. It of layers of crust, each cooler earth supported life forms. thus making the Himalayas us, signposts of the ongoing on fire and the fire to sustain.
herbivores, thus maintain- came through the accretion and cooler. Today the sur- This became evident as sci- grow in height inch by inch saga of Mother Earth re-ad- A heap of fresh green leaves holdsa lot of intrinsic water still
ing a dynamic equilibrium. or accumulation of the gase- face of the earth, the bio- entists could identify the over time). And the signa- justing herself. They thus of- and any attempt to burn it would be defeated because the
But rocks and boulders are ous nebula of our Sun. Over sphere where we humans carbon form (using which all ture rock of the continent, fer a perspective of not just presence of intrinsic water in green leaves would, on one hand
inanimate and sit there as time, it out-gassed itself live (less than 100 km strip), life in earth thrives) called indeed the planet earth it- human life but that of the restrict the process of combustion (Le Chatelier-unfavour-
stones. Why not use them for through volcanic eruptions has the highest temperature graphite. As the earth began self, is granite. And it is earth itself. As the historian able), and whatever little heat generated, on the other hand, is
building, what role do they and began cooling and mak- of 70 degrees C (the Lut Des- cooling, three layers began unique to Mother Earth. The Prof. Romila Thapar points quickly swallowed by the water content for its evaporation and
have in the scheme of ing a compact mass of itself, ert of Iran) and the lowest forming- the core of about other rocky planets Venus, out: To comprehend the thus leaving no scope for the temperature rise beyond 100
things? If for aesthetics, let roughly a coconut- shaped -89 degrees C (Vostok Sta- 3400 km radius, the mantle Mercury and Mars are cov- present and move towards degree C (Arrhenius-unfavourable). No fire can sustain at this
us preserve some and use the globe (about 6300 km radi- tion in the Antarctic). The about 2,900 km radius above ered not with granite but the future requires an un- low temperature. Once the leaves are dried there is not enough
rest- so goes the argument. us). Even today, its core is a granite boulders and the it, and the crust which is but with basalt. (I dont know if derstanding of the past- an water content to remove the heat generated during combus-
The answer comes from hellishly hot (6,000 degrees Deccan Basalt thus remind 6-35 km thick on the surface we should boast about this understanding that is sensi- tion. Hence, the leaves burn readily.
history, namely the very us of the grandeur of Mother where we live. The upper when astronauts on future tive, analytical and open to PROF. A. RAMACHANDRAIAH, NIT, Warangal, Telangana
birth, growth and evolution
of our Mother Earth its Venus, Earth and the place we hu-
mans occupy, among the 1.4
part of the mantle plus the
crust are together called the
Mangalyans meet Martians
(if any). But we of the Deccan
enquiry. Hence, let us pre-
serve as much of the Rocks THIS WEEKS QUESTION
continents, climate and what Mercury and million other life forms that lithosphere, which has sev- can certainly pride ourselves of Deccan as we can, for the
Why do we some people experience a tightening of the
we can learn from that. she supports currently, and eral plates called tectonics that we see them, walk on future generations. They
These rocks and boulders are Mars are an even larger number that (from the Latin tectonic them and appreciate their may study these and came jaws and hence difficulty in properly talking when
remnants and reminders of
the early history of our plan-
covered with she did millennia (and bil-
lennia) ago.
meaning building block).
The lithospheres surface is
shapes and sizes everyday).
Unlike the older, blacker
with even more exciting
findings.
weeping or frightened?
Aatika Singh, New Delhi
et itself. Studying them en- basalt Indeed, there is evidence covered by 7-8 major plates granite is the other rock, bas- D. Balasubramanian Readers may send their questions/answers to questioncorner@thehindu.co.in
riches our knowledge of how now that within its very first and several minor ones. alt (from the ancient Greek dbala@lvpei.org
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