Science Horizon

Volume 4 Issue 2 February, 2019

President, Odisha Bigyan Academy Editorial Board Prof. (Dr.) Pramod Chandra Mishra Prof. Niranjan Barik

Editor Prof. Ramesh Chandra Parida Er. Mayadhar Swain Dr. Choudhury Satyabrata Nanda Managing Editor Dr. Prafulla Kumar Bhanja Dr. Rajballav Mohanty Secretary, Odisha Bigyan Academy Dr. Nilambar Biswal

CONTENTS Subject Author Page 1. Editorial : National Science Day Er. Mayadhar Swain 2 2. Invisibility : A Myth? Prof. Bipin Bihari Swain 4 3. Impact of Pollution Generated from Coal based Power Plant Er. Prasanta Kumar Pradhan 8 4. Bioterrorism Prof. Gopendra Kishore Roy 12 Dr. Pragyan Roy 5. The Unprecedented Illumination Pankaj Kumar Samal 16 6. Plastic Menace- Health Concern for All Dr. K.K. Sardar 18 Dr. B.C. Das 7. Nature with Architecture Prof. Prafulla Kumar Mohanty 21 Miss Swetashree Jena 8. Saline Soils: Effect on Group Production and Dr. Antaryami Mishra 30 Strategies for Management Dr. Subhashis Saren Prava Kiran Dash 9. Solar Parks- The Ultimate Option Prof. Suresh Mohapatra 33 10. Tigers Under Threat Nikunja Bihari Sahu 36 11. Interdisciplinary Research: Some Recent Success Stories Dr. Bijay Kumar Parida 38 12. Integrated Management of Mines and Mineral based Prof. Dr. P.K. Jena 45 Industries with Zero Waste Approach 13. Quiz : Renowned Scientists of India Bibhuprasad Mohapatra 47

The Cover Page depicts : Plastic Menace - Health Concern for All Cover Design : Kalakar Sahoo

neutron star FEBRUARY, 2019 EDITORIAL NATIONAL SCIENCE DAY

The renowned Indian scientist Sir more activities. The aim is to impart scientific Chandrasekhar Venkat Raman discovered temper in the minds of people of all age the phenomenon of scattering of light, groups. Each year one specific theme is popularly known as ‘Raman Effect’ on 28 chosen and discussed. This year’s theme is February, 1928. For this, he was awarded “Science for the people and the people for the prestigious Nobel Prize in physics in Science”. 1930. It is to be noted that he is the only When a light beam passes through a Indian to get a Nobel Prize in the field of transparent medium, some part of it is science. Although, there is plenty of scope scattered. The wavelength of some of the for research in the country now, no other scattered rays is different from that of the person has been able to get a Nobel Prize in incident rays of light. This phenomenon of science, which tells the brilliance of Raman. scattering of light is called Raman Scattering Recognising the significance of the and the cause of the scattering is called discovery and the contribution of C.V. Raman Effect. Raman, the National Council for Science At the time of the discovery, the 40 and Technology Communication (NCSTC) year old Raman held the Palit Chair for proposed to celebrate 28 February as physics at Calcutta University. However he National Science Day. The Government of was doing this research at the Indian India approved the proposal and since 1986, Association for the Cultivation of Science the country has been celebrating this day as (IACS), Calcutta, which was established by National Science Day. It is a great tribute to Mahendra Lal Sircar in 1876. It is to be C.V. Raman. The day is also observed to noted that after getting his post-graduate recall and celebrate the contribution of all degree in physics in 1907 from Presidency the great scientists of India who made College, Madras, he passed the Financial fundamental discoveries and advanced Civil Service Examination and was posted human knowledge. The National Science as Assistant Accountant General in Calcutta Day is celebrated throughout India as a (now Kolkata). But his interest was in science festival by organising science science. He had published his first research exhibitions, workshops, seminars, paper in Philosophical Magazine at the age symposiums, quiz and debate on science of 18 while studying for his M.A. degree. So topics among school children and many in Calcutta, he worked at the IACS in the

2 Science Horizon FEBRUARY, 2019 morning and evening and in the first 10 and many scientists carried out research on years published 27 research papers. Much this throughout the world. Raman Effect of his early works was on the theory of was honoured with the rank of being a vibration. At the age of 29, he resigned from National Historic Chemical Landmark by the lucrative civil service job, when Sir the American Chemical Society on 15 Ashutosh Mukherjee, Vice-Chancellor of December 1998. It got also designated as an Calcutta University offered him the Palit International Historic Chemical Landmark Chair professorship. Of course, he continued in 2003. his research work at IACS and used it as the Soon after its discovery, the significance research arm of the university. of the Raman Effect was recognized by C.V. Raman went to England in 1921 other scientists. Raman remarked in his as the University’s delegate to the 1930 Nobel Prize address that “the character International Universities Congress being of the scattered radiations enable us to held in London. While returning from obtain an insight into the ultimate structure England in September in 1921 aboard the of the scattering substance”. By the late S.S. Narkunda, he was amazed to see the 1930s, the Raman Effect had become the colour of the Mediterranean Sea. Earlier, principal method of non-destructive chemical Lord Rayleigh of England had suggested analysis for both organic and inorganic that the blue colour of the sea was due to the compounds. The unique spectrum of Raman reflection of the sky. Raman was not scattered light for any particular substance convinced with the theory and he carried served as a “fingerprint” that could be used some experiments on this at the ship with a for qualitative analysis. The Raman pocket size spectroscope. He concluded spectroscopy is used for monitoring that water molecules could scatter light just manufacturing processes in the petrochemical as air molecules. He sent a letter on this topic and pharmaceutical industries. It is also used to Nature after reaching Bombay (now to check illegal drugs. Mumbai). The students should get inspiration After reaching Calcutta, Raman and from the works of Sir C.V. Raman and his research group set up some simple engage themselves in research in science. experiments to observe the scattering of The country desires a second Nobel Prize in light in various liquids. In February 1928, science from them. Raman published his discovery in the Indian n Journal of Physics and subsequently was Er. Mayadhar Swain awarded the Nobel Prize in physics in 1930. Editor After that Raman became worldwide famous

Science Horizon 3 FEBRUARY, 2019 INVISIBILITY – How then an object would not be visible A MYTH? in the presence of light? Is it possible to manipulate incident rays in such a manner that they skip-past the object while being present in the surrounding at the same time? Result, Prof. Bipin Bihari Swain the object is camouflaged for the viewers. Can a person be invisible? How exciting Clearly, invisibility is a property that would it be for a thief or gold smuggler evade arises at the atomic level. Possibly, common detection being invisible! In science fictions materials as such, cannot be made invisible. such as Flash Gordon stories of the 1950s, Scientists are attempting to develop special Flash becomes invisible in order to escape the type of artificial materials to make an object firing squads of Ming, the Merciless. Harry invisible. Potter stories and the classic novel, ‘The The military, unable to create invisible Invisible Man’ deals with immense power aeroplanes, has tried to do the next best thing: acquired by man due to invisibility. create stealth technology which renders These instances are mere speculative airplanes invisible to radar. Stealth technology and provide fodder for wild imagination. How relies on Maxwell’s equations to create a does a physicist look at it? series of tricks. A stealth fighter jet is perfectly visible to the human eye (optical wave) but its It is common experience that light causes radar image on an enemy radar (radio wave) an object visible. Nothing is visible in a pitch- screen is only of the size of a large bird. The dark night in the absence of light. Opaque construction of stealth fighter plane is objects and transparent objects, both are visible different from an ordinary jet. This jet (stealth) when illuminated by a beam of light. Maxwell’s fighter uses a variety of materials for it and its equations and atomic theory, give simple construction is so altered that the radar beams explanation for behaviour of light in different hitting the aircraft disperses randomly in all mediums. In opaque materials, the atoms are directions so that they never get back to the closely shaped such that the inter-atomic radar screen. Since then, a jet fighter is not separation is less than the wavelength of light entirely invisible on the enemy radar; it only and light cannot pass through it. In transparent creates a deceptive small speck. materials, this space is large and light passes through it easily. But both opaque and Metamaterials transparent materials are visible due to the Common materials cannot make an object effect of incident light and emergent light. A invisible, hence the need of a new type of piece of iron and a glass slab or a glass of material arises to be developed for this purpose. water, are all visible.

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Such an artificially designed material is named flowing down. Water quickly wraps around the ‘metamaterial’. boulder and water flows down with no one downstream noticing the presence of the The creation of a material which may boulder. Similarly, metamaterials can render objects truly invisible i.e. metamaterial continuously alter and bend the path of was once regarded impossible as it violated microwaves so that they flow around a cylinder, the laws of optics. But in 2006, researchers at making everything inside the cylinder invisible Duke University in Durban, North Carelina, to microwaves. If the metamaterial can and Imperial College in London succeeded in eliminate all reflections and shadows, then it developing a material to make an object can render an object totally invisible to that invisible to microwave radiation. Recall, the form of radiation. wavelength of microwave is about 3 cm (X- band) while the wavelength of visible light, A device made of ten fiber glass rings say, red is much smaller, 700 nm. So covered with copper elements was used by the metamaterials developed for infrared is only investigators to demonstrate this principle. A the beginning of journey and it is a long way to copper ring inside the device was rendered travel in developing metamaterials for visible nearly invisible to microwave radiation, casting light. Yet, it is an encouraging blue print. only a tiny shadow. What are these metamaterials? They are What is the optical principle involved? substances that have special properties not The basic principle involved in the working found in nature. They are created by embedding of metamaterials is their ability to change the tiny implants within a substance that force index of refraction. Those familiar with basic electromagnetic waves to bend in unorthodox principle of refraction, know that when a ray ways. The pioneers at Duke University of light travels from one medium to another embedded tiny electrical circuits inside copper medium, its direction as well as velocity bands that are arranged in flat, concentric changes. The velocity of light is maximum in circles (somewhat resembling the coils of an vacuum. It slows down in a material medium electric oven). It resulted in a sophisticated and index of refraction increases mixture of ceramic, Teflon, fiber components correspondingly. For example, refractive index and metal components. These tiny implants in of vaccum as 1.00, it is 1.0005 for air, 1.5 for the copper make it possible to bend and channel glass and 2.4 for diamond. Increase in index of the path of microwave radiation in a specific refraction means that the refracted ray bends (desired) manner so that these implants are more from its path in air/vacuum. So, denser invisible to microwave radiation. To give a the medium, greater is the degree of bending common place example, take the case of a and greater the index of refraction. boulder submerged in water of a stream

Science Horizon 5 FEBRUARY, 2019

A ray (say, a narrow beam) of light travels must have a negative index of refraction, in a straight line as long as it remains in one which every textbook in physic says is medium. But assume for the moment that you impossible. We know, for any material could control the index of refraction at will so medium, the maximum angle of deviation of that the path of light could change continuously the ray and hence the lowest value of angle of at every point in the medium-directed inwards refraction (though theoretical) can be 00 and (you will get a parallel of such a situation in a the index of refraction remains positive. But a mirage). But our designed medium will have metamaterial can be fabricated to have a some controlled properties to achieve our negative angle of refraction resulting in objective. As light moves in this new (designed) negative index of refraction. material, light could bend and meander in a Metamaterials were first theorized in a new direction, creating a path that wander paper by Soviet physicist Victor Veselago in through out the substance like a snake. So 1967 and were shown to have weird optical light remains confined inside the medium. No properties, such as negative refractive index trace of light leaves the medium and you do and reversed Doppler effect. not “see” the object. Metamaterials for visible light were once The Duke group had succeeded in 2006 thought to be impossible to construct. But in making a metamaterial for infrared range, eventually, it was first made possible by a but there is no breakthrough yet for visible group in Germany and also US Department of light. What are the impediments? In general, Energy succeeded in creating metamaterials the internal structures implanted (implants) using silicon wafer technology by early 2007. inside the metamaterial must be smaller than It worked for red light. the wavelength of radiation. For example, the Physicist Castas Soukoulis of the Ames microwave in x-band can have a wavelength of Laboratory in Iowa with Stefa Linden, Martin about 3 cm. So for a metamaterial to bend the Wegener and Gunner Dolling of the University path of microwaves, it must have tiny implants of Karlsruhe, Germany were able to create a embedded inside it that are smaller than 3 cm, metamaterial that had an index of refraction of say 1 cm. But to make an object invisible in -0.6 for red light at a wavelength of 780 nm. red light, with a wavelength of about 750 nm, Previously, success was achieved at 1,400 nm the metamaterial must have structures which put it outside the range of visible light embedded within it that are less than 750 nm. and in the range of infrared. The nanometer is a very small magnitude and 5 atoms approximately can fill within a single How was metamaterial fabricated? nanometer. Creating implants of such small The scientists first started with a glass magnitude is the real problem. sheet and then deposited a thin coating of If one could control the index of silver, magnesium fluoride and then another refraction to achieve this, the metamaterial layer of silver, forming a “sandwich” of fluoride 6 Science Horizon FEBRUARY, 2019 that was only 100 nm thick. Then using standard metals. But under certain conditions, when a etching techniques, a large array of light beam strikes the metal surface, electrons microscopic square holes were created in the can vibrate in unison with the original light sandwich. Thereby, a grid pattern resembling a beam creating wavelike motion of the electron fishnet resulted. Note that the holes are only on the metal surface (called plasmons). These 100 nm wide, much smaller than the wavelike motion beat in unison with the original wavelength of red light, for which it worked as light beam (resonance). Also, one can a metamaterial. With a beam of red light, they “squeeze” these plasmons so that the frequency measured the index of refraction and found it remains unaltered (and hence carry the same to be -0.6. information) but have a much smaller These physicists believe that wavelength. In principle, one might then cram metamaterials may one day lead to the these squeezed waves into nanowires. development of a flat superlens that would The Cal Tech group built their operate in the whole visible spectrum. They metamaterials out of two layers of silver, with feel that such a lens would offer superior a silicon-nitrogen insulator in between (with a resolution over conventional technology, thickness of only 50 nm). It acted as a “wave capturing details much smaller than one guide” that could direct the plasmonic waves wavelength of light. The immediate application along it. Laser light enters and leaves the of such a “superlens” would be to photograph apparatus via two slits carved into the microscopic objects. One would be able to metamaterial. By analysing the angles at which take photographs of components of a DNA the laser light is bent as it passes through the molecule without using clumsy x-ray metamaterial, one can then verify whether crystallography etc. light is being bent due to negative index of So far these scientists have demonstrated refraction. a negative index of refraction only for red Other possibilities light. Their next step would be to use this Nanotechnology is the ability to technology to create a metamaterial that would manipulate atom-sized structures about a bend red light around an object, rendering it billionth of a metre across. This technology invisible to that light. allows building of machines smaller and Invisibility using Plasmonics smaller until they go down to atomic distance. The “Plasmonics” uses a technique to It may not be long before implants of atomic squeeze light so that one can manipulate size are developed and used in our quest of objects at the nanoscale, especially on the invisibility using nanotechnology. surface of metals. Metals conduct electricity Another way to render a person partially by electrons loosely bound to the atoms in invisible is to photograph the scenery behind

Science Horizon 7 FEBRUARY, 2019 a person and then project that background IMPACT OF POLLUTION image directly on to the person’s clothes or GENERATED FROM COAL on to a screen in front of him. This will create BASED POWER PLANTS an optical camouflage as the person appears to ON HUMAN LIFE have become transparent. A more realistic camouflage would need the 3-D image for which we would need holograms. A hologram is a 3-D image created by lasers. If the background scenery was Er. Prasanta Kumar Pradhan photographed with a special holographic camera and the holographic image is then Power Plants projected through a special holographic screen Thermal source of power is one of the placed in front of the person, an illusion of the main contributor of energy today. Apart from person vanishing will be created. The technical thermal, there are many other source like requirement obviously is more cumbersome. Hydro, nuclear, wind and solar power available in the world. There has been considerable progress in achieving invisibility. But we have a long way Power plants are generally defined as to go. May be in the next few decades or at the main source of electrical energy. Electricity least within this century, we will come across is obtained from conversion of other source invisible person/events in our workplace. of energy such as coal, natural gas etc. Invisible agents will be spying on us without Generally power plants are divided into two our knowledge. As the process does not violate types. any known laws of physics, it will be ultimately a) Conventional achievable one day. b) Non-Conventional One last question! Moving with an Conventional power plants are basically based invisible robe, Flash becomes invisible to on: others, but how can he view the outside world? c) Coal, Petroleum oil, Natural Gas Two small holes have to be provided on his d) Nuclear Energy invisible robe over his eyes. His enemies e) Hydro Electric could prick a pin precisely at those locations. Non-Conventional power plants are basically n Chapala Niwas, 15, based on: Chintamaniswar Area, Bhubaneswar-6. f) Wind Power g) Solar Energy h) Biomass

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Installed Power Station Capacity in India

Coal Based Power Plants - Installed than 80% of the total power produced during Capacity that year. Private sector (IPPs and utilities) had the highest share in coal-based generation, ♦ The total coal-based installed capacity in our country is 197 GW as of Sep’18, followed by the central and state sectors. accounting for about 57% of the total installed ♦ Between 2012-13 and 2016-17, capacity of 344 GW from all sources of generation from coal-based power plants has power generation. increased at a CAGR of 8.1%.

♦ In 2016-17, electricity generation from coal-based plants accounted for more

Trends in Coal-based Power Generation

Science Horizon 9 FEBRUARY, 2019

Process of electricity generation from Coal Coal combustion emits nitrogen oxides, sulphur di-oxide, particulate matter (PM), Simply put, electricity generation from mercury and various other substances known coal fired power plant is a five-step process: to be hazardous to human health. 1. Coal is pulverized to a fine powder and is burned in the furnace of the boiler. Air pollution from coal–fired power plants are main causes of heart disease, 2. The resulting heat is used to convert neurological problems, cancer, asthma etc water into steam

3. The steam at very high pressure is then A report by Press Information Bureau of used to spin a turbine which is connected to an India published in August 2013 shows that in electrical generator 2011-2012, emission from Indian coal plants resulted in 80,000 to 1,15,000 premature 4. The spinning turbine causes large deaths and more than 20 million asthma cases magnets to move within copper wire coils; from exposure to air pollution. this is called the generator Additional health impacts such as large 5. Electricity is generated at the generator. number of cases of heart attacks, emergency Main Ingredients of Pollution from Coal room visits, hospital admission and lost workdays are caused by coal based emissions. Harmful emissions from coal-based power plants are given in Table-1. The monetary cost associated with these Table 1. Emissions of pollutants from coal- health impacts exceeds Rs. 16,000 to 23,000 based thermal power plants in India crores per year. Pollutant Emission (Tons/day) Every year in India, around 26.45% Carbon dioxide 424650 premature deaths (among people above 25 Particulate matter 4347 years) are due to air pollution from thermal SO 3311 2 power plants and industries. NOx 4966 This was revealed in the latest study by Source : Central Pollution Control Board, 2006 Louisiana State University (LSU) which Pollution by Coal pointed out that emission from thermal power Coal is more abundant, has carbon plants is the largest single-point source of content and is higher in moisture. pollution in India.

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When it comes to premature mortality · Existing thermal power plants in India due to industrial air pollution, Delhi topped the were expected to cut particulate matter list. The study attributes around 40% of emissions by about 40%, sulphur and nitrogen premature deaths in the Capital to industrial oxides by about 48%, and water consumption sources. Not just the polluting sources in Delhi, by nearly a third. even the industrial units in neighbouring states · New power stations commissioned Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh after January 1, 2017 are to adhere to the norms contribute to the pre-mature deaths in the capital. from the beginning of their operations. As per the study, premature deaths Long term Technological Solution associated with PM 2.5 exposure are mainly due to cerebrovascular disease which takes What can India do for long term solution ? away around 4.4 lakh lives every year. India needs to focus on the advanced power plant technology (Super-critical and This is followed by ischemic heart Ultra-supercritical) to reduce the CO disease which leads to approximately 4 lakh 2 emission. Supercritical & ultra-super critical deaths and chronic obstructive pulmonary power plants have efficient combustion disease which causes 1.8 lakh pre-mature technologies. India needs to expedite the deaths. construction of newer power plants with the About 10,000 people die prematurely modern technology with advance pollution due to lung cancer. The total no of pre-mature control equipment. Nitrogen oxide (NOx) deaths due to the deadly PM 2.5 are 10.04 emission also can be reduced by these lakhs in the country. supercritical plants, along with CO emissions. 2 Above all, strict implementation of the Policy Implementation Guidelines (2015) for the old as well as new The need of the hour is to implement all power plants can save the environment to a the existing policies in a dedicated and planned greater extent for future generations. manner. References : The air pollution rules for thermal plants 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ were notified in 2015 to control the emissions List_of_power_stations_in_India of hazardous nitrogen and sulphur oxides and 2. https://www.studentenergy.org/ particulate matters. 3. https://www.originenergy.com.au/blog/ about-energy/what-is-coal.html According to the rules, all existing power 4. http://www.indiainfrastructure.com/ stations were required to contain the emission reportpdf/report- of pollutants under strict limits by December coalbasedpowergenerationinIndiaapril2018.pdf 2017.

Science Horizon 11 FEBRUARY, 2019 5. http://www.indiaairquality.info/wp- BIOTERRORISM content/uploads/docs/ 1Prof. Gopendra Kishore Roy 6. https://weather.com/en-IN/india/ 2Dr. Pragyan Roy pollution/news/2018-05-31-tackle-air- What is bio-terrorism pollution-reduce-deaths Bioterrorism involves the deliberate 7. (Excerpts from the report titled “Coal release or dissemination of biological agents kills- An assessment of death and like viruses, bacteria, fungi, toxins or other disease caused by India’s dirtiest harmful agents used to cause illness or death energy source” which was published in in people, animals or plants over a large area. Dec 2012.) The above-mentioned biological agents are n often found in nature, but it is possible to At./Po.- Kamarda, Bhogari, Dist.- Balasore, increase their ability to cause disease, make PIN-756035 them resistant to current medicines or to increase their ability to be dispersed in the environment by their genetic modification. Biological agents spread through the air, water or in food. Some bioterrorism agents like the INDIA IS WORLD’S SECOND small pox virus can spread from person to LARGEST STEEL PRODUCER person. India has replaced Japan as the world’s Bioterrorism is an attractive weapon in warfare. second largest steel producer. In 2018, India’s However, its use for military purpose has crude steel output rose 4.9% to 106.5 million some important limitations as it is tonnes, while Japan’s production fell 0.3% operationally difficult so as to use a bio- to 104.3 million tonnes, according to data from the World Steel Association (WSA). weapon in a way that can affect the enemy and WSA, based in Brussels, complies data for not the friendly forces. 64 steel producing countries and as per them Specific features of bioterrorism agents are: global steel production reached 1808.6 million tonnes in 2018. China is at the top of *Relatively easy and inexpensive to obtain steel producing nations. It produced 928.3 million tonnes (51.3% of world total). Steel *Gets easily disseminated Ministry of India has taken an initiative to * Can create widespread fear and panic beyond achieve 300 million tonnes of steel production capacity by 2030. the actual physical damage they can cause *Exposure to minor quantity of biological agents may go unnoticed, yet be a cause of disease and death in the long run

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*Unlike bombing or chemical dispersion, a Category-B bioterrorism attack might not be recognized These are moderately easy to disseminate until long after the agent’s release as its with relatively low mortality rates. Some of incubation period can be days or weeks the diseases caused are Brucellosis, Q-fever, *Risk of massive destruction in the form of food poisoning and Glanders. life is high. Category-C Categories of bioterrorism agents These are emerging pathogens which are Category-A readily available, ease of dissemination and can be engineered to get desired result in a These are high priority agents, which can short span of time. These have ability to cause be easily transmitted and disseminated a major health threat. Bio-agents of this resulting in high mortality rates and have category are nipah virus, influenza virus, HINI potential for a mass impact. These agents can (a strain of influenza), SARS (Severe Acute cause deadly diseases like Tularemia or ‘rabbit Respiratory Syndrome) and Hanta virus fever’, anthrax and plague. etc.Table-1 gives some of the bio-terrorism agents and the diseases caused by them. Table-1: A few bioterrorism agents and the diseases caused by them. Bio-terrorism agents Diseases caused by them Bacillus anthracis anthrax Yersinia pestis plague Francisella tularensis tularemia (also called ‘rabbit fever’- pneumonia/ throat infection may occur ) Brucella species brucellosis (serious infection with joint pain, fever, fatigue and weight loss ) Salmonella species food poisoning Coxiella burnetii Q-fever (flu like symptoms- spread to humans by infected animals like sheep and goat) Burkholderia mallei glanders (a potential biological threat which was one of the biological warfare agents specially used during the world war-I ) Nipha virus nipha (serious viral infection) SARS virus Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS )- (outbreak in Asia in 2003 ) HINI virus swine flu (influenza) Hanta virus HPS (Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome)- a rare respiratory illness.

Science Horizon 13 FEBRUARY, 2019

History of bio-terrorism (biological World War-II (1939-45)- Prior to war, warfare) Japanese military practiced biological warfare against China. During the war, several hundred Known as ‘germ warfare’, biological thousand people, mostly Chinese civilians fell weapons involve the use of toxins or infectious victim to biological attacks by Japan. In October agents that are of biological origin like bacteria, 1940, Japan dropped paper bags filled with virus or fungi. Some examples of biological plague-infested fleas and grain in Zhejiang agents being used in the warfare even from the province. The grain attracted rats, which B.C. era are given in Table-2. became infected and subsequently spread the During the 20th century world wars disease into near-by human population. World War-I (1914-18) incident- Modern concerns: cold war incidents Biological attacks were primarily directed at The advent of modern microbiology animals. Anthrax was used by Germans to marked the major turning point in the scientific infect the horses and the mules of the enemies history of bio-warfare long after its beginning used to move heavy artillery pieces into in the remote past. The theoretical position. understanding of microbiology and the derived

Table-2: A few examples of biological agents used in the warfare Year/Period Event/example of bio-warfare 600 BC Assyrians (ethnic group indigeneous to western Asia) poisoning the wells of their enemies with rye Ergot ( a fungus causing plant disease) and those ingested became sick or died 300-100 BC Bees and hornets were used by catapulting them at their enemies by Romans 1155 AD Roman emperor used the bodies of dead enemy soldiers to contaminate enemy wells in the battle of Tortona 1528 AD During the conquest of Incan empire in Peru, the south American natives were said to have been given clothing contaminated with small pox

14 Science Horizon FEBRUARY, 2019 practical microbiological methods offered of chemical and biological agents. However, scientists the possibility of systematic the protocol did not prohibit research in the isolation and production of a huge number of area to develop these agents. In 1972, U.S. specific pathogens and in most of the cases alongwith 100 other nations signed the controlling their dissemination. This gave a Biological Toxin Weapons Convention, boost to the development of biological world’s first treaty, banning an entire class of weapons in the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. during weapons. All U.S. biological warfare agents the cold war years of 1950s and 1960s and the and supplies were destroyed. use of numerous bacteria, viruses and bio- Conclusion toxins were explored. Around 1985, Iraq launched its own biological weapons While 20th century was the century of programme. By the time of the Gulf War physics, the present century is going to be that ceasefire, Iraq had weaponized anthrax, of biology. Recent advances in gene editing botulinum toxin ( causes placid paralysis) and technology have become matter of concern aflotoxin ( poisonous carcinogen) and a few for the society. While utilizing for good, the more lethal agents. Iraq is believed to have latest tool can work wonders. However, as used chemical weapons in the 1980s, in the with most of the state-of-the-art technology, Iran-Iraq war as well as against the Kurd rebels there is always a potential of misuse. A gene in northern Iraq. editing technology called CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Indian incidents Repeats) allows to edit genomes thereby While there is no confirmed incidents conveniently modifying DNA sequences to of bioterrorism attack in India, yet a few alter gene function. While this tool has the suspected acts of bioterrorism are, potential to correct genetic disorders and treat diseases, in the wrong hands it can cause * Pneumonic plague attack of 1994 in Surat. catastrophe. The mankind has to be careful in * Dengue hemorrhagic fever attack in Delhi the application of this dual-use technology in 1996. since its deliberate or unintentional misuse * Anthrax attack in Midnapore in 1999. might lead to far-reaching economic and national security implications. * The mysterious ‘encephalitis’attack in n Siliguri in 2001. 1Retired Director & Professor of Chemical Bio-defence Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela. First step in this direction was the Geneva 2Faculty, College of Basic Science & Protocol-1925. A few nations including the Humanities, OUAT, Bhubaneswar. U.S. signed an agreement prohibiting the use

Science Horizon 15 FEBRUARY, 2019 THE UNPRECEDENTED ILLUMINATION

Pankaj Kumar Samal “Aaa...aa....” a thrilling roar broke the “Technology! How is it possible? Don’t silence of calm midnight. People rushed from think me a fool. This is India and we are in their beds and gazed through windows. 2018. We are not so developed”, I replied surprisingly. “Welcome Mr. 2018”, a voice drummed in my ear. I turned. The scene made me still, They laughed. Both came near me and shocked and speechless. The floor I stood on said, “Welcome to 3018, Mr. 2018”. seemed to be lightening. A huge box was “Are you drunk or joking? Be serious”, I floating just 5 meters away from me without said angrily. any support from ground. The room was well furnished with very unusual equipment. “Neither drunk nor joking, Boy, it’s the only truth. The room, we are standing in is an “Welcome to Panora”, a white haired ultra modern laboratory of Dr. Bej and I am his old man uttered again. assistant. The box you are watching there on “Who are you? Where am I? And why zero gravity is the time machine, a spectacular did you call me Mr. 2018?” invention of Dr. Bej at the cost of 90 years of his life”, the man informed me. “Wait, wait don’t blast your questions so fast”, the oldman said smiling. Now I got the matter. Still in disbeliefI asked, “But he is not looking so old”. I was shivering with anger. The old man patted my back and said, “Cool down my boy, “Right, he is alive today only due to I’ll explain you every bit”. technology. Many of his internal parts like heart, lungs are artificial. His only original At the very moment another man entered part, still working, is his brain”, explained the the room through the walls. “Congratulations, man. Dr. Bej”, greeted the man hugging the old. “Finally I succeeded Sujit”, uttered Dr. I got surprised at this and suddenly spoke, Bej looking towards the man. “Are you ghosts?” “Yes, you have done it”, replied Sujit “No, absolutely not. The sight you saw is joyfully. just a technology”, explained the man. “But why am I here?”, I asked loudly.

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Dr. Bej walked towards me with tears of Dr. Bej moved towards a large screen happiness dropping from his eyes. “My dear and with visuals started explaining, “Actually 2018, you are the first boy to travel through these are not marbles. These are marsium, a my time machine”, replied Dr. Bej cheerfully. glowing rock which was found on Mars. Around 2085 a mining factory was established at Mars “Oh! Stop calling me 2018, I am Subham, where only robots work. This factory sends you got it”, I reacted irritatingly. “But I had not these rocks to Earth by rockets”. entered into any machine. I was just enjoying the fool moonlit night beauty in my courtyard”, I just wondered and thought it to be a I argued. dream. But it was reality. Sujit asked in a hurry, “Come on, we have 40 trimia only”. “Ok, ok Baba. You have done nothing. All credit goes to this machine. It created an We checked out of the lab. The world’s illusion through illumination infront of you changed version made me spellbound, “Wow!”. and quantized the time. You are here only for No wires or cables were on or above the 60 trimia”, replied Dr. Bej. roads, even no electric posts. Only trees with glowing fruits were there. Every home adorns “What is trimia?”, I asked curiously. beautiful horticultural architecture. The roads Dr. Bej went towards the machine and were cleaned like floors. Robots were engaged explained, “One second equal to 60 trimia. in domestic security and also controlling the Now the least count of time is not second. traffic. We’ve learnt to prolong time and its “This is Panora, Subham, the amended quantisation. Every fraction of time is name of Poducherry”, said Sujit looking important in today’s world, you know”. towards me. “That means I’m here only for one With great enthusiasm I asked, “Where second”, I exclaimed. are the electric wires?” “Yes, and it’s enough for you to have a “Electric wires have been outdated since glance over the future”, said Sujit. 2076. Now, at the production centres electrons “Take him on a tour, Sujit. You have only are converted into signals. The consumer is 45 trimia”, instructed Dr. Bej. provided with a receptor which reconverts signals into current and thus electricity is Sujit held my hand and asked me to supplied to the people wirelessly”, simplified follow him. Suijt. “Wait, first tell me how the marbles on “Oh! Only 30 trimia left. Tell me your the floor are glowing?”, I asked. desired site to visit”, added Sujit.

Science Horizon 17 FEBRUARY, 2019 “Let’s go for agricultural field”, I PLASTIC MENACE- requested. HEALTH CONCERN He took me into a lift-like machine FOR ALL situated outside the lab. We entered and came 1Dr K K Sardar 2 out within no time but the view around me was Dr B C Das different. The fields had turned into agro- Plastic is derived from the Greek word factory. The entire field was equipped with plastikos meaning mouldable. It is a synthetic modern agro-tools. A man in his office was or semi-synthetic organ polymeric compound controlling the whole farm with his agtab (a that can be moulded into the solid substance special tablet designed for agricultural purpose of any shape. Alexander Parkes invented according to Sujit). My eyes just hindered on plastics in the 1860s, and its industrial such unusual scenes. application was made by Fenichell during 1920. Since then plastic production has become one Suddenly Sujit took my hand and of the fastest growing global industries. At followed the return path to the lab in the present, global plastic production is about previous way. 322 million metric tons, and the global plastic “Well done Sujit, you returned at right industry generates revenue of about 600 billion time”, clapped Dr. Bej. dollars annually. Increasing population and the growth of manufacturing sectors in developing They pushed me into the time machine and Dr. Bej said,” Goodbye Mr. 2018". countries have increased the demand for plastic production and use. India and China contribute With so much irritation I struck my leg around 34.8% of the world’s plastic on ground. But a totally different scene was production.The United Nations Environment around me. There was neither Sujit nor Dr. Programme, 2016, estimates that 57% of the Bej, instead there was my mom, dad and other plastic in Africa, 40% in Asia, and 32% in neighbors around me. They scolded me and Latin America are not even collected but asked, “Why were you roaring so loudly?” littered or burned in the open environment. I told them about the illumination and all Countries like China, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Nigeria, after that which no one believed. But I know I Bangladesh, South Africa, Indonesia, the have seen the future. Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and India are n the major countries contributing to massive Pankaj Kumar Samal environmental pollution through dumping Kushadiha (B), Basta, Baleswar, Odisha-756029. plastic waste in landfills and oceans every year. Due to low cost, ease of production, versatility and moisture resistance, the plastics

18 Science Horizon FEBRUARY, 2019 have gained importance in industrial urbanization and extensive construction works applications as well as domestic use, and have in the urban areas has minimised the grazing already replaced many traditional materials lands for animals. Plastic waste is also thrown such as wood, stone, leather, etc. Studies have anywhere on roads and near fences, making it estimated that in the next 5 years, easy for animals to graze. Bovines also graze modernization and rising consumerism will close to the ground making them more double the per capita utilization of plastics vulnerable to ingestion of plastic foreign especially in urban areas of developing bodies. The food materials and other eatables countries. Indiscriminate use of plastics has thrown in the plastic bags are frequently caused several harmful effects on flora and consumed by animals. These plastic materials fauna of Earth. In developing countries, get accumulated in the stomach over a period handling of plastic waste is poor because of of time causing plastic toxicity. low environmental standards, lack of stringent/ Several chemicals such as bisphenols, strict law regarding waste disposal, low polyvinyl chloride, cadmium, lead, and economic status and low awareness level of acrylamide are present in plastic and they are public regarding harmful effect of plastics. immunosuppressants in nature. The All this has significantly contributed to the accumulated plastic materials in stomach may accumulation of plastic waste on road sides, be leached out and deposited in the animal open grounds, grazing field, water bodies, etc. tissues over a period of time. Plastic materials making humans, animals, birds, marine animals accumulated in rumen release various vulnerable to plastic toxicity. chemicals such as plasticizers, monomers, In our country, animals left to graze BPA, DEHP, TPP, polychlorinated biphenyl’s, freely in urban areas are more susceptible to and heavy metals slowly over a period of time. plastic consumption due to non-availability of Numerous workers have detected the presence food. These animals graze on plastic garbage of these chemicals in milk and meat of animals leading to the ingestion of plastic waste staying in urban areas. These chemicals pose a materials and development of digestive great threat to human health by entering into problems. The accumulation of plastics in the the food chain through milk and meat products stomach leads to ruminal impaction, over a long period. In human beings they may indigestion, recurrent tympani, and death. interfere with various cellular processes by Impact on Animal and Human Health acting as endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, teratogens, allergens, bio-accumulating agents, Bovine species does not have highly etc., causing adverse health effects. When the sensitive prehensile organs such as lips and animal products like meat, milk, egg, etc. are tongues that discriminate sense of taste and consumed by human beings, there is possibility making them indiscriminate feeders. Rapid of immunosuppression.

Science Horizon 19 FEBRUARY, 2019 presence of these heavy metals in stray animals grazing on waste materials wrapped with plastic. Plastic waste materials accumulated in stomach over a period of time leach out chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, phthalates, and monomers. These chemicals are highly reactive and biologically aggressive. Exposure to these chemicals over a period of time is known to cause various types of tumours such as hepatocellular carcinomas, testicular carcinomas, mammary gland tumours, and ovarian tumours in laboratory animals and human beings. Monomers and other chemicals released from these plastic materials in the rumen are biologically highly active. They produce a teratogenic effect in newborns if their mothers are exposed to these chemicals during pregnancy. Prevention and Control Measures Proper waste disposal practices and proper husbandry methods may be required to check environmental pollution and prevent Cobalt, lead, mercury, cadmium, animals from accessing indigestible foreign chromium, and their salts and complexes such bodies. Good animal husbandry practices can as stearates and phthalates are generally be followed by providing adequate feed, water, incorporated in the processing of plastics. shelter, and mineral supplements timely. These heavy metals leach out slowly from the Establishing fodder banks, grazing centers and rumen and reach circulation. Being cumulative water facilities will help to mitigate the adverse poison, these toxic metals bio-accumulate in effects of dry season by avoiding the straying vital organs and cause harmful effects slowly of animals on roadsides and garbage in search over a period of time. The other threat of of food and water. Plastic waste can be these heavy metals is their plausible presence effectively managed through reduction in use, in the human food chain through meat and reuse of plastic, and recycling of plastic milk products. Many studies have proven the

20 Science Horizon FEBRUARY, 2019 materials. Municipality and other sanitation NATURE WITH authorities should actively collect the plastic ARCHITECTURE waste materials along roadsides and open grounds and dispose of them properly to avoid Prof.Prafulla Kumar Mohanty ingestion by animals. Awareness should be Miss Swetashree Jena created among the public and in particular livestock owners about the harmful effects of Introduction plastic on animal health and, in turn, its effects The nature is full of wonderful creations. on human health. Flora and fauna are the best creations. The Conclusion animals with their brain capacity create an abode for themselves in the nature using the The Government of Odisha has recently available materials of nature in such a way that banned the use of plastics in six cities namely, even highly qualified human architects or Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Sambalpur, engineers fail to match up with their designing Berhampur and Puri in order to minimise the skills. Many animals possess unique detrimental effect of plastic toxicity in human engineering skills but only some are worth and animal health. As per the directive, no mentioning because of their sophisticated skill, person can sell, trade, manufacture, import, which can leave anyone awestricken. For store, carry, transport, use or distribute instance, the social insects like termites, ants, polythene and single-use plastic in the above bees and wasps build true nests among the mentioned cities. The vendors are not allowed arthropods. These nests are often elaborated to use polythene sheets of less than 50-micron system of chambers which are often provided thickness for storing, transporting, dispensing for the queen, eggs, larvae and pupae, as well or packaging of any article or commodity or as passages for ventilation and movement. food items, consumables, packaging of milk and milk products and edible oil in sealed The nests of fishes vary from shallow manner. To make our environment healthy and depressions scooped in sand or gravel (used fit for human habitation, we, as responsible by many groups) to enclosed structures citizens, should stop the use of plastic in our constructed by male sticklebacks which use a day-to-day life. secretion produced by their kidneys as a binding n material. Among amphibians, only certain College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, frogs build their nests, which may be simple Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology Bhubaneswar-751003 mud basins as done by some Hyla species or [email protected] nests made up of froth. A few reptiles build 2 [email protected] nests .The alligators build mound of mud and vegetation in which the eggs are laid and guarded by the females. King cobras build

Science Horizon 21 FEBRUARY, 2019 nests of leaves and forest debris, carried by kinking their necks and both sexes guard the eggs. The birds prove themselves as very good engineers. The birds like weavers, baltimorioles, flamingoes, and swifts have marvellous architectural skill. Birds’ nest varies in shape and size from species to species. Birds’ nest varies in diameter from about two centimetre like the nests of smaller humming birds to more than two metre in those of larger eagles and in weight from a few gram to more than a ton. Out of many architects of nature, some Fig.1- Caste of Honeybee: Worker (top), are described below, whose engineering skills Queen (middle), Drone (bottom) are amazing and worth mentioning. These are as follows. Construction of beehives I. Honey Bee The nests or beehives of honeybees, Honey bees are social insects living in harbouring thousands of individuals, are seen colonies showing polymorphism and division hanging down the tree branches or ceilings of of labour. A honey bee is an insect of any houses and old buildings (Fig. 02). These are member of genus Apis, primarily distinguished built up by their cooperative effort and manifest by the production and storage of honey, and the a spectacular engineering feat. Workers are construction of perennial, colonial nest from solely responsible for the construction of wax. Honeybees belong to the phylum beehive. They bear the wax glands which is a Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Hymenoptera, modified abdominal gland. Wax is secreted and family Apidae. A colony of honeybees through minute pores in the form of flat scales. consists of three kinds of caste such as workers Honeybees usually choose to construct their (sterile females), drones (fertile males), and a nests in hollowed out wood, rock crevices, the queen (fertile female) (Fig. 01). Drones and underside of roofs and generally anywhere queens are concerned solely with reproduction. which offers protection from the enemies. Hence, the worker performs all other duties Worker bees prepare the space by covering its such as producing royal jelly for feeding wall with a thin layer of propolis. This community, producing wax, building the substance is made from plant resins collected beehives, rearing the larvae, cleaning and by bees, wax secreted from glands and their ventilating the hives, disposing of debris and saliva. dead bees etc. in a very harmonious way.

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followed by workers brood cells, drone brood cells and finally queen cells at the bottom of the structure (Fig. 03). Bees make cells in hexagonal shape because it enables them to store huge quantity of food while using as little wax in their construction as possible. II. Termites

Termites are social insects and exhibit the most complex social life of all insects. Although termed white ants, they are neither white nor ants. This is an insect of the order Isoptera. They live in colonies with well Fig.2- Bee hives hanging on a tree organised castes or polymorphism. Workers are wingless forms with no or under developed eyes. They collect food, look after the youngs, attend the reproductive forms, construct nests and passage ways. Soldiers are large headed bigger bodied individuals possessing large and strong mandibles. Wingless nasutes possess rostrum that pours a sticky secretion

Fig.3- Chambers of bee hive

The bees chew the wax until it is soft, binding bits of it together to eventually form individual cell. These cells are used to store nectar, pollens, water, honey, eggs, and larvae. Once constructed, the hive normally has one entrance and is occupied by the colony for Fig.4- Termites (Qeen and King) several years. The walls of a finished to destroy enemies. Reproductive male and honeycomb can support up to 30 times their female termites are called king and queen, own weight and contain honey in their upper respectively. They are wingless but develop sections, pollen present in the row below this, from sexual winged forms and live in royal

Science Horizon 23 FEBRUARY, 2019 chambers (Fig. 04). Termites cause a serious problem for humans. They go deep into the wooden parts of our homes, totally destroying the wood and making homes uninhabitable and empty. No matter how ironic it may sound, termites can build not just a house, but an entire city.

Construction of termitarium

The nests of termites can be broadly separated into three main categories such as subterranean (completely below ground), Fig.5- Termitarium epigeal (protruding above the soil surface), connected by a maze of passages. In the and arboreal (trees) (Fig. 05). Epigeal nests centre is the royal chamber occupied by the (mounds) protrude from the earth and mud. king and queen of the colony. The construction of the nest is entirely on III. Wasp termite‘s working caste. Working termites produce sticky mixture for building a nest, Wasps are social insects of the order and this special structure consists of grinded Hymenoptera, which live in colonies .They wood, clay, card board and saliva. Grains of build their nests in underground sites, this are glued to each other and become hard. attached to outside structures, or hanging Subterranean termites require an association from branches and other overhanging areas with continuous and a lot of moisture, so (Fig. 06). Paper wasps construct their nest they build their nests in underground soil. from papery substance made by the wasps This ensures that their habitat always remains themselves. Wasps have biting mouthparts damp and cool. The nests may be located with 12 or 13 segmented antennae. They are between 10 to 45 cm or more underground normally winged with abdomen attached to and are made up of several rooms, called thorax by slender petiole. Females and galleries. These galleries are connected by workers are provided with formidable stings. tunnels made up of mud. The tunnels not only connect galleries, but also connect the termites to food sources. Subterranean termites foraging territories –the area over which the colony‘s workers may range looking for sources of food are large. Termites’ nests are complex structures, full of tiny chambers Fig.6- Wasps on thier nest

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Construction of nest cm in body length. Instead of scales, these fish Unless built underground, a wasp nest is have bony plates covering their body. easily recognised. External nest built by yellow Sticklebacks are found in North America and jackets, hornets and paper wasps are usually northern Eurasia. The name stickleback is balloon or umbrella shaped with an entrance derived from the sharp thick spines arising in and exit hole at the bottom (Fig. 07). Inside first dorsal fin. The number of these spines the nest are stacked combs that contain cells forms part of the basis for the identification for the queen to lay her eggs in. These are of different species of sticklebacks. A male surrounded by a protective layer of a papery three spine stickleback (Gasterosteus substance constructed and added by the worker aculeatus) is normally blue-green, but it wasps. Most wasps use wood fibre to create develops a bright red colour in the breeding the papery substance found outside the nests. season (Fig. 08). The male ten spine (Pungitius Worker wasps do this by chewing wood pungitius) stickleback becomes brown, while particles and mixing them with their saliva to the fifteen spine stickleback changes to blue create a sticky pulp. Afterwards, the wasps use colour. their mandibles and front legs to spread the new paste outside the nest, layering the paper for extra protection. The papery substance is enough to protect their young from most predators and exposure to the enemies. Wasps usually continue onto the layers or expand the nest if needed.

Fig.8- Female Stickleback (top) and Male Stickleback (bottom) Bubble nest of Stickleback Sticklebacks provide a good example of male dominance in mating and nesting behaviour. At the beginning of the breeding season, a male stickleback selects a suitable spot in quite water, where he builds a nest of Fig.7- Nest of Wasp plant parts stuck together by a sticky fluid IV. Stickleback produced by his kidneys (Fig. 09). The fish Sticklebacks are small bony fish in the shapes the nest by his body movements. family Gasterosteidae that rarely exceed eight Breeding male stickleback is aggressive during

Science Horizon 25 FEBRUARY, 2019 the breeding season and readily fights with areas, and scrub and secondarily, they are best other males. The male performs a courtship known for their hanging retort shaped nests dance to entice a female into the nest, but if woven from leaves. These nest colonies are this is not successful he attempts to chase the usually found on thorny trees or palm fronds female into his nest, where she deposits her and the nests are often built near water or eggs. The male then expels sperm (milt) over hanging over water where predator cannot reach the eggs to fertilize them. The male searches easily. Among the population variations, five for another female, repeating the process until subspecies are recognized. The nominate race his nest is filled with eggs. The male aerates P.philippinus is found through much of the eggs by using his pectoral fins to setup mainland India while P.burmanicus is found water current. He guards the eggs until they eastwards into Southeast Asia. These are hatch, and then continues to guard the brood sparrow sized about fifteen centimetre and in afterwards, maintaining the young in the nest their non-breeding plumage, both males and until they are able to obtain their own food. females resemble female house sparrows. They have a stout conical bill and a short square tail. Non–breeding males and females look alike, dark brown streaked fulvous buff above, plain whitish fulvous below, eyebrow long and buff coloured, bill is horn coloured without mask. Breeding males have a bright yellow crown, dark brown, blackish brown bill; upper parts are dark brown streaked with yellow, with a yellow breast and cream buff below. Fig.9- Male Stickleback building nest Construction of nest V. Weaver Bird Weaver birds’ nests are one of the most A weaver bird is a small bird belonging sophisticated nests in birds. Male weaver birds to the family Ploceidae. They are mainly construct their elaborate nests during mating tropical, old world species noted for their season to attract prospective mates. nest building abilities. All species build domed Sometimes, after the male has completed the nests, sometimes with long entrance tunnels. basic structure of the nest and a female has True weavers build durable nests with elaborate approved it, the female helps him to complete weaving and knotting grass and reed blades. the nest. The male weaver bird starts making a The baya weaver (Ploceus philippinus) is a knot with a long blade of grass. Then he builds weaver bird found across the Indian a circular structure, weaving blades using his subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Flocks of beak and feet (Fig. 10). Next step is to weave these birds are found in grasslands, cultivated grass around the initial ring to build a ball

26 Science Horizon FEBRUARY, 2019 shaped nest (Fig. 11). Many weaver birds breed back with soft grass to upholster the nest and along rivers, lakes and dams, but may move to make it comfortable for the offsprings to Savannas and Steppes during the breeding come. The nest of a weaver bird often has a season. Weaver birds use a variety of plant narrow tube like entrance that opens upside materials to build their nests including strips down making it hard for predators to get inside. of grass, leaves, twigs, and roots. A weaver Males usually build between 5-10 nests, and bird has a strong, conical beak, which it uses wait for a female to visit them and pick it up. to cut blades of grass for building nests. The However, if a nest is not occupied by a female bird can tie real knots in nest material with its after a few days, the male destroys the nest beak and feet. By tying knots, the bird makes and builds another one, as females only pick the nest more secure. up freshly build nests (Fig. 12). A single male builds more than 50 nests in one breeding season. Sometimes several nests are built up on one tree branch.

Fig.10- Male Weaver bird building a nest

Fig.12- Male Weaver bird waiting for female VI. Beaver Beaver is a semi aquatic and nocturnal mammal. It is the second largest rodent and of family Castoridae. Beaver is a stout bodied Fig.11- Completed nest of Weaver bird animal with dark brown fur (Fig. 13). The body is more than one metre long including 30 Some weaver birds even hang their nests centimetre broad scaly tail. Its muzzle is blunt, from telephone poles. The nest is completely ears are small, and feet are webbed with two waterproof. Even very violent storms cannot split claws for grooming the fur and spreading damage the nest. The bird takes about two days oil for waterproofing the body. It has long, to complete the nest. Last step is to come yellowish, ever growing and chisel like teeth.

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slow moving water, they build a straight dam, where as in fast moving water they tend to be curved (Fig. 15). Dams are generally built wider at base and the top is usually tilted upstream to resist the force of current. Beavers can transport their own weight in material; they drag logs along mud slides and float them through canals to get them in place. Trees approaching a diameter of 90 cm may be used to construct a dam, although the average is 10 Fig.13- Beaver to 30 cm. It takes a beaver about 20 minutes to Construction of dam cut down a 15 cm wide aspen tree by gnawing Beavers build dams to provide protection a groove around trunk in an hour, in glass against predators such as coyotes, wolves, and shape. bears and to provide easy access to food during winter (Fig. 14). Beavers work at night and are prolific builders, carrying mud and stones with their fore paws and timber between their teeth. A minimum water level of 60 to 90 cm is required to keep underwater entrance to beaver lodges from being blocked by ice during winter. In lakes, rivers, and large streams with Fig.14- Beaver building the dam deep enough water, beavers may not build dams. If the water is not deep enough to keep beavers safe from predators and their lodge entrances ice free, beavers build dams. Beavers start construction by diverting the stream to lessen the flow of water pressure. Branches and logs are driven into mud of the stream bed to form a base. Then sticks, bark from deciduous trees, rocks, mud, grass, leaves, masses of plants, and anything else available, are used to build the super structure. The average height of a dam is about 1.8 metre. Beavers construct various types of dams according to speed of water on the stream. In Fig.15- Internal structure of nest of Beaver

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Conclusion 6. David BV and Ananthakrishnan TN (2004) Architects of the nature do not learn General and Applied Entomology. Tata architectural technique as the human architects McGraw-Hill Publishing Company do but are born with instinctive behaviour Limited, New Delhi, pp 322-329, 703- required to build and maintain their architecture 728. in the right situation. They have a real 7. Hickman CP Jr, Roberts LS and Larson A engineering marvel among all the animals (2001) Integrated Principles of Zoology. including humans. Human architects have McGraw-Hill, New York, America, pp created many buildings, dams and monuments 507-535. with their brain capacity or applying intellectual 8. Pechenik JA (2002) Biology of the ability, but animals are not far behind. They are Invertebrates. The McGraw-Hill dubbed as engineers of nature to prove their Publishing Company Limited, New worth like honey bees, termites, wasps, weaver Delhi, pp 323-329. birds, and beavers. 9. Yadav BN (1993) Fish and Fisheries. Reference Daya Publishing House, New Delhi, pp 1. Benton William (1768) Encyclopaedia 1-273. Britannica. Volume 03. Society of 10. Young JZ (1957) The Life of Mammals. Gentleman in Scotland Chicago, London, Oxford University Press, London, pp 1- Geneva, pp348. 790. 2. Benton William (1768) Encyclopaedia 11. Young JZ (1975) The Life of Vertebrates. Britannica. Volume 11. Society of Oxford University Press, New York, Gentleman in Scotland, Chicago, Oxford, pp 431-508, 592-601. London, Geneva, pp657. n 1 3. Benton William (1768) Encyclopaedia PG Department of Zoology Utkal University, Vani Vihar Britannica. Volume 23. Society of Bhubaneswar- 751004 Gentleman in Scotland Chicago, London, E-mail: [email protected] Geneva, pp264-265. 2PG Department of Zoology Utkal University, Vani Vihar 4. Burton Maurice and Burton Robert Bhubaneswar- 751004 (1974) Funk and Wagnalls, Wildlife E-mail: [email protected] Encyclopaedia Volume 2. New York, pp 135. 5. Burton Maurice (2002) Builders and Breakers of Animal World, Odhams Books Limited Volume 2. London, pp 204.

Science Horizon 29 FEBRUARY, 2019 SALINE SOILS: EFFECT ON CROP PRODUCTION AND STRATEGIES FOR MANAGEMENT 1Dr. Antaryami Mishra 2Dr. Subhashis Saren 3PravaKiran Dash Introduction: are irrigation with high amount of salt- Excess accumulation of salts in soil containing water, inundation of sea water in poses enormous problems for agriculture. Salt coastal belts, ground water reservoir of saline affected soils can be defined as soils on which water due to nature of parent materials etc. the growth of most crop plants is limited by an Further, disposal of industrial wastes and excess of easily soluble salts (Rengaswami, excessive fertilization lead to salinization. 2006). Saline soils contain excessive amount Effect of salts on plants: of either soluble salts or exchangeable sodium n Under salt stress, plants undergo or both affecting crop yields. Salts are alterations in various metabolic considered as easily soluble when they are processes which include increased more soluble than gypsum. Salts may include osmotic pressure- limiting water uptake chlorides, sulphates, carbonates and (physiological drought), high pH (in bicarbonates of sodium, potassium, magnesium caser of sodic soils) and ionic and calcium. Soils having electrical competition-limiting nutrient uptake -1 conductivity of more than 4 dSm are which ultimately results in reduction in considered as saline soils (SSSA, 1997). yield (Meiri, 1984; Munns, 2002). However, usually soils having electrical n As a result of salt stress, usually plants conductivity of more than 2 dSm-1 are show symptoms such as wilting, yellowed considered as harmful for crop production leaves, stunted growth, chlorosis of green (Bohn et al., 1985). The process of plants, leaf tip burning, necrosis of accumulation of salts is one of the major leaves, with oldest leaves displaying reasons for land degradation and is known as scorching (Shannon and Grieve, 1998). ‘Salinization’. Under prolonged stress, the leaves turn Environmental factors favourable for greenish-blue in colour, with thickened salinization are arid and semi-arid climate and waxy leaf surface (Ayers and Westcot, (where the evapotranspiration loss is much 1985). greater than the precipitation). Sometimes, n Excess salts in root zones cause not salt accumulation in soil may lead to the only the osmotic stress, but also disrupt formation of ‘salic’ soil horizon (SSSA, 1997). cell ion homeostasis by including both Other reasons for development of saline soils

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the Ca2+, NO -1 and the accumulation of land with good quality water followed by 3 Na+,Cl­-. drainage of excess water. n Some specific ion toxicities result from 2) Irrigation management the accumulation of Na, Cl, and/or boron Poor quality water can also be safely in the tissues of transpiring leaves to used with the development of technological damaging leaves (Hasegawa et al., 2000). options. Better irrigation practices such as n Imbalances of ions cause disorders in partial root zone drying methodology, drip/ enzyme activities, membrane micro jet, sprinkler and pitcher irrigation permeability and metabolic activities in practice should be adopted in which relatively the plant. less water is used. n Accumulation of injurious ions may 3) Land shaping and rain water harvesting affect photosynthesis, protein synthesis, Extensive areas of the coastal regions in enzyme activities and damage India receive high monsoon rains. In many of chloroplasts and other organelles in the these areas, lands are low lying, salt affected plant. and drainage congested. The lands are subjected n Deficiencies of several nutrients and to submergence in monsoon season, while nutritional imbalances in plant may be they remain dry with high salinity during the caused by the higher concentration of remaining period of the year as rainfall during Na+ and Cl- in the soil solution. non-monsoon period is very limited. A major n Salinity has been found to affect portion of the rain water received during photosynthesis by decreasing CO monsoon is lost as run-off to the sea. 2 availability as a result of limitations in Experiments have shown that excess rain water diffusion of cell membrane and a in monsoon months can be harvested in farm reduction of the contents of channels/ farm ponds created through different photosynthetic pigments. land shaping techniques, which can be used for n As a result of reduced leaf growth and irrigation and pisciculture. inhibited photosynthesis, plants often 4) Use of amendments undergo decreased growth and Saline soils with high acidity can be development in terms of biomass, leaf ameliorated by application of lime and higher area, root growth and ultimately crop doses of phosphatic fertilizers along with green yield (Rahmanet al., 2008). manure. Strategies for management of salt affected soils: 5) Nutrient management

1) Drainage management Phosphorus deficiency is common in Saline soils can be reclaimed by leaching coastal acid sulphate / acid-saline soils. the excess salts from soil through ponding the Integrated application of inorganic fertilisers Science Horizon 31 FEBRUARY, 2019 along with organic manures has been found to is particularly true for countries like India improve not only the nutrient status of the where population growth rate is high. All- soil; but also the soil physical condition and round measures are urgently required to arrest quality of salt affected soils. Recycling of land degradation of any form. Lands degraded organic wastes and use of bio-fertilizers, viz. due to salinity are to be used judiciously for Rhizobium cultures may play a significant sustainable high production and regeneration. role in nutrient management of salt affected So, understanding the causes of development soils. of saline soils along with adopting the strategies to minimise the harmful effect of 6) Salt tolerant crops and varieties saline soils is the most urgent need. Along with these, genomic development of salt Tolerant crops and varieties can produce tolerant varieties of different crops can help satisfactory yield even under high salinity. to tackle problems related with salt affected Tolerant crops will also allow use of poor soils and help in crop production and quality water for irrigation. Cotton and barley productivity. can produce satisfactory yields at much higher References: salinity levels than corn and soybeans because 1. Ayers, R.S. and Westcit, D.W. (1985) certain crops can make osmotic adjustments Water quality for agriculture. FAO that enable them to extract more water from Irrigation and drainage paper 29, FAO, saline soils. In recent years, attention is being Rome. Bohn, H.L., McNeal, B.L. and paid worldwide to accommodate the salt O’Connor, G.A. (1985) Soil Chemistry. tolerant halophytes of industrial importance John Wiley and Sons, New York, USA. for highly saline degraded area including 2. Bohn, H.L., McNeal, B.L. and O’Connor, G.A. (1985) Soil Chemistry. John Wiley coastal marshes. and Sons, New York, USA. 3. Brady, N.C. and Weil, R.R. (2014)The 7) Brackish water aquaculture Nature and Properties of Soils14thedn. Pearson Education Private Limited, New In coastal areas, where cultivation of Delhi. normal crops is difficult due to low lying 4. Hasegawa, p.m., Bressan, R.A., Zhu, J.K. nature of the land, soil-water salinity and and Bhonert, H.J. (2000) Plant cellular frequent saline water inundation of land with and molecular responses to high salinity. brackish water, fish cultivation has great scope Annual review of plant physiology 51, to increase the productivity of these lands. 463-499. 5. Meiri, A. (1984) Plant response to Conclusion salinity: experimental methodology and application to the field. In: Soil salinity At present, there is more demand for under irrigation: process and agricultural production to meet the increasing management (I. Shainberg and J. requirements of burgeoning population. This

32 Science Horizon FEBRUARY, 2019 Shalhevet, Eds.) pp 284-297. Springer- Verlag, New York, USA. SOLAR PARKS - 6. Munus, R. (2002) Comparative THE ULTIMATE physiology of salt and water stress. OPTION Plant,Cell and Environment 25, 239- 250. 7. Rahman, M., Soomro, U.A., Haq, M.Z. Prof. Suresh Mohapatra and Gul, S. (2008) Effects of NaCl salinity on wheat (TriticumaestivumL.) Increasing demands for electrical energy cultivars. World Journal of Agriculture for both domestic and industrial use has Science4, 398-400. necessitated development of efficient 8. Rattan, R.K., Katyal, J.C, Dwivedi, B.S., technology to maximise trapping of solar Sarkar, A.K., Bhattacharyya, Tapas, energy and convert it directly to electricity. Tarafdar, J.C. and Kukal, S.S. (Editors) (2015) Soil Science: An Introduction. The solar energy available in our country far Indian Society of Soil Science, New exceeds the possible output of all the fossil Delhi; pp 353-384. fuel energy resources. Solar parks are viable 9. Rengaswami, P. (2006) World and sustainable and designed to supply power salinization with emphasis on Australia. into electricity grid. They are differentiated Journal of Experimental Botany 57, from most building mounted and other 1017-1023. decentralised solar power applications as they 10. Sanyal, S.K.(Ed.) (2017) Souvenir of 82nd annual convention and national supply power at utility level, rather than to seminar of Indian Society of Soil local users. Science, New Delhi at Amity University, The first 1 MWp (peak) solar park was Kolkata, New Town, Kolkata, West- built by Aerosolae (California). Now U.S.A, Bengal, 11-14 December, 2017; pp 103- 119. China, India, France, Canada and Italy are 11. Shannon, M.C. and Grieve, C.M. (1998) producing solar energy. Government of India Tolerance of vegetable crops to salinity. intends to produce about 100,000 MW solar ScientaHorticulture 78, 5-38. power by 2022 through national solar mission. 12. SSSA (1997) Glossary of soil science At present 22 solar power stations are being terms. Soil Science Society of America established in states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, (SSSA), Madison, WI, USA.P. 134. Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. n 1 Professor, Department of Soil Science and Agricultural World’s largest solar park has been set up at Chemistry, OUAT, Bhubaneswar Bengaluru (2000 MW) at a cost of Rs.16,500 2 Assistant Professor, Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, OUAT, Bhubaneswar crores at Pavagada. It spans across 13,000 3 Ph.D Scholar, Department of Soil Science and acres and spreads over five villages and is a Agricultural Chemistry, OUAT, Bhubaneswar bench mark in unique people participation. Involvement of community and utility owned projects are fast developing industries in various states. Science Horizon 33 FEBRUARY, 2019

Government of Odisha is planning to have Recent Developments four such parks by 2020 with the participation Researchers of George Washington of IBC solar venture, ESL green energy , TATA University have created prototype of a solar power and Sahara power who have expressed cell that has efficiency of 44.5%. The prototype their willingness in the venture. Experts have integrates multiple cells stacked into a single estimated that Odisha has facilities for device capable of capturing nearly all the producing 8000 MW of solar electricity and energy in the solar spectrum (different from 2000MW indirect solar-heat-electricity commonly found on roof tops and in fields). It generation. Very favourable environment in uses concentrator photo-voltaic panels that terms of plenty sunlight and uncultivable barren employ lenses to concentrate sun light into land (brown field sites) at Nabrangpur, tiny micro scale (one millimetre) solar cells. Sundergarh and Bolangir districts for harvesting The stacked cells act almost like a sieve for solar energy for about 300 days a year are sun light with specialised materials in each available. layer absorbing energy of a specific set of It may be mentioned that South-Arabia is wavelengths (Mathew Lamb Etel “journal of planning to have the largest solar park spread advanced energy materials”). Conventional over 5000 sq km land to generate 200 GW of materials cannot capture the entire spectral power that would be enough to get rid of range (250 to 2500 nm). They have claimed dependence on fuel and natural gas. that the new device using Ga-Sb based solar cells would enable photons and achieve the Solar Modules ultimate multi-junction solar cells. Modules consist of large scale A team of scientists at Stanford photovoltaic systems using semiconductor University have demonstrated that nano- crystals. Cells made of silicon semiconductors technology can be used to create crystalline were first developed as a source of energy for silicon thin film solar cells that are more spacecrafts and satellites. Subsequently efficient in capturing solar energy. It would semiconductor crystals of gallium arsenide reduce the cost of solar energy production by and indium phosphide could be grown in such 50-80%. (Dr. Shrestha Vasu Mallick, working a way as to have regions of n-types adjacent to with her advisor Dr. Mark Brongersma and Dr. regions of p- types leading to n-p junctions. Petumans – Journal “Optics Express” The DC generated, when sun-light falls on publication). these junctions could be stored in Ni-Cd or Solar Array Arrangements lead acid batteries or electrolyse water to produce hydrogen which can be used as a Solar arrays are the subsystems which secondary fuel in spacecrafts. convert incoming light into electrical energy. They comprise a multitude of solar modules

34 Science Horizon FEBRUARY, 2019 mounted on support structures and to the first storage tank via a steam turbine interconnected to deliver a power output to system to produce electricity to the grid. electronic power conditioning systems. Co- A mixture of biphenyl ether and biphenyl location of cluster of parks as in Gujrat is (melting point 120C) can be heated upto 3900C another ideal prospect. in parabolic troughs and can be used to heat up Hybrid Solar Plants the molten salts through a heat exchanger. Solar power, generated mainly during Proper mix of solar thermal storage and solar day time in the non-monsoon period, can be photo-voltaic system can overcome the load interconnected with wind generated power. fluctuation without the need of costly battery During monsoon months it can be coupled storage. with hydro-electricity, locating them near the Limitations and Advantages existing hydro power plants. High cost of infrastructure, vast land Storage of electrical energy is difficult. requirement and low efficiency of conversion Chinese scientists have developed a lead– are major problems of extracting solar energy. carbon battery to store power generated from But it is expected to be more beneficial in the solar panels. The improvements made in long term as availability of free energy would recent years in Solar thermal storage power compensate the cost component once the technology has made possible cheaper solar infrastructure is set up. Further, the same area power generation for ensuring stable grid of land used for both conventional agriculture operation. and solar power generation (agri-voltaics) is a Christopher Barile of Stanford University plus point. A recent study found that the value demonstrated that energy can be stored of solar electricity coupled with shade tolerant effectively in molten salts as latent heat based crop production created over 30% increase in on heat exchange mode during phase changes economic value from farms deploying agri- to provide steady base load (Physics, 240, voltaic systems compared to conventional 2010). Heating pads take advantage of heat of agriculture. An alternative is to use the water crystallisation associated with sodium acetate surface area on canals, lakes, reservoirs, farm transferring it to sodium acetate tri-hydrate ponds and the sea for large solar power plants and sodium sulphate to its decahydrate. Molten where there is land scarce in the country. salt mixtures of 60% sodium nitrate and 40% Further, it would reduce dependence on coal, potassium nitrate (melting point 2200C and gas, and nuclear energy and minimise pollution. does not decompose until 6000C ) is pumped Reference from a storage tank during the day time to a Solar Power in India- Wikipedia. 0 solar power tower where it is heated to 550 C. n The hot mixture is stored in a storage tank. URMI, 1595/96 Bhoi Nagar During night the hot mixture is pumped back Unit- IX, BBSR-22 Science Horizon 35 FEBRUARY, 2019 TIGERS UNDER IUCN since 2008. Although the Govt. has THREAT shown keenness for its conservation through major initiatives like Project Tiger (launched since 1973) there has not been any appreciable Nikunja Bihari Sahu increase in the population of tigers. The theme of last year’s Wildlife Week Indicator of Ecological Health was “Big Cats: Predators under Threat”. Tigers are primarily maintained for their Conservationists are now concerned about the scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural and declining population of the largest predating ecological values. Protecting tigers, we protect big cat of India, the Tiger (Panthera tigris forests vital to the planet’s life support system, tigris). While there were 40,000 tigers in preserve fresh water sources as tiger

Royal Bengal Tigress Sundari of Satkosia Reserve, Odisha that often strayed into villages killing man and livestock

India at the beginning of the twentieth century, landscapes often overlap major watersheds there are now hardly 2200 tigers surviving areas, maintain other wildlife like elephants, today. Loss and fragmentation of habitat due sustain lives and livelihoods of traditional and to deforestation and development, lack of prey, indigenous people of the region and promote hunting and poaching and overall hatred feeling tourism. Due to this, tigers in the wild are of people have taken a heavy toll of this regarded as the indicators of the ecological majestic animal and pushed them to the brink health of the planet. Being the top predators of extinction. As a result, tigers in India have of the jungle ecosystem, they feast on the been declared as an endangered species by herbivores like deer to keep their population

36 Science Horizon FEBRUARY, 2019 under control which could potentially destroy about 70 per cent of the global tiger population, forests by consuming the plants. the country has an important role to play in the field of tiger conservation. Heritage Animal Difficulty in Maintaining a Tiger in the Tigers have been long associated in our Wild folklores and epitomized in our culture as symbol of bravery and, hence, adorned as the However tiger, being a carnivore, largely National animal of India. One of the earliest remains a threat to the man and the livestock. portrayals of the tiger in India is found in the We cannot ignore the agonies of the family Harappan seals from the Indus valley culture, members of the people falling victims to dating back to 2500 BC, which depict an tigers. Hence, all our conservation measures intricate association between people and tigers. should ensure that the big cats are not starved

The Champawat tigress that reportedly killed 430 people in Nepal and India was finally killed by the legendary India born British hunter Jim Corbett in 1907

In the language of Jim Corbett, the famous of food in their own territories. Otherwise, English hunter, “The tiger is a large hearted they will be forced to make their way into the gentleman with boundless courage and that human habitats like the recent case of Sundari, when he is exterminated- as exterminated he the tigress of the Satkosia Reserve that will be unless public opinion rallies to his frequently strayed into the farms eying for support- India will be the poorer by having lost cattle. the finest of her fauna.” India being home to

Science Horizon 37 FEBRUARY, 2019 It is not quite easy to maintain a tiger in INTERDISCIPLINARY the wild, as a tiger is a fierce territorial and RESEARCH: SOME needs quite a large area to prowl which it RECENT SUCCESS generally marks with urine, faeces, rakes and STORIES scrapes. Across their range, tigers face unrelenting pressures from poaching, retaliatory killings and habitat loss. They are often forced to compete for space with the dense and often growing human population. Dr. Bijay Kumar Parida Tigers, being mostly solitary animals, are also Introduction difficult to be spotted and counted. From an early undifferentiated view of Conservation nature, called natural philosophy, to many branches or disciplines of science today – If tigers are to survive this century and man’s scientific quest seems to have vastly beyond, their home ranges urgently need diversified. The various disciplines with their protection and restoration. This requires characteristic features have been identified by sustained support from Government and the scientists mostly for convenience and enabling communities. The tiger cannot be preserved in enthusiasts to devote their intellect and time isolation. Because it is at the apex of a large to study some aspects of nature more and complex biotope, its habitat, threatened effectively than the others who work in other by human intrusion, commercial forestry and areas. This produces specialists in specific cattle grazing, must first be made secured. disciplines, who often stay confined to their Frontline forest officials should be properly own disciplines. But, areas of study are trained and equipped with modern instruments emerging where interdisciplinary work or for surveillance for monitoring its movements jumping across boundaries becomes a and smart communication system to trace the necessity even at a fundamental level. There poachers. Above all, we should change our are examples where findings from formal mindset to understand its importance in the sciences (dealing with mathematics and logic) world around us and propagate this message in and natural sciences (concerning natural our effort to save and sustain this beautiful, phenomena) are found to be useful in social iconic animal. sciences (concerned with human behavior and n societies). One recent example is the study of Education Officer, Dhenkanal Science Centre, Near Rajbati, Dhenkanal-759001 the impact of environment and technology on Phone: 8018708858 economics, which has fetched the two American economists, William D. Nordhaus and Paul M. Romer, the 2018 Nobel Prize in

38 Science Horizon FEBRUARY, 2019

Economic Sciences. (R1). At a deeper level, in the Department of there are speculations that the objective, Computer Science, Rice materialistic view of modern science (owing University after to the first scientific revolution) needs to be obtaining Ph.D. from supplemented with mental and spiritual aspects Cornell University. He of human beings, which would lead to the has discovered a way of second scientific revolution. (R2). using artificial Interestingly, the first scientific revolution or intelligence (AI) the scientific renaissance, said to have taken programs for quick and efficient processing place over a prolonged period from 15th to of the overwhelming amount of information 18th century, saw a transition from logical flooding the world today, the so-called big thinking and imagination to experimentation data. His method quickly identifies artificial and observation, basic ingredients to objective neurons suitable for specific purposes in an AI science. network, so much so that an image- Recently, the famous science magazine, classification, for example, needs 95% fewer Science News, published a selected list of ten computations compared to conventional young scientists, all under the age of forty processing. A job that needs more than a week years, doing outstanding interdisciplinary in a conventional programme gets done in a research. (R3). Their names figure in a list of couple of minutes in Shrivastava’s programme. highly rated and ‘fearless’ young scientists, The laurels he has won so far include the nominated by Nobel laureates and members Institute Silver Medal of IIT Kharagpur 2008, of the National Academy of Sciences. Out of the Outstanding Paper Award at the 2014 the ten, five are women. Interestingly, one Conference on Neural Information Processing Indian-born scientist also figures in the list. Systems, Amazon Research Awards 2017, The purpose of the present article is to briefly National Science Foundation Career Award introduce these extraordinary scholars to the 2017, and others. Of him a colleague says, readers of Science Horizon, which may “He’s incredibly bright and incredibly fast. We motivate the students to look across discipline sometimes have to runafter him, because his divides and possibly take up interdisciplinary mind is racing ahead.” studies in their careers. ShahzeenAttari Anshumali Shrivastava (computing, (engineering, artificial intelligence) environment, public Hailed as the savior of the computing policy) world from the current avalanche of data, “Shahzeen Attari, 37, Anshumali Shrivastava, 33, is an IIT Karagpur is an engineer with alumnus. He is working as Assistant Professor expertise in

Science Horizon 39 FEBRUARY, 2019 environmental decision making.She works at at Harvard University. Trained as a chemist Indiana University, Bloomington. She was and intending to synthesize complex brought up in Dubai. With an undergraduate molecules in the laboratory, she was degree in engineering physics, she went for surprised to learn that microorganisms make a joint degree in engineering and public complex molecules much more easily than policy in graduate school at Carnegie Mellon the chemists in the lab and that changes in University. She blends civil and their communities in the body are connected environmental engineering with the public with our illness. She turned her attention to policy and psychology of people regarding the trillions of microorganisms that environmental issues. Her research has found constitute the microbiome in human body how and why people fail to understand and started looking into how they actually complex physical systems at work in their do what they do to our health. She has found localities, resulting in their uninformed and that microbes carry genes responsible for mostly wasteful use of natural resources production of enzymes that interfere in the like energy and water. She considers human working of medicines, sometimes resulting beings as complex systems and uses various in the failure of treatment of diseases like means to explore their perceptions of heart failure. Her work apparently solved environment, public policies and public this century-old puzzle in heart disease. amenities made available to them. Her Though her work till now has mostly research findings in the form of papers titled concentrated on the bad behavior of “Public perceptions of energy consumption microbes, she believes that it may lead to and savings”, “Statements about climate changes in medicines and may prove useful researchers’ carbon footprints affect their against diseases like HIV, TB, malaria, etc. credibility and the impact of their advice”, One of her collaborators says about her: and “Perceptions of water systems” etc. “She’s sort of like a detective that’s looking suggest new ways of increasing public at a mix of different clues. She’s got this awareness about environmental issues and chemical logic that really informs what to more economical and efficient use of natural go after.” She has received several awards resources. such as the 2011 Smith Family Award for Emily Balskus (chemistry, Excellence in Biomedical Research, the microbiome) 2012 NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, Emily Balskus, 38, the 2013 Packard Fellowship for Science uses chemistry to and Engineering, etc. discover how our gut Ibrahim Cisse (physics, genetics) microbes affect our Ibrahim Cisse, 35, working as Assistant health. She works in the Professor in Physics at MIT, was brought up in Department of Chemistry and Microbiology the Republic of Niger, a WestAfrican country, 40 Science Horizon FEBRUARY, 2019 where opportunities for Planetary Sciences, University of Arizona. He science were almost non- works in the multidisciplinary area comprising existent. Nonetheless, planetary surfaces, while at school, he made volcanology and a home laboratory where astrobiology. He uses he broke open electronic a variety of gadgets to reassemble techniques including them or make new ones with their parts. He geological field also dreamed of becoming an astronaut. After mapping, remote majoring in physics from North Carolina sensing, geophysical Central University in Durham and obtaining modeling and AI Ph.D. in physics from the University of Illinois neural networks to study the peculiar landscape at Urbana-Champaign, he is doing pioneer structures created by volcanoes on the planets research in the field of biology using physics. of the solar system, earth and moon included. He uses super-resolution microscopes to Initially interested in architecture, he switched make vivid movies that unravel how genes turn on to geology as he found extraordinary on and copy genetic instructions from DNA to similarity between an architectural blueprint RNA, a vital cellular function in a living body. and a geological map. He began with the study For this purpose, he improved upon the single- of the lava-based volcanic structures on the cell microscopy to design a new device. He earth such as in Iceland. His mapping of 167 has discovered that the physics of condensation, groups of cone-like structures called rootless as in the formation of cloud, rain and snow, cones on Mars, like those found in Iceland, helps in understanding the behavior of gene- suggested that Mars could have large bodies activating proteins. According to biologist of water ice systems that might have been a Anthony Hyman, Cisse is “everything you could habitable environment for microbes. These want in a young scientist. He’s dynamic, structures are believed to have been triggered enthusiastic and interested.” He has been by the sudden evaporation of water ice bodies awarded the 2014 New Innovator Award of the on meeting the hot lava emanating from National Institute of Health, the 2017 Young volcanoes. His adviser Sarah Fagents says, Fluorescence Investigator Award from “He’s a very inquisitive, thirst-for-knowledge HORIBA Scientific, and the 2017 Pew Scholar kind of person. He has an ability to really in Biomedical Sciences. delve into a problem – and he’s not afraid to jump into new areas.” Christopher Hamilton (planetary science, geology, astrobiology) Paula Jofre (astrophysics, archaeology) The 39-year old Christopher Hamilton Paula Jofre, 36, is Assistant Professor is Assistant Professor, Department of and a member of the Astronomy Nucleus at

Science Horizon 41 FEBRUARY, 2019

Universidad Diego demands of a family. Jofre took that up as a Portales, Santiago, Chile. challenge and has been hugely successful in She combines the balancing a grand career in astrophysics and a principles of astrophysics loving family, thus setting an example for the with those of biology and womenfolk. archaeology to trace the Lisa Manning (physics, cell biology) family history of Lisa Manning, 38, Department of individual stars in the Physics, Syracuse Milky Way. We know that the process of University, USA has fusion that generates energy of a star also become famous for produces elements of different types including combining physics and carbon and iron. Some of the stars explode biology. She uses and spread their contents in the cosmos when mathematical modeling and they die (supernovae). Newer generations of laws of physics to study stars who build themselves from gas clouds the movements of cells in human body. She containing specific elements may thus belong found that the behavior of groups of cells can to a family, like similar DNA possessing change depending upon the mechanical forces siblings in a family. The analogy fascinated they exert on one another. While graduating in Jofre who finds the chemical composition of physics, she studied how granular materials a star from the wavelengths of light it emits like sand can flow like a liquid or jam together and uses the same as the DNA-like signature like a solid. She had a hunch that biological of the star. The process is similar to materials can show similar behavior depending establishing the ancestry of human beings from upon their shape and stickiness, which she the DNA analysis of the ancient remains, as is demonstrated through a simulation. Her finding done by an archaeologist or anthropologist. has resulted in a new understanding of Using this technique, Jofre and her colleagues biological processes involving cell have been able to build in 2017 a family tree movements, such as in asthma, wound healing, with three branches showing the relationships embryonic development, cancer, etc. Her between 21 of sun-like stars. Out of the three, graduate adviser, physicist Jean Carlson says, two branches are known whereas the third one “Forces at the cellular scale are important for is likely to lead to new information about properties of tissue. Lisa has been a real stellar evolution. Jofre has been hailed as an leader in thinking that way.” Manning showed original, innovative, inventive and above all, a her penchant for interdisciplinary science brave thinker. Interestingly, in her high school early. In high school she applied the principles a career counsellor advised her class that of physics and biology in conjunction with a women should not choose a career in mathematical modeling in a project to astronomy, which they cannot balance with the fabricate a biochemical fuel cell to produce 42 Science Horizon FEBRUARY, 2019 energy from microbes and this earned her the and self-control mechanisms, into designing first position in the Engineering category at new kinds of battery. Born in Mexico, he the 1998 Intel International Science and developed the spirit of sharing and teamwork Engineering Fair. from school days, which he carries into Joaquin Rodriguez-Lopez (electrochemistry, research work on new battery and fuel cell material science, renewable energy) technology and translating the same into Joaquin Rodriguez-Lopez, 35, University commercial production. of Illinois at Urbana- Douglas Stanford (black holes, quantum Champaign, is designing mechanics, chaos) new and more efficient Douglas Stanford, 31, Theoretical flow battery materials for Physics, Institute of Advanced Study, Princeton storing large amount of and Stanford University, has made interesting electricity generated by discoveries in black renewable energy sources hole studies. One of such as solar panels and these is that black wind turbines. Unlike the popular lithium-ion holes are the most battery that uses two electrodes, a flow battery chaotic objects in uses two big tanks of a positively charged nature. This follows solution and a negatively charged solution, from Stanford and separated by a porous membrane across which his collaborators’ chemical reaction takes place between the contention that the pattern of Hawking radiation solutions thereby setting up an electric current. from a black hole changes appreciably even More amount of charge can be stored simply when a single particle enters it, thanks to what by increasing the size of the tanks. His team is known as the butterfly effect, a hypothetical has developed new kinds of bulky particles in scenario in which the tiny air flow resulting polymer form for more efficient transfer of from a butterfly flapping its wings here and charge in the tank solutions, in place of small now could influence the occurrence of a particles in use so far. Using scanning tornado elsewhere later. This new insight into electrochemical microscopy, he investigates black hole physics may lead to a wholesome the working of the new materials in order to theory of quantum gravity, a marriage of be able to improve upon them and redesign quantum mechanics and general relativity, them as per the need. His kind of investigation which has so far eluded theoretical physicists. has become the major focus of the Joint The young Stanford has earned the respect of Center for Energy Storage Research, USA, his more experienced colleagues and other which is working towards a sustainable energy stalwarts working in cutting edge physics who future. He wishes to incorporate biological believe that he can produce even more materials,with their natural bulky structure interesting and insightful results. Some of the Science Horizon 43 FEBRUARY, 2019 remarks made about him are: “He is a deep baboons in the wild. They traced the changes thinker and a powerful calculator, a rare, to the activities of the corresponding genes. winning combination that one finds in the very Interested in all kinds of scientific pursuits best physicists.” “It is possible that he is one from school days, Tung is said to be the only of those rare individuals [who] will really researcher in the field to have experimentally change the direction of science.” As a manipulated the social status of monkeys and youngster, Stanford did a lot of sailing in his a forefront researcher in the area of social family boat where he learnt how to balance the influence on gene regulation. forces due to water and wind. This, he says, Conclusion encouraged him to explore abstract areas The success stories as briefly narrated involving the fundamental forces of nature. here bring out the significance of Jenny Tung (evolutionary anthropology, interdisciplinary research in the current world genomics) scenario. It is heartening to see that young Jenny Tung, 36, scientists, even in the early phases of their Associate Professor in careers, are not afraid of jumping across the Departments of disciplines. Their efforts augur well for Evolutionary science, society and environment. Their stories Anthropology and are likely to inspire our students, the future Biology, Duke scientists of the world.To facilitate University, Durham, multifaceted perceptions of students, the North Carolina combines evolutionary teachers need to interconnect different subject anthropology with genomics in order to find if domains in the teaching learning processes. biology is somehow responsible for the References observed fact that people of higher social 1.NobelPrize.org status enjoy considerably better health and . A first glance greater longevity than those with lower status. at the 2018 Nobel Laureates.The Nobel Prize The interesting question is whether wealth Monthly, October 2018. leads to health or health leads to wealth. As a 2. Prof. N. Barik. Editorial: Post-materialist Paradigm at the Threshold of Second Scientific prototype, Tung and her colleagues studied Revolution. Science Horizon, Volume 3, monkeys, which have neither a health care Issue 7, July 2018. provision nor a wealth generating system, to 3. Science News Staff. The SN 10: These find how social hierarchies affect DNA, and scientists defy limits to tackle big consequently health. They found that the problems.Science News, September 26, immune status of female rhesus macaque in 2018. captivity improves or declines depending upon n whether her social status rises or falls. Similar Plot No. 4586, Gadakana, Bhubaneswar – 751017 Email: [email protected] conclusion she reached by studying the female Mobile No. 9437308424

44 Science Horizon FEBRUARY, 2019 INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF MINES AND MINERAL BASED INDUSTRIES WITH ZERO WASTE APPROACH

Prof. Dr. P. K. Jena Mines all over the world, are the store so that, in addition to utilizing the mineral house of the minerals, which are the main raw resources judiciously, the forest, water and materials for various energy and metal other natural resources can be conserved, producing industries. In addition to minerals, developed and consumed properly. mines also possess other important natural In India, as well as in most of the other resources like water, forest and various types developing countries, even in this 21st century, of wild animals. During mining of minerals, in with rapid development of environment- many cases because of the application of friendly technology, the mining is carried out backdated technology, a large amount of in most cases in a very unsystematic and minerals are lost along with the wastes like unscientific manner resulting in loss of overburden and rocks and at the same time, the colossal amounts of low grade minerals along valuable forest and water resources in the area with damaging considerably the water and are also destroyed considerably. Similarly, the forest resources of the region. Very little care mineral based industries such as iron and steel, is taken to properly utilize the mine wastes as aluminium, copper, nickel and thermal power well as rehabilitating the displaced families. plants and other nonferrous metal industries Again, in the mineral based industries, a large which are very vital for our socio-economic amount of solid wastes and effluents are development, are operating with release of generated polluting the nearby water bodies, large amounts of soild wastes and effluents to the air and the land. As a result of these, the the environment. benefits of the industrialization are very much The solid wastes and effluents of mining annulled due to this environmental pollution and mineral based industries pollute the land, which causes a lot of harm to human and other water bodies and air in and around the areas living beings. considerably. Therefore, the wastes and It may be mentioned here that, about effluents have to be properly managed in order forty years back, the author planned a to protect us and other living beings from programme on “Integrated Development of various dreadful diseases caused due to these. Mine Areas (IDMA) with zero waste In view of this, it has been essential to manage approach”. The programme was demonstrated the mines and mineral based industries in an under his leadership at a chromite mine at integrated manner with zero waste approach Sukinda belonging to Odisha Mining

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Corporation, Government of Odisha, and a beneficiate the low grade ones and Lime stone mine at Lambidhar belonging to recover the mineral values from tailings the state of Uttkarkhand. Though both the and slimes. programmes were demonstrated successfully 2. Reclamation of the mined areas through and appreciated very much, but unfortunately proper implementation of mine closer the programme was not pursued in any of plans. these or other mines in the country. 3. Preservation of the top soil and utilizing With the development of proper these for afforestation of the barren areas infrastructural facilities and application of in the mines, as well as developing social environment friendly best available technology forestry in and around mineral based with zero waste approach, the mining and industries. mineral based industries can flourish with the 4. Protection of the existing water cooperation of all the stake holders and bring resources and harvesting rain water in rapid socio economic developments for all. It mine pits and low-lying areas near is very heartening to note that, because of the mineral based industries. heavy pollution caused by the fossil fuel based industries, all over the world renewable energy 5. Making use of the wastes of the mines resources from sun, wind and hydro power are and the mineral based industries as being harnessed and used increasingly in construction materials. mining and mineral based industries. In this 6. Adoption of best available technologies regard, unfortunately very little has been done in the mineral – based industries and in India so far. recovery of value added products from In view of these, it is suggested that, in their wastes. our country, the mining and mineral based 7. Harnessing renewable energy from sun industries should be properly planned and and wind and utilizing in mining and operated scientifically using environment mineral based industries. friendly best available technology. Keeping 8. Rehabilitation of the displaced families, the above facts in view, it is suggested that, the skill development, providing job following aspects should be taken into opportunities particularly to the local consideration to mine the minerals and operate people and protection of the environment the mineral based industries for our sustainable through proper implementation of development. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) 1. Adoption of advance technologies in programme. mining of all grades of minerals with n necessary provision at the mine site to 80A – 81A, Lewis Road, Bhubaneswar – 751002, Email: [email protected]

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QUIZ : 6. Pioneer in the field of nanotechnology, he has 2 RENOWNED SCIENTISTS Guinness Book of World Records to his credit. OF INDIA The 1st is for creating the smallest brush, and 2nd is for inventing the darkest material. a) Pulickel Ajayan b) Nikhil Koratkar Bibhuprasad Mohapatra c) Thomas Ebbesen d) Morinobu Endo 1. Identify the Bengali polymath, who pioneered research on radio waves and microwave optics. 7. A polymer expert holds many patents on electrically conductive polymers. He has been a) Jagadish Chandra Bose b) Mahendralal Sarkar recommended by different institutions since 2002 c) Sir Nilratan Sircar d) Amar Bose for the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. 2. Who headed the launch of the first Indian satellite a) Alan J. Heeger b) Alan MacDiarmid Aryabhata? c) Hideki Shirakawa d) Mrinal Thakur a) Ambalal Sarabhai 8. A theoretical physicist, who was one of the b) Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai winners of the 1st Fundamental Physics Prize c) A P J Abdul Kalam started by Russian billionaire Yuri Milner. This d) Kartikeya Sarabhai prize amount is about the double of Nobel Prize amount. 3. Name teh scientist and Union Minister of defense who supervised teh Nuclear test ‘Smiling Buddha’ a) Rajesh Gopakumar b) Harish-Chandra in the year 1990. c) Ashoke Sen d) Shiraz Naval Minwalla a) Homi Sethna b) P K Iyengar 9. Mathematician, who invented his famous algorithm c) R Chidambaram d) Raja Ramanna and published the results while he was working 4. A self-taught mathematician, the number ‘1729’ for Bell Laboratories in New Jersey. is named after him. a) Narendra Karmakar a) Srinivasa Ramanujan b) Dattaraya Ramchandra Kaprekar b) C P Ramanujam c) George Bernard Dantzig c) Sarvadaman Chowla d) Leonid Genrikhovich Khachiyan d) Kollagunta Gopalaiyer Ramanathan 10. Specialist in bio-informatics, who has developed 5. He is considered the pioneer of satellite based a number of web servers for application in imaging sensors. A novel detector system designed computational biology. by him was flown on the ‘Aryabhatta’ to detect a) Manoj Kumar Bhasin solar neutrons. b) G Raghava a) K Radhakrishnan b) Dr. George Joseph c) Harjindar Singh c) G Madhavan Nair d) Tessy Thomas d) Gajendra Pal Singh Raghava

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11. Humanist philosopher, who was one of the 17. Polymath, physicist, biologist, botanist, greatest original thinkers of the Brahmo Samaj archaeologist, as well as an early writer of science and did work in comparative religion and on the fiction, who was pioneer of radio and microwave philosophy of science. optics and inventor of the crescograph. a. Brajendra Nath Seal a. Meghnad Saha b. Manabendra Nath Roy b. Jagadish Chandra Bose c. Homi Jehangir Bhabha c. Fakir Lalon Shah d. Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee d. Sibnarayan Ray 18. National Doctor’s Day is celebrated on the date 12. An aerospace engineer was born in Srinagar, of his birth, who was the second Chief Minister widely regarded as the father of experimental of West Bengal. fluid dynamics research in India. a) Bidhan Chandra Roy a) Satish Dhawan b) Homi Jehangir Bhabha b) Deepak Chopra c) Meghnad Saha d) Satyendra Nath Bose c) Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman d) Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy 13. Founder of palaeobotanical research in India, who studied the fossils of the Indian subcontinent. 19. Astrophysicist and proponent of steady state cosmology, who developed the conformal gravity a) K.C. Mehta b) P. Maheshwari theory with Sir Fred Hoyle . c) A.K. Sharma d) Birbal Sahni a) Vainu Bappu 14. Born in Punjab in 1882, who discovered some b) Venkataraman Radhakrishnan new genera and many new species of Bryophyta, c) Jayant Vishnu Narlikar is called Father of Indian Bryology. d) K. N. Nagendra a) R.P. Roy b) S.R. Kashyap 20. Water conservationist from Alwar district, c) J. B. S. Haldane d) Kamla Kant Pandey Rajasthan also known as “waterman of India”, 15. Baripada (Odisha) born Indian American Particle he won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Theorist was awarded the Dirac Medal for his community leadership in 2001. seminal contributions to a “Quest for Unification” a) Medha Patkar b) Chandi Prasad Bhatt in the year 2000. In 1972, Abdus Salam began c) Vandana Shiva d) Rajendra Singh to work with him and The Pati-Salam model is named after him. ANSWER a) Tribikram Pati b) Jogesh Chandra Pati 1) a 2) b 3) d 4) a 5) b 6) a 7) d 8) c 9) a 10) d c) Arun Kumar Pati d) None of the above 11) a 12) a 13) d 14) b 15) b 16) b 17) b 18) a 19) 16. Indian writer and science popularizer, who was c 20) d the first Indian to receive UNESCO’S Kalinga At/Po- Bhogada, Via- Baghamari Prize. Dist- Khordha, Pin-752061 Mob: 8270083653 a) Narender K. Sehgal Email­[email protected] b) Jagjit Singh c) Gokulananda Mohapatra d) Dorairajan Balasubramanian

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