Science Horizon

Volume 4 Issue 1 January, 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 : Paris Agrement and India Er. Mayadhar Swain 2 2. Cutting Short Methane Emission from Ruminants Prof. (Dr.) Ramesh chandra Parida 4 3. India’s Chemistry Challenges for Science & Technology Rabinarayan Panigrahi 6 4. Sound, Music & Noise Prof. Dr. Saileswar Nanda 11 5. Neutron Star Ashok Kumar Upadhyaya 14 6. The Priceless Beach Sand - Lifeblood for Kalpakkam Prof. Suresh Mohapatra 15 7. Dragon Fruit Cultivation in Odisha Miss Subhrajyoti Mishra 18 Dr. Dilip Kumar Dash 8. Status, Conservation and Future of Endangered Blackbuck, Dr. Sudhakar Kar 24 Antilope Cervicapra of Odisha 9. Story of Cyclones Nikunja Bihari Sahu 29 10. An eminent Indian Scientist : Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose Binod Chandra Jena 32 11. Cancer of the Larynx Dr. Kalyanee Dash 35 12. Recent Advances in Medical Science : An Overview Dr. Choudhury Satyabrata Nanda 38 13. Innovation Dr. Sunita Chand 41 Dr.Pranab Kumar Ghosh 14. Quiz : Computer Soumyaranjan Das 47

The Cover Page depicts : Cancer of the Larynx Cover Design : Kalakar Sahoo

neutron star JANUARY, 2019 EDITORIAL PARIS AGREEMENT AND INDIA

Global warming is now the most debatable has been of great importance. Before industrial environmental issue in the world. Slowly the evolution around 1750, amount of CO in the 2 temperature of the Earth is increasing and it has atmosphere was 280 ppm (parts per million). a great deteriorating effect. The World When industries came, more coal was burned Metrological Organisation’s (WMO) statement emitting more CO to the atmosphere. Earlier 2 on the status of the climate 2015, suggests that whatever CO was produced, it was absorbed 2 average global temperature increased by 0.760 by plants and hence its amount was constant in C as compared to 1961-1990 average. the atmosphere. But it was no longer possible Agricultural scientists have found out that for due to two reasons, one being burning of more each degree of temperature increase, grain coals and the second being reduction of forest yields decline by about 5%. It has been estimated area. As a result, amount of CO in the 2 that maize, wheat and other major crops have atmosphere started increasing year by year experienced significant yield reduction at the and now it has reached to 405 ppm. global level of 40 megatons per year between Thermal power stations and 1981 and 2002 due to warmer climate. Due to transportation system are the major rise of temperature, ice in the poles and high contributors to the emission of CO to the 2 mountains has started melting. Due to this the atmosphere. Burning of coal produces about a mean sea level is gradually rising, which will billion tons of CO each year, about 70% of 2 submerge the small islands and low lying coastal this being from power generation. It is known areas. This may affect thousands of people that CO emission from thermal power stations 2 throughout the world. From 1901 to 2010, the account for 50% of the world total of over 36 global average sea level rose by 19 cm as billion tons of total emissions. oceans expanded due to warming and melting People became aware of the harmful of ice. The Arctic’s sea ice extent has shrunk in effect of the global warming and climate every successive decade since 1979, with 1.07 change in the 1980s. Then different countries million square kilometre of ice loss every gathered to find a solution for this. Many decade. Another harmful effect of global international conferences were held in different warming is climate change, which may cause parts of the world and discussions were held floods, cyclones, famines etc. to limit the global temperature rise and Some gases, collectively called ‘green formulated some regulations. As CO emission 2 house gases’ (GHG) cause global warming and is linked to the industrial production and climate change. These are carbon dioxide economy of a country, many countries initially (CO ), methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and water were reluctant to curb the emission of CO . 2 2 vapour. Out of these gases, the impact of CO 2 But environment is more important and so is more as it is emitted to the atmosphere in with much persuasion they agreed for this. large amount and hence control of its emission The International Panel on Climate Change

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(IPCC) found that if the global average additional carbon sink of 2.5 billion to 3 billion temperature would not exceed pre-industrial tons of CO equivalent through increasing forest 2 levels by more than 20C, then global CO and tree over by 2030. 2 emission must be reduced between 50-85 % Like most other countries, the main by 2050. source of GHG emission in India is thermal In December 2015, representatives of power plants. Coal is sufficiently available in different countries attended the Paris Climate our country and it is also cheap, so nearly 65% Conference and some concrete proposals have of total electricity generation in India comes been agreed there. The proposal is known as from thermal power. Now as per India’s Paris Agreement. The agreement came into commitment to Paris Agreement, it has to force on 4 November 2016. As of November develop renewable sources of power, which are 2018, 194 countries and the European Union pollution free. India has already taken some have signed the agreement. 183 countries and definite steps in this direction. It has announced the European Union, representing more than clean energy targets of 175 gigawatts (GW) 87% of global GHG emissions, have ratified or which includes 100 GW of solar, 60 GW of accepted the agreement. It was decided to limit wind and 15 GW of other renewables by 2022. the global temperature rise to 20 C above pre- India will now depend mainly on solar energy industrial level and make efforts to limit it to for future electricity. Government is even 1.50 C. In the agreement there is no binding implementing Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar for any country regarding the amount of Mission with a target of achieving 100,000 reduction of CO , but each country will MW by 2022 and by December 2018, the 2 determine, plan and regularly report its installed capacity of solar power is 24021.66 contribution to mitigate global warming, which MW. From all sources, the total renewable is known as Intended Nationally Determined power capacity is now 72012.81 MW which is Contribution (INDC). 20.74 percent of the total installed capacity in India has signed the Paris Agreement on the country. India has started Green India October 2, 2016 and has committed to take Mission for restoring forest cover. This mission effective action in support of the agreement. targets 33% of India’s land mass for forest and India is the fastest growing major economy in tree cover while the current area under forest is the world now. It is the third largest green 23%. The mission now works on 6 million house gas emitter after China and the USA. It hectares of degraded forest land. Government accounts for 6.81% of global emissions of of India has taken another important decision green house gases. But per capita emission of to reduce emissions from transport sector. It CO in India is much less than many other has announced that no diesel or petrol power 2 countries. Still India has taken many actions to vehicle would be sold in India after 2030 and reduce emission of CO . As per Paris Electric Vehicle (EV) will dominate the roads. 2 Agreement, India has committed (a) to reduce India is set to take a global leadership position energy emissions intensity by 30% to 35% for mitigating global warming and climate from 2005 levels by 2030, (b) to increase the change. share of non-fossil fuel energy to 40% of Er. Mayadhar Swain India’s energy mix by 2030 and (c) to create an Editor

Science Horizon 3 JANUARY, 2019 CUTTING SHORT methane by the activities like agriculture, METHANE livestock, paddy cultivation, burning of fossil EMISSION FROM fuels and other biomass, waste disposal RUMINANTS practices, landfills, coal mining and natural gas mining and distribution, its natural sources Prof. (Dr) Ramesh Chandra Parida are wet lands, oceans, rivers, lakes, estuaries, When we think about global warming gas hydrates, vegetation, wild fire etc. (Table- and its devastating consequences including 1) climate change, the villain that first comes to Table 1 : Major sources of methane our mind is carbon dioxide, the number one emission (source:IPCC) green house gas. However there are also some Source Quantity (Mt/ Year) others, which significantly contribute it and the most important among those is methane. Wetland 115 Considered as the number two, it makes about Paddy cultivation 100 15% contribution to green house effect (carbon dioxide – 67%, nitric oxide -5% and ozone, Ruminants 80 chloro-fluoro carbon and others – 13%) and Energy generation 75 is about 25 to 27 times more potent than Biomass burning 55 carbon dioxide. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Land fills 40 (IPCC), the atmospheric concentration of Waste treatment 25 methane has doubled in the last two centuries and is increasing annually at an average rate of Termites 20 1%. Since the 19th century it has gone up from Oceans 10 700 parts per billion (ppb) to 1840 ppb now, Hydrates 5 which is more than 2.5 times higher than the pre-industrial era. Therefore, in order to arrest Unlike most of the sources of carbon the rise in global temperature within 1.5 degree dioxide, the major sources of methane are C as compared to that period, the new threshold difficult to control. As for example, we cannot limit set by the IPCC (against a rise in 2 interfere with wet lands without disturbing degree C set by the Paris Agreement on Climate their ecology and cannot limit paddy cultivation Change- 2015) it is also essential to cut short and livestock without affecting food security. its emission. Therefore, the scientists all over the world are also laying stress on reducing methane Methane is emitted from various natural emission by adopting alternative means like sources as well as human activities, the later manipulating its sources biologically, such as constituting 63% of it. While humans generate

4 Science Horizon JANUARY, 2019 bacteria like methanogens, the producers and respiration chambers to measure the emission methanotrophs, the consumers of the gas of the gas, while feeding the animals with respectively. Besides, they are also trying different types of grasses and other plant based methods like manipulating diets of ruminants diets. The results of their experiments are and breeding their new varities, which can be likely to be available shortly for the farmers, more efficient and easier to handle. who can be persuaded to adjust the feed practices of their domestic ruminants A team of veterinarians from the National accordingly, thereby reducing the methane Institute of Agricultural Technology of emission. Argentina, the major beef producing country in the world, have taken a stride in this direction. According to Elizabeth Latham, the co- Led by Guillermo Berra, they had begun their founder of the Texas based Bezor Laboratories, experiment a few years ago with the initial ruminants were domesticated over 10,000 objective to collect the cow burps and to years ago and since then there has been very analyze those. They had taken 200 cows for little change in their physiology. She and her the purpose and had attached a plastic tank to co-workers have been working on a type of each on its back, while connecting it with a probiotic – the helpful bacteria or yeasts in tube to the stomach. As a result, it could be the digestive system – to reduce methane known that a cow of 55kg weight can generate emission from the burps of cattle and have 800 to 1000 liter of methane per day. succeeded in cutting it short by 50%. Therefore, they concluded that about 30% of On the other hand, researchers at the this green house gas emitted in their country New Zealand’s Agricultural Research Institute comes from its nearly 60 million cattle. Then have bred sheep that produce 10% less they searched for the solutions and a viable methane. Since the country has about 19 one that they have come across is changing the million of those, it may be considered as a diets of the bovines. Their preliminary significant step towards reducing its emission. investigations have shown that shifting from According to Suzanne Rowe, a senior genetist grains to easier to digest plats like alfalfa and of the institute, it took her team a decade long clover and mixing tanning with the feed can efforts to breed such animals, which are also cut the methane content of the burps by 25%. lean and produce more wool. She is hopeful Similarly, in Kenya, the scientists that the technique can be developed to extend belonging to the Mazingires Center near it for other ruminating animals. Half of the Nairobi have been examining varieties of local green house gases in New Zealand comes grasses to improve their livestock productivity, from agriculture and livestock. Therefore, it so as to reduce the amount of methane can be a significant step in containing methane emission per unit of milk or meat produced by emission. those. They are keeping the cows in

Science Horizon 5 JANUARY, 2019 In India, the National Dairy Development INDIA’S CHEMISTRY - Board (NDDB) has undertaken a programme CHALLENGES FOR to boost the milk production of cows and SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY buffalo by improving their diets, while keeping in view the environment –friendly aspects of it, particularly, reduction of methane emission. Rabinarayan Panigrahi The NDDB is using software to assess the Introduction ideal feed for animals based on their physical Ancient India was a land of sages and profile and environment. The tailored diet will seers as well as a land of scholars and scientists. be prepared by the adjustment of quality and Research has shown that from making the best quantity of it by locally available minerals and steel in the world to teaching the world to other supplements. According to Rajesh count, India was actively contributing to Sharma, a senior manager of the NDDB, it the field of science and technology long before may be able to reduce. The methane emission modern laboratories were set up. from ruminants by 12 to 15%. India’s problems often align with global A recent assessment by Anne Motlet, a challenges, yet with a unique Indian flavour. livestock policy officer of the UN’s Food and Chemists in India are working hard to find Agriculture Organization (FAO), improvement solutions that will benefit their own – and the in productivity alone can globally cut short world’s – population. In ancient India, an methane emission from livestock by 30%. important role in the development of chemistry Her department has developed a web application was made by Ayurveda which used a variety of that allows farmers and researchers to calculate minerals. Science and technology in ancient how changes in animal feed can affect it. and medieval India covered all the major Therefore, it is hoped that these efforts will branches of human knowledge and activities. soon bear fruit and it may be possible to The Indus valley civilization was the significantly cut short the emission of the earliest society. The story of early chemistry in number two, but more potent, greenhouse gas India begins from here. Traces of cement had from one of its major sources, there by abetting been found in the era of Mohanjodaro. global warming. According to RigVeda, tanning of leather and n dyeing of cotton was practiced during this Retired Professor, Odisha University of period. After Vedas, classical texts give valuable Agriculture and Technology, Usha Nivas, 124/2445, Khandagiri Vihar, Bhubaneswar information about the chemical activities of Pin-751030, [email protected] this period. The major chemical products of this period were glass, paper, soap, dyeing, cosmetics and perfumes, alcoholic lacquers, pharmaceuticals, gun powder and saltpeter.

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Nagarjuna (metallurgist) was a famous chemist donations. Commercially, some non-blood of ancient India. Indian and Persian army used ‘volume expanders’ such as perfluorocarbon- arrows tipped with iron. In the Gupta age metallurgical operations were found. Nataraja statue, the god of dance is made of five metals (Pancha Dhatu). Paintings found on walls of Ajanta and Ellora also testify to the high level of chemical science achieved in ancient India. Iron Pillar in Delhi is a silent witness to assert the striking metallurgical skill of the Hindus. Scientific researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, along based carriers are available which restore lost with archaeologists, have thrown considerable body fluid and also carry oxygen but suffer light on the pillar since the 1990s, using non- from serious limitations as they fail to mimic destructive techniques to study its properties, the oxygen transport function of human blood composition and how it was made. Their faithfully. A potent alternative is the conclusion: the pillar’s composition is comparable haemoglobin based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) to low carbon steel with high phosphorus, low with haemoglobin derived from humans, sulfur and manganese and high slag content, animals or produced recombinantly. They have coated with a complex protective film of several advantages such as long shelf life, no phosphate that confers high corrosion resistance. risk of blood type mismatch or immune From ancient to modern times, rejection, but pose serious problems such as contributions of Indian chemists are significant. hypertension, impaired oxygen binding, India continues to grapple with gargantuan instability and cytotoxicity. A team of problems of its billion and a quarter plus researchers from Delhi University’s department population, and Indian chemists have sometimes of biochemistry, led by Suman Kundu, have struggled to make a dent in their field. But while advanced an interesting solution to this India is yet to catch up with the global cutting problem that could potentially defang the edge technologies, some of its interventions release of toxic haem into the body. They have made global headlines. discovered that the haem can be tightly bound Synthetic blood can help India’s emergency to haemoglobin by introducing a chemical services bond between the haem and a protein. They successfully engineered a covalent linkage Researchers have focused on developing observed in a cyanobacterial haemoglobin into artificial haemoglobins or haemoglobin-based a prototype myoglobin. oxygen carriers as alternatives to blood

Science Horizon 7 JANUARY, 2019

Environmental factors can make farming officially had access to improved water sources in India challenging – 96% in urban areas and 89% in rural areas. But this hides an ugly reality of dubious water Agricultural chemists at the Indian quality and barely adequate water availability – Agricultural Research Institute have patented both of which are highly problematic and a a novel semi-synthetic granular hydrogel source of often violent conflicts. According polymer called Pusa hydrogel which helps to UNICEF, 67% of Indian households do not farmers increase the efficiency of their water treat their drinking water although it could be chemically or bacterially contaminated. The World Bank estimates that 21% of India’s communicable diseases are linked to unsafe water. India’s rivers are equated nationally with open sewers and the government is locked in embarrassing cases in the Supreme Court. Pure water for paisa A research team led by Thalappil Pradeep use in arid and semi-arid regions. The hydrogel of the Department of Chemistry at the Indian has found a number of commercial takers, the Institute of Technology, Madras, has most recent being India’s petrochemicals giant developed a novel affordable water purification Reliance Industries. unit based on patented nanotechnology. It costs Access to water has improved but quality five paisa per litre to rid water of arsenic is often still poor contamination – widespread in West Bengal Over the years, access to water has and spread over many Indian states – and just improved in both rural and urban India despite half of that to clear microbial contaminants grave challenges of both quantity and quality. for a family of four. And it runs without In 2011, 92% of the Indian population electricity. The nanotechnology water purification unit developed by Pradeep’s research team The technology can be tailored to regional variants of pollutants such as mercury, lead, iron or pesticide residues, whereas microbial pollution is a national problem, says Pradeep, who dreams of setting up an international water centre in India to make these kinds of technology available. His team has developed

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quite dismal. Vast rural areas of the country are not connected to the electricity grid. The government is frantically exploring all options for augmenting the electricity supply – from hydroelectricity to nuclear to renewable energy. There is an explosion of interest in renewable energy, especially solar energy, to meet the burgeoning demands of the population. The Indian government has announced scaling up of solar energy provision to 100,000 MW by 2022. Off-grid solar power household solutions as well as larger also has a lot of potential for areas not community-based solutions. Nearly 100 such connected to the grid, especially in rural and community units are operational, serving remote areas, inhabited by millions. around 100,000 people in West Bengal, to mitigate arsenic contamination, a problem that India’s Innovations in Science and affects millions. 900 more units are in the Technology pipeline. It costs roughly Rs.270 to make A Solar Water Purifier water arsenic free and Rs.120 to treat microbial Another twist to the water purifier, this contamination for one year. The household innovation by Professor Vasant Natarajan, from equipment costs about Rs.2000. the Department of Physics, IISc, Bengaluru is Solar energy has proved to be a popular of low cost and does not require membranes renewable energy source in India or electricity. According to Natarajan, this Nearly 600 million Indians do not have device can purify all kinds of water – sea, bore access to electricity and some 700 million well, ponds, even rain water – into drinking use biomass as their energy source for cooking. water, and produce 1.5 litres out of 3 litres of Electricity – when available, largely in urban impure water. Explaining how the device works, areas – remains erratic, and the rural supply is he said that first the water is evaporated using solar energy and then the vapours are condensed on a cold surface. What’s left behind is all the impure substances such as bacteria, arsenic, and fluoride. Water Purification at a Nanoscale Level Dr. Suryasarathi Bose, Assistant Professor of Department of Materials Engineering, IISc, Bengaluru and his team have

Science Horizon 9 JANUARY, 2019 invented a water purifying system that can even stains, can help researchers reduce their eliminate harmful bacteria at a nanoscale level. exposure to harmful chemicals. The new stain called Tinto Rang is made from plants, and is even safe for consumption. This indigenous invention could also be the safest in the world, according to Benazir. A Vaccine to Combat Hepatitis C In India, 20% chronic liver disease has one cause: hepatitis C virus, which spreads through blood contact, and affects 12 million people. It causes severe liver problems, The filter consists of a porous membrane made of two polymers, along with minute quantities of silver, titanium dioxide and carbon nanotubes. The pores filter out the micron- sized bacteria, while the silver-titanium-carbon mixture kills the bacteria. A Non-hazardous Stain for Scientists sometimes even ending up in cancer. In February Researchers in labs often work with a 2018, a team of scientists led by Professor number of chemicals and hazardous materials Saumitra Das of IISc, Bengaluru developed a that may affect their health. Acid stains are vaccine that could produce the antibodies to used to test a number of chemicals that is fight the virus. Right now, the vaccine is still probably carcinogenic. In March 2016, J being tested on animals, but the results are promising, according to Das. Smartphone-Turned-Malaria-Detector Ever thought one could detect malaria through a smart phone? Dr Sai Siva Gorthi, from the department of Instrumental and Applied Physics, IISc, Bengaluru and her team did so. They converted a smartphone into a powerful microscopic device that eliminated the various stages of blood testing to detect Fathima Benazir the co-founder and CEO of malaria. The team replaced the phone camera Azooka Life Sciences, IISc, Bengaluru with high resolution optics of a microscope. developed a stain that, if replaced with acid The smartphone also has software that studies

10 Science Horizon JANUARY, 2019 the images captured through the microscope SOUND, MUSIC and tells even a layman whether it has the & malaria virus or not. It requires a tiny amount NOISE of blood as a sample. Prof. Dr. Saileswar Nanda A Revolutionary Cancer Molecule Inhibitor In 2012, Sathees C Raghavan, associate A wave starting with any state of matter, professor with IISc’s biochemistry department solid, liquid, or gas, causes a vibration on our and his team developed a molecule inhibitor, ear and is known as sound. The particles of the matter moving in a direction squash the SCR7, which could revolutionise cancer molecules of the air closer to it. The push and treatment. In 2014, scientists at MIT tested pull of the particles causes a wave and is the molecule and discovered its efficiency converted to energy which ripples through the and potential in becoming an integral part of air dashing the eardrum and conveys a sound. anti-cancer drugs. The molecule inhibitor binds The energy is passed from molecule to with the cancer cells to block its DNA from molecule without displacing the molecules repair, thereby killing the cancer cells. While from its stable state. The best example is the drugs are still under research, the fact throwing a stone to a steady water of a pond. remains that an Indian team was vital in You can see ripples from the point of touch of creating an anti-cancer drug. the stone to the periphery in encircling manner. Reference The wave causes the ripple. The waves gradually 1. www.journalijdr.com/significant- fade with distance. contribution-chemistry-ancient-indian- science-and-technology Sonic and Supersonic Sound 2. www.chemistryworld.com/features/ The speed of sound or sonic speed is indias-chemistry-challenges/8225.article called Mach-I. It varies with pressure and 3. www.thebetterindia.com/51941/8-useful- temperature of the air. It is about 1200 km per innovations-iisc-bengaluru/ hour. Anything which travels faster than the 4. www.thebetterindia.com/63119/ancient- speed of sound is called Supersonic. Twice india-science-technology/ the speed of sound is Mach-2 and thrice the

n speed of sound is Mach-3. Supersonic aircrafts Address- HIG-202, K-5, kalinga vihar, Bhubaneswar. overtake their own sound. The first person to PGT Chemistry, KIIT International School fly faster than sound was Captain Charles Mob- 9861064863 [email protected] “Chuck Vaeges” in a rocket plane. Loud & Soft Sounds Loud sounds are those where the atoms or molecules vibrate by large amounts,

Science Horizon 11 JANUARY, 2019 requiring lot of energy. Soft sounds have People who work with machinery or factories smaller vibrations. Intensity of sound depends which cause enormous noise protect their ear on both pitch or frequency and height or with ear defenders. One might mark this in amplitude of the sound wave. The loudness of aeroplane. If we ask, we will be provided with a sound might be perceived as different from cotton balls to protect our ears. one person to another, but the intensity is How does the Ear work? same for everyone. Man is having two ears, each ear has The Inventor of Telephone three parts, external, middle and internal ear. Alexander Graham Bell made a measuring The outer or external ear is like a tunnel which scale for the intensity of sound which he said collect the sound from the air. This strikes the as decibel (dB) scale. He said, 10 dB is the circular eardrum. Sounds reaching the eardrum faintest sound human ear can hear (rustling of make it vibrate, which in turn vibrates the the dry leaves). Normal conversation measures three bones of the middle ear. The vibrations around 50-60 dB. Sound becomes physically are then transmitted to the cochlea in the inner painful above 130 dB. A short synopsis of the ear. Then the sound waves are changed to sound at our ear is given below. nerve signals that go to the brain for 10 dB - Ticking of water identification and hearing. 30 dB - Birds singing Music 50-60 dB - Soft conversation The sound with a rhythm and melody is known as music. They are soothing to the ears 70 dB - Loud conversation or speeches and enjoying to the mind. The singing of birds 80-100 dB - Legal limit for social functions and songs of the nature are the parts of life 100 dB – Nearby thunder process. The rippling of the water of the fountain and river and the shaking of the leaves 120 dB – Loud music of trees are the treasure of the nature. 140 dB – Machinery works Even the patients of schizophrenia and 170 dB – Blue whale grunting mental depression are treated with music. It 200 dB & above – Atomic explosion has a calming effect on the irrational nerves. Even the baby inside a mother’s womb can Warning hear, accept and feel the musical sound. That A high noise which is not accustomed to keeps the brain active and peaceful. In our ears may cause damage to the ear and mythology, the flute sound of Lord Srikrushna cause loss of hearing. For that reason, the high was able to attract the people of Gopa. Music sounding noises should always be avoided or therapy is now one of the established treatment warning to be given before its occurrence. for many diseases.

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Fig.1 : Inside the Ear

Fig.2 : Drum Kit

Science Horizon 13 JANUARY, 2019 Noise Pollution NEUTRON STAR Noise is the unwelcome sound. There is no harmony in this sound and the pitch and frequency of sound is not within the audible Ashok Kumar Upadhyaya limits. The noise is never pleasurable. It is not A Neutron star is the collapsed core of a only louder but long duration, unpleasant wave large star. Neutron stars are composed almost which disturbs the human life process and entirely of neutrons. They are supported against makes them uncomfortable. Noise of 100- further collapse by neutron degeneracy 120 dB is caused by loud speaker or public pressure. Neutron stars are very hot and address system. Any sound above this causes typically have a surface temperature around noise pollution to the environment. 6 X 105K. They have strong magnetic field between 108 and 1015 times that of Earth. The Effects of Noise Pollution gravitational field at the neutron star’s surface i. Damage to eardrum and impairment of is about 2 X 1011 times that of Earth. hearing As the star’s core collapses, its rotation ii. Interference to normal conversation and rate increases due to conservation of angular hearing momentum, hence newly formed neutron stars rotate at up to several hundred times per iii. Anxiety and stress second. iv. This can cause damage to eye sight Formation of Neutron Star v. Hypertension and gastric upset Any main sequence star with an initial The avoidance or control of noise mass of above 8 times the mass of the sun has pollution can be done with the following the potential to produce a neutron star. As the measures: star evolves away from the main sequence, 1. Delimitation of acoustic zoning subsequent nuclear burning produces an iron rich core. When all nuclear fuel in the core 2. Protection of ears by using cotton plugs has been exhausted, the core must be supported or closing of ears before the noise by degeneracy pressure alone. Further deposit 3. Prior alertness for the noise of mass from shell burning cause the core to exceed the Chandra Sekhar limit. Neutron star 4. Development of quiet machines is formed with very high rotation speed. 5. Acoustic furnishing of the social places Neutron stars are created when giant 6. Regulations and laws to regulate the stars die in supernova and their core collapses, noise for the common people with the protons and electrons essentially n melting in to each other to form neutrons. The B-3, Ground Floor, Lord Gunjan Palace, Rasulgarh, collapse of the core continues and the atomic Bhubaneswar-751010

14 Science Horizon JANUARY, 2019 nuclei are broken apart by gamma-rays. The THE PRICELESS increasing density forces the freed protons to BEACH SAND- combine with electrons and become neutrons. LIFEBLOOD FOR In a fraction of second, the collapsing core KALPAKKAM becomes a contracting ball of neutrons. The Prof Suresh Mohapatra envelope of the star is blasted away in a Nuclear power is the fifth largest source supernova explosion, and core of the star is of electricity in our country. Seven nuclear left behind a neutron star. reactors are in operation at present out of The structure of a neutron star twenty two reactors in India. The rest are The neutron star can be split into four being used for training personnel, conducting main layers. An outer crust, starting from the experiments in nuclear physics, study of surface and with a thickness of few hundred effects of radiation, production of isotopes meters, is composed of atomic nuclei and for medical, agricultural, and industrial free electrons. The density therein is just one research. For power generation uranium is ton per cubic centimetre. The next layer is the imported from France for its 2x220 MW inner crust, where free neutrons are added to reactor at Kakrapar reactor. Our own reserves atomic nuclei and free electrons from a very of uranium mines of Jharkhand (Jaduguda, dense solid layer. Deeper down there is an Bhatin, and Nurapahar) are limited. In 2016, outer (liquid) core, where free electrons, large deposits of better grade uranium mines neutrons, protons and muons co-exist in a at Tumulpalle belt and Bhima basin (Karnataka) nuclear soup. have been discovered. India also imports A neutron star has a mass about 1.1 to 3 solar enriched uranium from U.S.A, U.K, Canada, masses. The temperature inside a newly and South Korea. By 2016, a total of 35 TWh formed neutrons star is around 1011 to 1012 of electricity has been generated. We intend Kelvin. Neutron stars have overall density of to produce 45 GW of power by 2020 and 63 3.7 X 1017 to 5.9 X 1017 kg/m3. The neutron GW by 2030 for meeting the demands of the star is held together by gravity. Neutron stars growing population. have strong magnetic fields. Soft gamma ray The board of CSIR under the leadership burst occurs from neutron stars. Neutron of Homi Bhaba was set up in 1946 to explore stars pulling material away from companions our atomic energy resources and suggest ways have to undergo burst of X-rays caused by to develop and harness them. The university of thermo nuclear explosion on their surfaces. Travancore research council recommended for These explosions can cause the atmosphere developing the state’s resources of monazite of the neutron star to expand. and ilmenite, a valuable source of fissionable thorium available in the coastal beach of south n coast India (Odisha, Tamilnadu and Kerala) Benapura, Rajghat, Balasore Mob.: 7327859188 based on the discovery of uranium-233 by E. E-mail: ashok1upadhyaya [email protected] Fermi and his collaborators. Science Horizon 15 JANUARY, 2019

Discovery of uranium-233 cerium and other rare earths in monazite sand. It is treated with concentrated sulphuric acid. In 1935, E. Fermi and his collaborators The insoluble sulphates are removed. Then the bombarded thorium-232 a fertile (or filtrate is neutralised with ammonium fissionable) material with slow neutrons. The hydroxide and the lighter lanthanides are salted reaction resulted in formation of beta active out by adding sodium sulphate. The hydroxide Th-233 ( half life of 23.5 minutes). The decay of thorium is extracted with tri-n butyl of this isotope produced protactinium- 233 phosphate and kerosene solvent. The hydroxide (Pa-233) which is also beta active with a half is then converted to oxide. Thorium dioxide life of 27.4 days. The decay of Pa-233 leads can be reduced by calcium or magnesium to formation of fissile U-233 isotope. This metal in argon atmosphere. The processing of isotope is alpha active with half life of 160,000 the mineral ilmenite, rutile, zircon silemnite years. It was discovered and isolated first by and garnet are being carried out at present in G.T. Seaborg and his co-workers in 1942. This its three processors located at Aluva, Kallam conversion was very much similar to (Kerala) and Chhatrapur (Odisha) by Indian transformation of U-238 to Pu-239. Rare Earth Limited (IREL), a government of Why Thorium? India organisation under Department of Atomic Former President A.P.J Abdul Kalam Energy (DAE). Aluva produces 13,350 TPA realised that India’s first priority is energy mineral separated as rare earth oxides or independence. He said that we would have to carbonates. Chhatrapur produces 11,000 go for nuclear power generation in a big way tonnes of rare earth chlorides. using thorium based advanced three stage heavy The Three Stages of Conversion water reactor fuel cycle to support our reactors. The first stage employs the pressurised While our uranium deposits are limited, heavy water reactors, fuelled by natural there are much greater reserves of thorium uranium to produce electricity while which can provide hundreds of times the energy generating plutonium-239 (Pu-239) as a by- with same mass of fuel. India has 25% of product. Pu-239 is recovered from global reserve of thorium. India has large reprocessing spent fuel from first stage. In the deposits of thorium of 518,000 tonnes in the second stage, fast breeder reactors would use form of monazite in beach sands as compared a mixed oxide fuel made from Pu-239 and to very modest reserves of low grade uranium natural uranium. Here, Pu-239 undergoes of 92,000 tonnes. fission to produce energy, while U-238 present The Extraction and Production of U-233 in the fixed oxide fuel transmutes to additional Pu-239. Thus the fast breeder reactors breed Thorium occurs mostly as a reddish more fuel than they consume. Thorium is used brown phosphate mineral along with lanthanum,

16 Science Horizon JANUARY, 2019 as a blanket material in the reactor and Disadvantages are higher investment and transmuted to U-233 for use in the third stage. provide no clear pay off. U-232 is a dangerous In stage 3, Advanced Heavy Water Reactors gamma ray active material which may be (AHWR) would burn thorium-plutonium fuels partially altered by removing Pa-233, in which in such a manner that it would breed U-233 case U-233 will be formed in lieu of U-232. which can eventually be used as a self-sustaining fissile driver for a fleet of breeding AHWRs. An alternative stage 3 is molten salt breeder reactors (MSBR), which are believed to be another possible option for eventual large scale deployment.

Advantages of heavy water reactors as compared to ordinary water reactors are twofold. First, it is possible to use natural uranium or very slightly enriched uranium in thermal reactors, which can be refuelled after initial fuel charge using naturally occurring Nuclear Power Plant thorium and therefore is cost effective. Impediments Second, the conversion ratio for regeneration of fissile material U-233 from Th-232 can be In addition to management of nuclear close to unity. Further, the burn up is high i.e. waste, the conversion cannot go on indefinitely. a large proportion of fissile material in the It would stop when all Th-232 is completely core is utilised before the fuel is to be exhausted. After Fukushima disaster there have replaced. The high cost of heavy water is been strong protests in Maharashtra and offset by advantage of low fuel costs. Tamilnadu raising questions about atomic energy as a clean and safe fuel. Estimates made for U-233 and Pu-239 References indicate the critical deformation energies are Source book on Atomic Energy, S. about 5.1 and 4.8 MeV respectively. Energy ♦ Glasstone, Third edition. available by capture of a slow neutron is about Concise Inorganic Chemistry, J. D. Lee, 6.6 MeV for U-233 and 6.4 MeV for Pu- 239. ♦ fifth edition. Hence, thermal neutrons can bring about Wikipedia (Nuclear Power in India). fission of both. But the Thorium fuel cycle ♦ n offers several potential advantages over URMI, 1595/96 Bhoi Nagar uranium fuel cycle like reduced nuclear waste Unit- IX, BBSR-22 and availability of fissile material.

Science Horizon 17 JANUARY, 2019

DRAGON FRUIT types. Regardless of the type of dragon fruit CULTIVATION IN ODISHA that you are growing the fruit will be green until Miss Subhrajyoti Mishra1 it is ripe. At that time, it will either be bright Dr. Dilip Kumar Dash2 yellow or red in colour. The inside pulp of each piece of fruit will be filled will small seeds Dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) is a that look similar to those that can be found in relatively new crop and fruit plant for warm a kiwi fruit. The three types of dragon fruit areas. It is a cactus native to subtropical and are: tropical Mexico and Central and South America. It is also known as strawberry pear n Hylocereus megalanthus – This type of (because of the bright red features of the dragon fruit has a white fruit flesh and a fruit) or Pitaya and a tropical climbing cactus yellow shell. The shell of this variation that grows up to 30 feet tall. It is notable for is a bit thornier than the rest of the its enormous, night-flowering blooms, which variations, so it is rarer to see in a garden. may be up to 12 inches long. It is heavy, pink- n Hylocereus undatus – This is a variation skinned, edible, juicy white, pink or magenta that has the same white flesh, but the flesh studded with black seeds. Dragon fruit is exterior of this fruit is red in colour. only suitable for warm, frost-free climates. n Hylocereus costaricensis – This type of Dragon fruit is a vigorous climber that requires fruit is red in coloration on both the a strong trellis, pile of blocks or rocks or shell and in the flesh. The flesh is often other strong structure. The stems are succulent a deep red coloration that looks almost hence for trailing purpose use of the wire unnatural or blood like. trellis must be avoided, which may injure the stem. Cultivation Aspects Odisha has an excellent climate for Dragon fruit is adaptable to a wide growth of this cactus due to its hot, humid and range of soil types but it should be well drained. frost free climate. Dargon fruit is suitable for The pit should be filled with soil, well-rotten a full or partial sun location making a good manure and pesticides like chloropyriphus inter crop in mango, coconut and different during planting. It should be planted on a fruit orchards. It is having moderate to strong raised mound in areas prone to flooding. The salt tolerance which makes it suitable for growing season of this plant takes place during coastal district of Odisha like Puri, Ganjam, the hot months of the summer. It will not grow Khordha, Jagatshingpur, Bhadrak, Baleswar etc. during the rest of the year, but when it does grow, it grows rapidly. Types of Dragon Fruit Propagation of Dragon Fruit Dragon fruit or pitaya are extremely It is possible to propagate dragon fruit unique plants that come in three different sexually using seed, although plants grown

18 Science Horizon JANUARY, 2019 from seed do not necessarily offer the same 7. Place the flat or other container with desirable fruit and stem characteristics as the seeds in a spot that receives bright but parent plants. So stem cuttings and grafting indirect light and has a temperature are frequently used to propagate this tropical between about 65 and 70 degrees plant. Proper dragon fruit cuttings will Fahrenheit. The seeds should germinate encourage rooting success and minimize within 14 to 28 days. Remove any plastic, disease problems. glass or polyethylene covering once germination occurs and allow the Seed Propagation medium surface to dry out slightly Following steps may be adopted for seed between watering. propagation of dragon fruit: Propagation by Cuttings 1. Scoop a pulpy, seeded portion out of the center of a ripe, halved dragon fruit and Following steps may be adopted for wash all the gelatinous fruit pulp off the propagation of dragon fruit by cuttings: seeds. 1. Cut segments of dragon fruit stem 6 to 2. Fill a flat or pots that have ample holes 15 inches long of year-old stem sections for drainage most of the way with a on the mother dragon fruit plant using a sterile germinating medium that offers sharp, clean knife. Make the cuts slanted. excellent drainage and low fertility; Take cuttings from the desirable mother medium can be prepared by combining plant just after fruiting has finished and equal parts peat moss and sand, perlite early in the morning, if possible. or vermiculite. 2. Immerse the cuttings briefly in a 3. Sow the dragon fruit seeds evenly over fungicide solution, apply a wettable the surface of the medium. fungicide as a dust or spray over the 4. Sprinkle a very light layer of germinating cuttings or dip the cut end in the medium over the seeds, using just enough fungicide, if desired. Alternatively, you to barely cover the seeds. can select a rooting hormone powder that also contains a fungicide powder. 5. Water the seeds regularly to avoid drying of the germinating medium. 3. Place the cuttings in a cool, dry area with good air circulation and out of direct 6. Cover the flat or other container with a sunlight for five to seven days to cure. glass or plastic lid or enclose it in a Space the cuttings apart so they are not polyethylene or plastic bag to help in contact with each other. maintain a high level of humidity around the seeds and minimize the need for misting. Science Horizon 19 JANUARY, 2019

4. Dip the slanted end of each cutting in such as aged or well decomposed manure or IBA rooting hormone powder compost. For newly planted dragon fruit, don’t immediately before you set the cutting apply fertilizer during the first month. Then in the prepared ground or container with apply fertilizer every two months from the rooting medium. time growth starts in early spring to early fall, when growth stops for the winter. Scatter the Precaution before taking Cuttings fertilizer evenly around the plant, from about Cuttings taken from the newer portions 3 inches away from the stem to about 12 of stem will root most vigorously, but older inches away from the plant. Water it thoroughly. stem segments offer a greater resistance to Also add a summer application of well- pests. Only take cuttings from healthy, disease- decomposed manure or compost. free plants and avoid using stem segments that Two and Three year old Plants exhibit any discoloration. If you have to transport the cuttings before you can place After it has been in the ground for a year, them in the ground or rooting medium, wrap the dragon fruit’s roots have become them in moist, but not wet, paper towelling established and are more efficient at harvesting and keep them in a plastic bag or plastic wrap. nutrients from the soil. Plants grow faster and need more nutrition. Apply inorganic fertilizer Irrigation every two months in a wider diameter around It is a cactus plant so it can withstand the plant and increase the amount of manure drought situation. To reduce the burning and or compost to the top of the soil. for better production watering should be done Older Plants regularly at weekly interval during summer and at 10-15 days interval during the winter For dragon fruit plants of four years old months. or more, make three to four inorganic fertilizer applications spread evenly through the growing Fertilizer for Dragon Fruit season. Apply manure or compost twice, once To grow dragon fruit as a garden crop in the spring and once in mid-summer. rather than as an ornamental plant regular Ornamental Landscaping Plants application of fertilizer, is needed. When growing dragon fruit as a One-year-old Plants landscaping plant without concern for fruit Inorganic fertilizer formulations give production, not much fertilizer is needed. quick release of the major plant nutrients of Plants are drought-tolerant once established nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Combine and less fertilizer means slower growth and them with slower-release, more complex less need for pruning to maintain the size and arrays of nutrients found in organic fertilizers important if you have limited garden areas.

20 Science Horizon JANUARY, 2019

Fertilize plants once in early spring and again days at room temperature, and several weeks after the plants finish flowering with a water- if sealed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. soluble fertilizer and soak the root zone of the Insect Pests of Dragon Fruit plant. With its long, wavy, ridged stems and Pruning fiery red fruit, it’s no wonder the pitaya Regular pruning encourages branching (Hylocereus undatus) plant is commonly called and flowering and allows light and air to dragon fruit. Its strong and menacing name penetrate further into the plant, which lowers contradicts the plant’s ability to protect itself the risk of pests and diseases. Pruning also from predators. This tropical cactus have some makes it easier to harvest fruits, as the plant common pests that threaten young plants. can become quite dense. The University of Scales, Mealybugs and Aphids Florida Extension recommends selectively thinning out stems one to three times a year. Sap-sucking pests can get out of control Pruning should also be done regularly to on a dragon fruit. Scale insects and mealy bugs remove any dead, diseased or damaged stems, are tiny, flat, disk-shaped insects and the as well as those that are dragging on top of the females have no legs or wings. They hide soil. under a protective waxy coating and feed by piercing plant flesh and sucking out the sap. Flowering and Fruiting Aphids are pear-shaped, approximately 1/8- Blooms will occur from July to October, inch-long insects, and they’re often wingless. but they will only bloom for one night each These insects excrete a sweet liquid, called year. After the flowering occurs, fruit will honeydew, which attracts ants and fungal growth begin to form. One plant can produce fruit for reducing the photosynthetic area. 20 to 30 years, so if you plant one, be ready Ants and Beetles for a lot of dragon fruit. If your dragon fruit has aphids, ants are Considerations not far behind. The sugary honeydew aphids Dragon fruit blooms at night, attracting produce is a favourite ant food. While they pollinators such as moths and bats rather than might not eat your plant directly, the ants bees. Planting more than one variety of dragon protect aphids from predators. More aphids fruit can help increase the odds of the plant survive with the help of their bodyguard ants fruiting, as well as lead to larger, healthier and further damage the dragon fruit. Some fruits. Hand pollination is recommended to ants are also attracted to the sweet fruit and ensure maximum fruiting. It may be necessary may damage it. Beetle larvae may also feed on to wear thick gloves while harvesting the fruits the plant or the fruit. of thorny varieties. Fruits last for about five

Science Horizon 21 JANUARY, 2019

Fig.1: Dragon fruit Fig.2: Pulp and seeds of Dragon fruit

Fig.3: Types of Dragon fruit Fig.4: Fruiting plant of Dragon fruit

Mites Thrips Spider mites may affect the dragon fruit by Four fringed wings and short antennae sucking the cell sap. These arachnids are tiny distinguish thrips from other insects but it is relatives of spiders and, unlike their eight- difficult to see them on dragon fruit as they legged cousins, feed on plants. You may need are less than 1/20 inch long. Their feeding a magnifying glass to identify mites on your behavior leaves a stippled pattern on the plant dragon fruit. Silk webbing on the plant, along that is mostly an aesthetic problem. Thrips with speckled damage to the stems, usually rarely kill a plant. indicates a mite problem.

22 Science Horizon JANUARY, 2019

Pest Management Conclusion Specific pest management strategies are Favourable climatic condition of Odisha not fully developed. Monitor your plant for can produce dragon fruit more efficiently. In pests and damage. Remove aphids, mites and recent days it has been cultivated in many ants with a forceful spray of water from the districts of Odisha under scientific garden hose. Pick-up beetle grubs if you see supervision. This sweet and delicious crop them. Trim off dragon fruit stems infested with must be introduced to the small and marginal thrips or scale insects to prevent further spread farmers of Odisha to earn their livelihood as it of the pests. Spray the pruning tool blades with has less cost of production as it is a low labour household disinfectant and then rinse them to intensive crop. Dragon fruit requires a little prevent the spread of disease or pests. bit of care as they are fruit bearing plants, but Health Benefits they are actually simple to maintain. Not to mention that they look exotic in your back Not many people are aware that eating yard; making them a point of conversation for dragon fruit is actually very beneficial to your your guests. health. Here are some of the benefits that you n can experience when you have your own fruit 1Assistant professor, Department of Agriculture, MIPS, bearing plant: Rayagada. Email id: [email protected], 7504050240 n There are high levels of Vitamin C in this 2 Professor and Head, Department of Fruit Science and fruit, so it will boost your immune Horticulture Technology, College of Agriculture, OUAT, BBSR-03 system. n These fruits contain no cholesterol, FIRST EXOMOON which means eating them is good for DISCOVERED your heart and cardiovascular system. Astronomers have discovered 3946 planets n The vitamin level in dragon fruit is beyond our solar system as on 1st January 2019 amazing, which can help you get the and these are called exoplanets. The number of such discoveries is gradually increasing. But astronomers vitamins you need to maintain a healthy have now discovered the first moon orbiting an system. exoplanet. This moon may be called an extrasolar n Carotene is present in dragon fruit, which moon or exomoon. The discovery was made using NASA’s Kepler and Hubble space telescopes, means that it has anti-carcinogenic which spotted the Neptune – size satellite orbiting properties. the Jupiter – like planet Kepler – 1625b. It lies n Eating dragon fruit can improve your about 8000 light-years from Earth. Alex Teachey, metabolism and your digestive system. NSF Graduate Fellow in astronomy and David Kipping, an assistant professor of astronomy at With all of these health benefits, why Columbia University in the USA discovered it in not take the initiative and have your own October 2018. dragon fruit plant in your garden.

Science Horizon 23 JANUARY, 2019 STATUS, CONSERVATION AND FUTURE OF ENDANGERED BLACKBUCK, ANTILOPE CERVICAPRA OF ODISHA

Dr. Sudhakar Kar

There is a fast decline in the population Past distribution in Odisha of Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) throughout This species was found in Balesore and the country due to poaching and habitat loss. Puri district and very scarcely in Bolangir and In the recent past, this endemic animal was Kalahandi district and also in coastal sand quite numerous and commonly seen. dunes of Bhitarkanika and Kujang area. Upto Subsequently, within a short span of time it 1960s, the Blackbuck number was reported to has suffered a drastic reduction in numbers. be 1200-1300. Blackbuck is included in the Schedule-I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and is Present distribution in Odisha designated as Vulnerable as per Red Data Book It is now confined to Balukhand-Konark (1994). It is one of the most popular exhibits Sanctuary in Puri district (small number); in the zoos of the country and elsewhere. The Balipadar-Bhetnoi and adjacent areas in Indian Blackbuck, is one of the three species Ganjam district. of antelopes found in Odisha. It is locally In Odisha, the estimated population of known (Odia name) as ‘Krushnasarmruga’, Blackbuck is about 3800 to 4000. The ‘Bali harina’ and ‘Kala bahutia’ The other two population is on increasing trend in Ganjam antelopes are Nilgai (Boselaphus district. tragocamelus) and the Chowsingha (Tetracercus quadricornis). Blackbuck is considered to be the second fastest animal in the world next to Cheetah.

Distribution and Status

In India, the species is widespread in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamilnadu and other areas throughout peninsular India. In 1982, the estimated population in India was between 22,500 to 24,500. According to 1993 estimation, the population of Blackbuck in the country was above 10,000 and was stable. A herd of Blackbuck in the paddy field at Balipadar

24 Science Horizon JANUARY, 2019

The Balipadar-Bhetnoi Blackbuck is seen pattern of the animal and threat aspects, and in about 80 villages of Buguda, Aska and Kodala (iii) breeding biology (natality /mortality Forest Ranges in Ganjam District. The parameters), etc. Blackbuck of Balipadar-Bhetnoi area are Rehabilitation protected religiously by the local communities. Steps were taken to rehabilitate The belief that the presence of Blackbuck in Blackbuck in Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary the paddy fields brings prosperity to the village during 1985-87 by introducing 14 (9M+5F) has contributed greatly to the protection of zoo bred specimens of Nanadanakanan this species. The villagers do not kill the Zoological Park stock. They could not adapt animal even if it strays into the fields and to the new surrounding and all perished after a grazes their crop. Such protection has been couple of months. approved by the local people for several generations. As the story goes more than a Morphology century ago, there was once a long spell of Blackbuck is a medium sized Antelope drought in this locality. During this period, a which stands about 80 cm at the shoulder and small group of Blackbuck appeared from weighs about 40 kg. They are sexually somewhere in the area for the first time, and dimorphic. The males at their initial stage are then there was rain and the drought spell was brown without horns. However, with secretion broken. Since then people have been rigidly of sexual hormone, males develop a pair of protecting these animals as they feel that their un- branched, ‘corkscrew’ horns on each side fate is linked with the Blackbuck. Recent of head and change their body colour to elegant census has put their number in this area at black. The beautiful spiral horns (never shed 3806, and there is a healthy growth in the like deer’s antler) may grow upto 50 cm. The numbers over the past decade. colour of the body coat is light yellow in Research young and females. As the male grows older the dorsal body colour turns into black. Males A research scheme was partially have pronounced post orbital glands which implemented with financial assistance from exude a pungent sticky secretion. the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India for collection of basic scientific information on the isolated population of Blackbuck in Balipadar- Bhetnoi area during l995-96. On the findings of the above study there has been documentation of (i) population status, sex composition, herd structure and social grouping (ii) distribution Blackbuck (Male)

Science Horizon 25 JANUARY, 2019

The Blackbuck habitat covers about 60% cultivated lands/cropped fields, 15% rocky elevations, 10% man made houses and roads, 8% forest cover, 5% water bodies and 2% horticultural farms and waste lands. Food Blackbucks live on fresh tender leaves, grass, crops, cereals, vegetables and leaves of shrubs and trees. They feed for a long time, Blackbuck (Female) select succulent grasses, tender shoots of Habitat crops and plants which help them to maintain It primarily covers three Forest Ranges water balance in their bodies. They can survive i.e. Buguda and Aska in Ghumsur south Division without drinking water for a day to a week. and Khallikote Range of Berhampur Forest Census of Blackbuck Division. The state highway from Khurda to The Forest Department conducted a Berhampur via Nayagarh also passes through census of Blackbuck on 14.5.1973 in the their habitat. Balipadar- Bhetnoi area. Subsequently, the

Table: Population trend in Ballipadar-Bhetnoi area (1973-2015) showing total number (and % out of total). Year Male Female Young Total Sex ratio Male: Female

1973 152 (29.1) 302 (57.7) 69 (13.2) 523 1:2.0

1980 129 (26.6%) 284 (58.7%) 72 (14.8%) 485 1:2.2

1998 94 (17.1%) 376 (68.2%) 81 (14.7%) 551 1:4.0

2004 212 (27%) 487 (62%) 87 (11%) 786 1:2.3

2007 306 (27.8%) 664 (60.30%) 131 (11.9%) 1101 1:3.6

2015 1166 (30.63%) 2086 (54.81%) 554 (14.55%) 3806 1:1.8

26 Science Horizon JANUARY, 2019 census was conducted in the year 1980, 1998 Breeding and 2007 in the same area. In order to ascertain Blackbucks breed in all seasons, but the population, the survey area is divided into peaks occur between February and May.The small segments and enumerators in each gestation period is about 5-6 months. Usually segment make total count of the animals from only one young is born at a time. Females of direct sighting. about two years old and above give birth to Results of 2015-census indicate that, young ones. At the Nandanakanan Zoo in there is 245% increase in the Blackbuck Odisha, a female fawned for the first time at population over the last count (2007census), the age of 2 years and one month and another and out of three Forest Ranges, namely Buguda, at the age of almost two and a half years. Aska and Khallikote, Buguda Range alone holds Life Span above 60% of the Blackbuck population at present. The normal life span of Blackbuck is about 12 to 15 years. The maximum age Movement Pattern recorded was 16 years and 10 months. Blackbucks are gregarious in nature. The young ones fall prey to a number of Their movement depends upon factors like predators such as wolf, hyena, jungle cat, availability of fresh vegetation, availability of jackal, python, wild pig, feral dog, etc. water, human interference, interference by domestic animals within their activity limit, Recommendations and environmental parameters like temperature, 1. There is need for consideration to give wind, rainfall play important role for it the status of “Community Reserve” so that determining the movement pattern of Blackbucks can be better protected under the Blackbucks. provision of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, since the Species is in Schedule-1 of theAct. 2. A long term research programme on Man-Blackbuck association and conflict, besides studying on biological and ecological aspects need to be taken up with the funding support from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India. 3. Night patrolling should be strengthened by the Forest Department to prevent poaching of Blackbucks by outsiders, who primarily Herd of Blackbucks with a lone male target males (bucks) taking advantage of villagers’ deep sleep after a day’s hard work.

Science Horizon 27 JANUARY, 2019

4. Eco-development activities should be Reserve” in accordance with the recent taken up for getting cooperation of the villagers amendment of Wildlife (Protection) Act. which will help in protecting the Blackbuck. References This programme should be taken up in and 1. Acharjya, L.N. and Mishra R.(1973): A around the Blackbuck habitats. note on age of sexual maturity of two 5. A thorough awareness programme species of antelopes in captivity. J. should be created among the people of all age Bombay nat. Hist. Soc.70 (2):378. groups including farmers and students through 2. Kar, S.K.(2000a): Study on “ Population, distribution of booklets, stickers, posters,T- habitat preference, feeding and survival shirts, caps and also through media (All India of Blackbuck (Antilopecervicapra) in Radio and Doordarsan, etc.) Balipadar-Bhetnoi Wildlife Reserve of 6. Capture of fawns (a few hours to few Ganjam district, Orissa”. Final technical days old) by some local people for pets proves report submitted to the Ministry of to be most disastrous for future survival of the Environment & Forests (RE Section), Blackbuck population. The local people/ Govt.of India. pp.1-52. villagers should be motivated not to capture 3. Kar, S.K.(2000b): Survival of Blackbuck, the newly born fawns. Any violation should be Antilopecervicapra in Ganjam district of severely dealt with. Orissa: an epitome of human-animal. The Twilight-Journal of Pugmarks, Kolkata. Conclusion 2(2&3):28-30. Blackbuck gets special adoration by the 4. Kar, S.K. and Panda, R.M.(1996):Indian Bishnoi community of western Rajasthan and Antelope.NWCSO Newsletter (May- the Vala Rajputs of Saurashtra, besides the June,96),pp.4 people of Balipadar- Bhetnoi area in Ganjam 5. Kar, S.K. and Panda, R.M.(1997): district of Odisha. These communities/people Blackbuck or Indian antelope. Orissa have been enthusiastically protecting Review,53(10-11):38-39. Blackbucks which are associated with their 6. Kar, S.K.(2001): Balipadar’s Blackbuck: past history, folklore and religious sentiments. an insight in to myth and reality of human- These people still continue to protect blackbuck relationship. Published by Blackbucks in the vicinity of their habitations, State Wildlife Wing, Forest Department, despite the damage that the Blackbucks cause Govt.of Orissa, Bhubaneswar.pp.1-41. to their agricultural crops. 7. Mohanty,S.C.; Kar,C.S.; Kar,S.K. and Realising the significance of Blackbucks, the Singh, L.A.K.(2004); Wild Orissa. Forest and Environment Department, Govt. of Wildlife Organisation, Forest Odisha should take early step to declare this Department, Govt. of Orissa. Balipadar-Bhetnoi habitat as a “Community Bhubaneswar. pp. 1-82.

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8. Mishra,Ch.G.;Patnaik,S.K.;Sinha, STORY OF S.K.;Kar,S.K.; Kar, C.S.and CYCLONES Singh,L.A.K.(1996):Wildlife Wealth of Orissa (Orissa Forest Department Publ.). OrissaGovt.Press, Cuttack.pp.1-185. Nikunja Bihari Sahu 9. Ranjitsinh,M.K.(1989): The Indian Generally, October has been the month Blackbuck. Natraj Publishers, of major atmospheric disturbances over the Dehradun.pp.1-155. Bay of Bengal. This is the month when ravaging 10. (1994): The Red Data book of Indian cyclones used to form in the far seas and race Animals (Part-1, Vertebrate), Zoological miles across the waters with awesome speed Survey of India, Calcutta (Kolkata). to unfold on the eastern Indian coast. While pp.195-197. the Phailin struck Odisha on October 12, 2013, n exactly a year later the Hudhud pounded the Former Senior Research Officer (Wildlife), Forest & coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh. This was Environment Department and Member: IUCN/SSC followed by Titli that battered both the Odisha Crocodile Specialist Group, Subhadra Nibas, Sampur, Bhubaneswar-751003, Odisha. Email: and Andhra coast recently with heavy rain and [email protected] gale winds. All these cyclones left behind a INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF trail of destruction by flattening thousands of PERIODIC TABLE mud and thatched houses and tearing down The Periodic Table of Chemical Elements is road and communication links. But people are one of the most significant achievements in science, still unaware of the impacts of the cyclone as capturing the essence not only of chemistry, but evident from their reluctance to leave their also of physics and biology. It was first formulated ancestral homes for relocation to safer places. by the Russian scientist Dmitry Mendeleev in 1869. 2019 is the 150th anniversary of its first formulation Hence, an understanding of cyclones is and hence it has been proclaimed as the essential. ‘International Year of the Periodic Table of Origin and Development Chemical Elements’. Mendeleev’s periodic table was a vertical chart, that organised 63 known Given the vast devastation as described elements by atomic weight. This arrangement placed above, the huge strength of the cyclone can be elements with similar properties into horizontal easily understood. The secret to its enormous rows. The table is being expanded after new discovery of elements and four elements were prowess lies on a very basic property of water. included as recently as 2016. The last one is Water, unlike all other liquids, has a high oganesson. When Mendeleev proposed the latent heat of vaporization which is essentially periodic table, no one knew what was inside the the heat released when water in gaseous state atom. Today, we know that an element’s place on the table has a lot to do with its proton number as changes its form to liquid state as a result of well as how its electrons are configured. The condensation. This value for water is 2.5 x 106 observation of 2019 as the International Year for J/kg in contrast to other liquids like ammonia: Periodic Table is a tribute to Mendeleev. 1.2 x 106 J/kg, propane: 4.2 x 105 J/kg, ether: Science Horizon 29 JANUARY, 2019 3.9 x 105 J/kg, carbon tetrachloride: 2.2 x 105 was first used by a British meteorologist to J/kg. refer to small depressions created over the A cyclone has its humble beginning as a Bay of Bengal. small twister over the far tropical seas as the Eventually, the storm of the far seas sunrays heat up water surface producing heads towards the land and appears as killer copious mass of warm and moist air. winds for the coastal population. But on Sometimes, the moist air mass lays stationary reaching the land, it quickly subsides as no as a huge cloud over the sea surface without moist air is available to keep its cyclic process dispersing. This mass is highly unstable in going. Before that, it had wrecked widespread nature that eventually becomes the cradle for damage to life and property. the cyclone. Further heating causes streams Damage and Destruction of air rising up within the moist air cloud Of the 23 cyclones in the last 300 years creating a low pressure region. Surrounding that have each resulted in loss of more than mass of moist air rushes towards the region 10,000 lives, 20 have been formed over the that curves around due to the Earth’s spin. On Bay of Bengal and affected India. Almost 75% reaching the low pressure centre, the mass of of the cyclones that have killed more than moist air rises upward and expands suddenly 5,000 people during this time have been at the higher atmosphere eventually getting originated in this region. This, despite the fact cooled. The cooling triggers condensation of that only 7% of the world’s cyclones in a year millions of water vapours present in the moist are generated in this part of the globe and also air releasing a large quantity of heat to the the fact that cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and surrounding due to the high latent heat of the Arabian Sea are of moderate intensity as water. The heat that was released evaporates compared to the hurricanes raged in the more amount of moist air from the sea surface Western Atlantic and typhoons in the Western that further feeds and fuels the cyclic process Pacific regions. The super cyclone of October and keeps it raging for weeks. Under favourable 29, 1999 killed around 10,000 people in conditions, the situation rapidly intensifies Odisha. One reason for the heavy casualty in into a sequence of events such as depression, the past is that the Indian coastline is densely deep depression, cyclonic storm and severe populated and absence of efficient advanced and very severe cyclonic storms with wind warning system. speeds reaching as high as 300 km/h. Weather Forecasting Has Come of Age Although the common name for such typical storms is hurricanes, these are named But the situation has been drastically differently in different local regions such as changed over the years owing to very accurate typhoons in the Pacific and cyclones in the weather forecasting as evident from the lesser Bay of Bengal. The word cyclone is actually a death tolls of Phailin (38), Hudhud (nearly Greek word that means coil of a snake which 100) and Titli (62). Weather forecasting today

30 Science Horizon JANUARY, 2019 has come of age and the science has developed Further Reading : considerably enabling very accurate and 1. Conquest of Phailin by Nikunja Bihari reliable prediction of cyclones, facilitating Sahu (Science Horizon: Feb, 2014 relief and rescue operations. With the advent issue). of the space age, it has now become possible 2. Hunt of the Hudhud by Nikunja Bihari to directly see the cyclone with satellites and Sahu (Science Horizon: June, 2015 monitor its progress in real time by satellite issue). imagery allowing an early warning to be issued for befitting response from the Govt. and the n people. This can be appreciated from the fact Education Officer Dhenkanal that while an early warning for the super Science Centre cyclone of 1999 could be generated only 2 (National Council of Science Museums days earlier , the same for Phailin was issued Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India) 4 days beforehand allowing sufficient time (Near Rajbati) Dhenkanal-759001, Odisha for the Govt. to mobilize its resources to Phone: 8018708858 carry out one of the biggest evacuation drives INDIAN SCIENTIST in Indian history . DISCOVERED AN EXOPLANET Preparedness is Safety To our credit, Indian scientists have Like many other natural calamities, a discovered a large exoplanet orbiting a Sun-like cyclone cannot be prevented with the present star about 600 light - years away from Earth. This day technology. But timely warning of the is the first exoplanet discovery from India. Abhijit Chakraborty and his team from the Physical impending disaster with accurate Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad made meteorological inputs can bolster the the discovery using the indigenously designed preparedness of the people to lessen the scale ‘PRL Advance Radial-Velocity Abu-sky Search’ of devastation. The prime responsibility of (PARAS) spectrograph. The spectrograph was integrated with the 1.2 m telescope at PRL’s the Govt. in the post cyclonic period is to Gurushikar Observatory in Mount Abu, Rajasthan restore power, road and communication links. for the observation. After observing the exoplanet As the cyclone abruptly releases on land vast for about 18 months, the team calculated its amount of water collected from the seas in its radius. It is smaller in size than Saturn, but bigger than Neptune. Its mass is about 27 times that of huge mass of moist air (often half the size of Earth and radius is 6 times that of Earth. The India), a flash flood situation in the aftermath scientists have estimated that 60% to 70% of its of the cyclone is very likely and the Govt. mass could be made up of heavy elements like ice, must be prepared to face that. Finally, we must silicates and iron. Its surface temperature is 6000C. go by the weather reports meticulously to It has been named as EPIC 211945201 b (or K2- 236 b). The host star has been named EPIC keep ourselves prepared for ensuring individual 211945201 or K2-236. The planet takes 19.5 and collective safety. Earth days to go around the star.

Science Horizon 31 JANUARY, 2019 AN EMINENT INDIAN platform. This conviction prompted him to SCIENTIST get his son admitted in a village school rather than in any luxurious English school. Jagadish Sir Jagadish Chandra was only four years old when he joined the Bose Vernacular Pre-school. He learnt his mother tongue and got interested in Indian literature Binod Chandra Jena and culture. The parents were aware that school Once a person wrote a letter to education was not sufficient for his overall Rabindranath Tagore- “ If I am born 100 growth. So his mother supplemented his times, it would be in India alone.” He is no learning at home. She used to highlight the one but our great scientist “Sir Jagadish notable characters and glorious events of Chandra Bose” He is one of many worthy sons ancient India. All this aimed at influencing his of India ever produced. character. The boy used to accompany his Childhood father to the industrial training schools. There he came across minor boys busy making things Bose was born on November 30,1858 at by themselves. This had a sizeable impact on Munsiganj under Dacca district of the the inquisitive nature of the boy. His interests erstwhile Bengal Presidency, now in having been roused to use his hands motivated Bangladesh . He belonged to a respectable him in the later years to undertake manual family with high traditions and culture. His work. father Bhagawan Chandra Bose was a deputy magistrate under the government. A learned, Jagdish was admitted to Hare school, honest and dutiful person, he exerted much Calcutta at the age of nine. Later, he shifted to influence on his son. Equally impressive was St Xaviers Collegiate School where his his mother’s affection and religious touch. He experienced a sweet but disciplined childhood that laid the foundation of his fruitful life. The great Indian epics, the Ramayan and the Mahabharat inspired Jagadish to become sincere and dutiful. He learnt to appreciate that failure is a footstep towards success. Education Bhagawan Chandra was a strong opposer of the prevealent system of modern education. He was rather a known champion of the old traditional system. He used to lay emphasis on mother tongue and education on a common Sri Jagadish Chandra Bose

32 Science Horizon JANUARY, 2019 foundation in English language was laid. This findings. For his research in electric waves, he school was mainly populated by European and had to virtually make the instruments out of Anglo Indian boys. They had a traditional malice the scrap materials available locally. His for the Indians and Jagadish was no exception childhood work experience helped him in to their torture. Once it so happened that an fabricating things. In 1865, he read out his elder Anglo Indian boy who was also a boxer, first treatise on electricity to the Asiatic tried to bully him. It was beyond tolerance and Society, Calcutta. The text, which was very young Jagadish took up the challenge and much original, was also published in the journal repaid. He was then supported by other fellow of the society. Two other treatises were mates. The occurrence proved as a blessing in published in another journal ‘The electrician’. disguise. The European boys no more These publications drew the attention of the misbehaved the Indian boys. This too was a established European scientists. The Royal lesson for Jagadish that courage is more Society of London offered research grants in powerful than strength and that self dependence recognition of the quality of his research and is the best means to success in life. While in published his essays in its journal. Such a school, Jagadish stayed in a boarding. situtation brought him to limelight in the Unfortunately, he was the oldest of the inmates scientific arena. and therefore, others did not mix with him. In Prof Bose continued his work on electro- order to avoid loneliness he cut short of his magnetic waves on the strength of the research tiffin and bought toys for him out of the grant from the Royal Society. In 1895, he savings. He used to play with himself only in demonstrated his results in the Calcutta Town leisure hours. He also developed a kitchen Hall in the presence of the lieutenant Governor garden inside the boarding premises all by of Bengal and many other dignitaries. He himself. He was diligent at study and was proved that invisible electric waves could be known for his creativeness. He drew the sent through space by means of attention of all the teachers who were electromagnetic waves from his instruments. benevolent and friendly to the students. In He managed to send such waves which later years, Jagadish Chandra was inspired by penetrated through the walls, passed through their morale when he himself became a two apartments and performed some teacher. disturbances in the next chamber. In fact, an Research work iron ball was thrown, a pistol was fired and a Prof. Bose pursued research in both heap of gunpowder was blown up by this action. physics and botany. The outcome of his works This was essentially the function of a remote created a new era in science. Till then the sensing device through wireless telegraphy. prevailing general notion was that the animate Admirations poured in from different quarters world and the inanimate world differed. This to hail the achievements. was proved incorrect through his research

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Prof Bose was the first person to devise His convincing argument was that excessive the apparatus that generated microwaves, a drinking makes the human organs dead like variety of radio waves with very short wave but limited amount does not provide energy. length. He made use of these waves to The same analogy is applicable in case of understand the structure of different metals. The findings, demonstrations and materials. The coherer, a small mechanical above all the logic of Bose established a component formed an essential part of mysterious bond among animals, plants and wireless receiver. This was improved upon by metals. prof. Bose to such an extent that it was Fame and Honour possible to send and receive wireless signals. Jagadish Chandra became famous for Prof Bose, in his research, proved that his discoveries and inventions. It is the irony plants gather energy from the surrounding, of fate that his countrymen did not recognise store them and use this energy to carry out the importance of his contributions till he their internal activities. In 1918, he developed was honoured by the outsiders. He was praised an instrument called Crescograph which could by the Royal Society, London for his radio exhibit the movement of plants. It could also telegraphy. The London University honoured show changes taking place inside the plants. him with the degree of Doctor of Science. He observed that the normal growth of some He was invited many times to deliver lectures plants was arrested by touching. Prof. Bose at different places in England. While in arrived at the conclusion that the life of England he visited France on an invitation plants and metals attribute to their electric from the France Physical Society. nature. According to him a plant differs from an animal in the time of response and that a The Royal Institution of London by- plant takes a longer time to respond. passed its tradition and invited Dr Bose to speak on his subject for the second time in Scientists had been advocating that view of the novelty of his work. Nobody metals have no life. But Jagadish Chandra prior to him was ever offered the chance to proved that metals do possess life. He speak in Cambridge and Oxford and also established with the use of galvanometer that thrice in Paris. Sir Franceis Drawing and metal after long work shows signs of being Professor Stuard commented on his apparatus tired. He demonstrated that a safety razor as “surprise of science”. The Bristish blade becomes tired after repeated uses, but Government in India honoured him with the regains its usability if left unused for some title of C.I.E in 1903 and C.S.I.E in 1911 days. Scientists started appreciating his views before awarding him knighthood in 1917. on life and it altogether gave a new meaning The government utilized his wisdom for two to life itself. He further showed that metals more years by extending his service period undergo changes due to heat and pressure. beyond 1913.

34 Science Horizon JANUARY, 2019 Bose, the patriotic man CANCER OF Dr. Bose loved his motherland very much THE LARYNX and was always committed to its upliftment through his own efforts. He used to recollect Dr. Kalyanee Dash the glory of ancient India and had a strong will for its revival. Dr.Bose dedicated his famous Introduction book to his countrymen. He was strong Larynx is our voice box, which is in the optimistic too. Once Prof Ramsay ridiculed front part of our neck. It contains muscles and that spring does not come with one cuckoo cartilages. Due to this organ we are able to like him. Bose quickly retaliated, “ Please rest talk. So when it is affected by any disease, we assured, very soon hundreds of cuckoos in have trouble in our voice. Most serious disease India will announce spring’s arrival”. The honest of the larynx is laryngeal cancer. In this hope of Jagadish Chandra took shape in the disease, cancer (malignant) cells form in the years followed. India has given birth to tissues of the larynx (i.e. voice box). So when hundreds renowned scientists. larynx is affected by cancer, our voice is Last days damaged. If it is not treated early, it spreads to other parts of our body. It caused roughly There is an end to every beginning. Even 200,000 death annually worldwide. god-incarnations leave the world. However great and powerful, rich and poor, young and It is only 2-5% of all malignancies of old, everybody has to embrace death when it our body. Use of tobacco products and drinking comes. How can Dr.Bose refute this law of too much alcohol can cause the risk of nature? His health declined in November, Laryngeal cancer. The common signs and 1937.Accompanied by his wife he set out for symptoms of Laryngeal cancer include sore a change of climate. He was fresh till 23rd in throat and ear pain. This disease is of special the morning but lost his sense in the bathroom. importance because of its significant effect Mrs Bose rushed him to the doctors,but in on voice, swallowing and quality of life. In vain. He was declared dead shortly afterwards USA, more than 12000 new cases are the same day. diagnosed each year and the incidence is Reference: increasing during a period when the incidence of other cancers are decreasing. A Book search after “Life’s Mystery” Incidence n Victory Colony, In USA, about 5 in 100,000 people, i.e. Paralkhemundi,Gajapati 12,500 new cases of laryngeal cancer are Cell :94380 74464 E-mail : [email protected] diagnosed every year. Larynx Cancer is listed as a “Rose Disease” of the “National Institute

Science Horizon 35 JANUARY, 2019 of Health” in USA, since this disease affects neck, sore throat or feeling of something fewer than 200,000 people in U.S.A. Five year struck in the throat, persistent cough, a high survival rates in USA is 60%. pitched wheezing sound indicative of a Risk Factors narrowed or obstructed air passage. Further it occurs bad breath, pain in the ear, difficulty in Laryngeal cancer is more common in swallowing. When it is diagnosed early, heavy smokers than non-smokers and in heavy laryngeal cancer is readily curable. consumer of alcohol. Male persons, more than 55 years of age are more prone to suffer The natural cartilage and fibrous barriers from Laryngeal cancer. If the person quits prevent the spread of cancer within the larynx, alcohol and tobacco, the risk of cancer so the cancer of the true “Vocal Cords” of the development is reduced. Other causes of larynx remains localized for a period of 6-8 Laryngeal cancer are nutritional deficiency, months before diagnosis. Spread of the cancer genetic predisposition and viral factors. to adjacent lymph nodes in the neck is a late stage of the disease. But spread of cancer Types of Laryngeal Cancer from the upper part of larynx (false vocal Cancer can develop in any part of larynx, cords of epiglottis) are quite early and to the but the cure rate depends on the location of lymph nodes of the neck. the tumor. There are many types of cancers Laryngeal cancer patient should be affecting the larynx. But the most common taken to an ENT specialist doctor, who takes type is Squamous Cell carcinoma originating the medical history and does the physical from the covering of the vocal cords of larynx. examination. Special investigations are done, The cancer of the larynx is divided to 3 regions which include chest X-Ray, CT Scan, MRI – glottis, supraglottis and sub glottis. Most of Scan and Biopsy from the cancer tissue. the cancers develop from glottis. The other two types are less frequent. They mainly spread by (a) Direct extension to neighbouring structures (b) By metastasis to regional cervical (neck) lymphnodes or (c) more distantly to lungs (common) through the blood stream. Symptoms and Diagnosis Symptoms of laryngeal cancer depends on the location and size of the tumour. Common and important symptoms are hoarseness of voice, voice change like “thick speech”, painful swallowing, a lump in the

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Systemic examination of the whole which requires the coordinated expertise of body is done to assess the general health to ear, nose and throat (ENT), surgeon and cancer look for the signs of associated constitutions specialist (oncologist). and spreading of the disease (metastasis) Surgery condition. The neck and the area above the collar bones are palpated to feel for enlarged Complete or partial removal of the vocal lymph glands in the neck, other mass and cords are done. Modern treatment of laryngeal laryngeal crepitus. The oral cavity and cancer are complex, as sophisticated methods orpharynx are examined under direct vision. have been developed to try and preserve vocal The larynx is examined for indirect functions. A variety of treatment options are Laryngoscopy by expert doctor, Now, many available for laryngeal cancer. As the cancer specialists use fibre-optic Nasal Endoscopy, grows, they encroach on the airway and affect where a thin flexible endoscope is inserted the muscles of the voice box. These muscles through the nostril to clearly visualize the are very important to protect the wind pipe entire pharynx + larynx. Nasal Endoscopy is (trachea) during swallowing of solid, liquid quick and easy procedure, which can be done and saliva. When the whole of larynx with both under local anesthesia spray. side vocal cords are removed in surgical treatment for cancer of larynx, the patient Biopsy under General Anesthesia is loses total speech. It leads to severe coughing, done in suspected cases and histopathology of choking or chronic pneumonia. The structure the tissue is done to detect the cancer type and of the voice box provides rigid support to the grade. In small and well localized tumour, wind pipe (trachea) to facilitate respiration. excisional biopsy is done and the tumour is When treatment is done for laryngeal cancer totally removed during the first biopsy. During there is shortness of breath, noisy and labored this time, a full endoscopic examination of breathing. Effect of the treatment may be larynx, trachea and oesophagus is done. postoperative difficulty in eating and loss of Treatment of Laryngeal Cancer voice. The loss of voice may require learning The specific treatment depends on the alternate method of speaking. location, type and stage of the cancer. The final management of laryngeal Treatment types are : cancer depends on the site, stage (tumor size, (a) Surgery spread to the lymph nodes, distant metastasis) and histological type of the tumor. (b) Radiotherapy The treatment choice of the laryngeal (c) Chemotherapy cancer depends on overall health of the patient All these treatments are done alone or and type of the cancer. A prognostic multigene in combination. Larynx is a specialized area classifier is useful for distinction of laryngeal

Science Horizon 37 JANUARY, 2019 cancer of low or high risk of recurrence of RECENT ADVANCES the disease and it might influence the treatment IN MEDICAL choice in future. SCIENCE: Conclusion AN OVERVIEW Laryngeal cancer may not be curable once the malignant cell spread to parts of the Dr. Choudhury Satyabrata Nanda body beyond neck and head. But when this Every day witnesses a change in medical disease is diagnosed, treatment is continued science; may be in terms of concepts or to prolong their life and slow the progress of technology either modified or newly added. the disease. This becomes apparent by bringing a Longivity comparison between yesterday and today. For Laryngeal cancer is nearly always instance, some of the most common medical curable with either Endoscopic Surgery or tools that we now take for granted e.g. radiation therapy. Then close observation is stethoscopes and microscopes have only been done to see if the cancer returns. If cancer around since the 1800s. The same is true for returns, Radiation is done. Almost all patients the x-ray. However, while the two former at this stage can be cured without major instruments have remained largely unchanged, surgery. with the microscope only increasing in size or In USA, 5-year. survical rate of magnification, the latter has definitely come a laryngeal cancer is 60%. Cancer of the larynx long way. Nowadays we have sophisticated is grouped into Early (State 1), Intermediate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners (Stage II) and Advanced (State III & IV) of the that are capable of taking pictures of the inside disease. Early cancer cases are curable with of your body in seconds. 5-year survival rate of 80-95%. But advanced stages have 5-year survival rates of 25-50%. So, it is advisable that any change in voice or any voice box complaints should be consulted with specialist doctors as early as possible. “Sooner the Better”.

n Senior O & G Specialist, Bangalore, Karnataka Mob. 7032900324

Fig.1: MRI Scan

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Positron emission tomography (PET) number of diseases and illnesses. We are also scan which is a nuclear medicine functional likely to come across recent successes. For imaging technique is used to observe metabolic instance, the first hand transplant in the USA processes in body as an aid to the diagnosis of was done recently in 2011 by surgeons at Ronald the disease especially to detect cancer growth Reagan UCLA Medical Centre, marking a and spread to distant places. milestone in medicine.

PET Scan

These developments aren’t limited to Stem Cell medical tools and instruments. Thanks to medical research, there have been numerous One area that is receiving a lot of attention remarkable breakthroughs in medical treatment these days is stem cell research. Medical and care of various diseases. In the 18th century, researchers and practitioners now believe that people suffered greatly from diseases such as stem cell therapy holds the key to remedies for smallpox, diphtheria and polio. Through conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, intensive medical research, scientists Multiple Sclerosis and certain forms of cancer, discovered that these were caused by bacteria, among others. Stem cells are unique in that viruses and other microbes. This discovery they can grow and differentiate into different made it possible to isolate the organisms and cell types within the body. They have immense develop vaccines to prevent disease healing potential since they can develop into occurrence. To date, vaccines have saved various body tissues or organs and can replace millions of lives across the globe and have cells that have been damaged by injury or disease. virtually eliminated diseases that once Stem cells were originally harvested from bone threatened humankind. marrow. However, it was recently revealed that These medical breakthroughs are not stem cells from teeth or the umbilical cord outdated. Going through any medical journal have the widest potential for therapeutic and we are sure to see several studies aimed at application. Cells that have been harvested from finding a cure or a new way to manage any the donor in this way are a perfect match,

Science Horizon 39 JANUARY, 2019 reducing chances of rejection by the body. For tumor DNA, self-administered HPV test to this reason, parents are encouraged to store detect cervical cancer, bioabsorbable stents their children’s milk teeth. This can be stored in and 3-D visualization and augmented reality ‘Tooth Bank’ and can be used for stem cell for surgery etc. extraction should the need ever arise. To sum up, we can say that medical science The other glorifying aspect in modern discoveries have helped to improve the lives medicine is gene therapy which is otherwise of millions of people in the world. Thanks to called as human gene transfer in which there is these discoveries, we can now provide better therapeutic delivery of the nucleic acid into a care and disease management allowing people patient’s cell as a drug to treat disease. It is the to live longer. Those who have chronic precision of the procedure and the intention of direct therapeutic effect.

Gene Therapy Artificial Pancreas

It will be incomplete if some of the eye illnesses can enjoy better quality lives with catching developments are not dealt with. Some more personalized treatment. As technology of them are; drones to distribute medicine and improves and more medical discoveries are blood transfusion sets to isolated areas, gene made, maybe we will one day wake up to a editing called as CRISPR techonology, world that is free of disease. amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), n communicate through thoughts, artificial Gopalgaon, Town High School Road, Balasore-756001 Mob:9040832663 pancreas for diabetes, enhanced pain E-mail:[email protected] management system and post-surgery recovery, improved treatment for sleep aponea, next generation vaccine, first human head transplant, cellular immunotherapy to treat blood cancer, liquid biopsies to find circulating

40 Science Horizon JANUARY, 2019 INNOVATION 3. Innovation reduces wastes and Dr. Sunita Chand1 environmental damage. Dr.Pranab Kumar Ghosh2 4. Innovation creates growth, increases productivity and economical wealth Innovation is the development of new (avoids stagnation) customer’s value through solutions that meet new needs, inarticulate needs of old customers, 5. Innovation provides better goods and and market need in a new way. This is services at a cheaper price. accomplished through different/more Steps in innovational process effective products, processes, services, As per Dabholkar & Krishnan, 2013, technologies or ideas that are readily available there are 8 steps to Innovation. These are; 1) to markets, governments, and society. It is Lay the foundation, 2) Create a challenge also called as the process of translating an book, 3) Build participation, 4) Experiment idea or invention into goods or services that with low cost at high speed, 5) Go fast from creates value or for which customers will pay. prototyping to incubation, 6) Iterate on the According to Peter F. Drucker, innovation is business model, 7) Build an innovation sandbox the specific instrument of entrepreneurship. and 8) Create a margin of safety. Innovation is the act that endows resources with a new capacity to create wealth. Factors for innovation Innovation refers to the use of a better There are nine factors for innovation and, as a result, novel idea or method, whereas which involves to sustain and push economic invention refers more directly to the creation growth to improve human well- being, to gain of the idea or method itself. competitive advantage, to reduce cost of production, to explore opportunities, to The word innovation is derived from improve past performance, to improve the Latin word innovates, which is the noun convenience and to ensure business survival. form of innovare “to renew or change”. In fact it stands for something ‘new’ or ‘better’ which Types of innovation occurs in terms of product, process, service, Innovations are divided into two broad business model and value market. categories: Significance of innovation (i) Evolutionary innovation(Continuous 1. Innovation is the profitable or dynamic innovation) that are brought about implementation of ideas. by many incremental advances in technology 2. Innovation aids in comfort, convenience or processes and (ii) Revolutionary innovation and efficiency in everyday life. (Discontinuous innovation) which are often disruptive or new.

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Characteristics of creative individuals / n They have the ability to connect with innovators other people and other ideas. n They can think differently and have n They are open to new ideas because they confidence in themselves and the system. do not stick to fixed mindsets. n They are persistent. n They look forward to change. n By nature, they are curious and they love n They have wide ranging interests. to experiment. n They can carry conflicting views without discomfort.

The following table shows the clear picture on growth of innovative technologies and their human impacts:

Innovation of innovative technologies and their human impacts

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Approximate Period Innovation / Breakthrough Impact / Reason (Years preceding 1998)

100000 Making and using gear for hunting Extending human capabilities 40000 Making and using weapons - 3500 Boats and sailboats - 800 The clock, compass and other Reducing and / measurement instruments or making manual work easier 360 Mechanical calculators - 190 Railroads / using coal and oil for energy Facilitating and / or making mental work easier 160 Electricity - 140 Image and sound reproduction Improving comfort and / or speed of transportation 100 Telecommunication / X-rays - 95 Aircraft Increased speed and / or availability of telecommunications 80 Automobiles and roads - 70 Mass-produced chemical products - 55 Nuclear weapons / energy - 50 Computers Improving the quality of arts and entertainment 45 Mass-produced home appliances Improving material quality of life 40 Extensive use of fertilizers / oral contraceptives - 35 Lasers - 30 The moon landing / tissues and organ transplants - 20 The CT (CAT or Body) scan - 10 Genetically engineered plants / Internet Increased knowledge base and applications

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New age innovations (Mangalyaan), 3D printers, Morpher helmet, Hover boards, Holo lens, Safety truck, Apple Some marvellous, brilliant, modern pencil, Electronic car, Bladeless fan, Stealth innovations of the last 50 years have also technology etc. revolutionized our daily life. In fact, those have changed our world in many ways. Those Initiatives taken by India on Innovation are: The Internet, Balloon catheter, Smoke ¬ At the 2010 Indian Science Congress, detector, Digital watch, Cell phones, Pocket the then Prime Minister of India declared the calculator, Laser printer, Floppy disk, current decade 2010-2020 as Decade of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), Innovation by Govt. of India. India’s Decade of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Food Innovation has won the Hermes Award for the processor, Space station, Computerized ‘best Humanistic policy of innovation in 2012.’ Tomography (CT), E-mail, Microprocessors ¬ The national policy for Science and (CPU), Touch screen, C programming, Technology has been restructured and formed Personal Computer (PC), Polyethylene as Science, Technology & Innovation(STI) terephthalate (PET), Laser eye surgery Policy in 2013. A strong and visible ‘Science, (LASIK), Electronic paper Scan, World Wide Research and Innovation System for High Web (WWW), Search engine, Hubble Technology- led path for India’ – SRISHIT- is telescope, Radio controlled watch, Webcam, the main goal of India’s new STI Policy, 2013. Smart phones, GPS (Global positioning System), Digital camera, 3D computer ¬ National Innovation Council has been graphics, Super- computer, Universal Serial formed with the purpose of fostering Bus (USB), CD & DVD, Cloning, Hybrid innovation in our country. electronic car, Human Genome Project, Fuel ¬ The focal theme of 101th Indian Science cell bikes, Artificial liver, Satellite radio, Congress organized in the University of Scramjet, Blu-ray, Skype, Graphene, YouTube, Jammu, J & K in February 3-7, 2014 was Night vision goggles, Surface computing, ‘Innovation in Science & Technology for Iphone, Bionic eye, Personal stereo, ATM, Air Inclusive Growth.’ car, Maglev train, Post-it notes, Hepatitis B ¬ India is placed at 57th rank in the Global vaccine, Space shuttle, Scanning Tunneling Innovation Index(GII) 2018. This annual Microscope (STM), Artificial heart, Laptop, ranking are jointly published by Cornell Internet Protocol (IP) address, Apple University, European Institute of Business Macintosh, Robotic surgery, DNA finger Administration and World Intellectual Property printing, Self driving car, Super conductors, Organization. Stent, Touchpad, MP3, Large Hadron Collider, Thinnest glass, Oculus Rift, Higgs Boson, ¬ In recent time, Govt. of India has opened Gravity-Light, Mars Orbiter Mission many avenues for protection of innovations

44 Science Horizon JANUARY, 2019 like setting of Patent Facilitation Centre ¬ ‘National Innovation Foundation – India’ (funded by DST, GOI & co-ordinate by TIFAC), organizes events to showcase grass-root Intellectual Property Facilitation Centre innovations from across the country. (funded by GOI & Co-ordinate by MSME) and ¬ India unveiled a comprehensive Innovation Facilitation Centre (funded by Intellectual Property Right(IPR) policy in National Research Development Corporation, 2016 one of whose objective (out of seven under DSIK, New Delhi). objectives) is fostering innovation. ¬ The Central Government has introduced Awards for innovative ideas : India Inclusive Innovation Fund(IIIF) through Public-Private-Partnership(PPP) Model, in The different research institutions as well as which the aim is to utilize 2% of budget for Ministries of Government of India are giving this purpose. awards for innovative ideas. Some of them are enumerated below: Sl. Name of Award Instituted by Purpose No. 1. CSIR Award for S&T CSIR, New Delhi For implementation of S & T Innovation for Rural innovation to improve Development quality of lives of rurlal community 2. NRDC Meritorious NRDC, New Delhi 3 Categories innovation Award (i) NRDC Innovation Award (ii) NRDC Social Innovation Award (iii)NRDC Budding Innovation Award for students 3. IGNITE National Innovation To foster the spirit of thinking creativity Foundation, Ahmedabad and to clulture the habit of innovating to find solutions for local problems (For students upto 12th standard) 4. India Innovation Initiative CII and DST To help and support innovators above 18 years of age 5. Initiative for Research and CII and DST along with Awards for Research based Innovation Innovation in Science (IRIS) Intel Education Projects for students of class 5 to 12. 6. Grassroots Innovation and National Innovation For innovative ideas and traditional Outstanding Traditional Foundation. Ahmedabad knwledge at grassroot level across wide Knowldege Award subject areas. 7. MSME Awards Ministry of MSME To recognise and appreciate the innovation capacity of the micro, small and medium scale enterprises. 8. CSIR Innovation Award CSIR, New Delhi To enhance creativity amongst school children 9. NABARD Award NABARD in association For rural innovations with the Times of India 10. National Initiative for Deptt. of Science & To cover the entire innovation chain right Developing and Harnessing Technology from scouting and mentoring to up-scaling Innovations (NIDHI) the start up to promote culture of innovation among students and rural communities.

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Innovation Laboratory Innovation is a need based natural habit 4. The Life Millennium-The 100 most Important of a healthy and active individual. It is important Events & People of the last 1000 years : Life Books Time Inc, New York. for any society and it has to be nurtured. In the 5. Innovation Wikipedia. scenario of globalization, a potential outcome 6. G. Tarde, The Laws of Imitation, H. Holt & has been to accomplish excellence in Co., New York, 1903. innovation-intensive activities, even inspiring 7. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam & Y.S.Rajan, Building a New India, Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., talented grass-root innovators. Our academic New Delhi, Page 8-10, 2011. institutions, research institutions, other 8. P.Majumdar and S.K.Majumdar, Promoting organizations/companies and planners need to Innovation in India: Dream 2047, Vol. 18, formulate pragmatic polices and mechanisms Page 33-34, 2016. 9. 100 New Inventions: Manorama Tell Me Why, accordingly by cross pollinating ideas of Vol. 10, No. 1, 2016. diverse disciplines and cost effective 10. A showcase of recent works Paintings/Prints innovations can be achieved only by a robust by Gaurav Mangla & Kanchan Kapruwan at national innovation system. IHC, Lodhi Road, New Delhi from 8th-12th July, 2015. References n 1. H.S. Ray, A Random Walk in the World 1Professor, of Creativity Innovation, NISCAIR, New Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER), Delhi, Page 39, 2010. Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) University, 2. Vinay Dabholkar & Rishikesha T. Krsihnan, 8 Jagamara, Bhubaneswar-751030 (Odisha) E-mail: [email protected] steps to innovation, Haper Collins Publishers, India, Page 35-235, 2013. 2Assistant Director, 3. Navi Radjou, Jaideep Prabhu & Simon Ahuja, Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Jugaad Innovation, Random House India, India, Technology(CAPART), Zone :5A, Core C, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110 003 Page 18, 2012. E-mail:[email protected]

46 Science Horizon JANUARY, 2019 QUIZ : 7. The first computer developed in India is; a) FLD SOLVER COMPUTER b) PACE c) SIDDHARTH Soumyaranjan Das d) MACH 1. Who is known as ‘Father of Modern 8. The first computer in India was installed Computers ? at; a) Joseph Jacquard a) GPO Delhi b) Herman Hollerith b) GPO Bengaluru c) Charles Babbage c) GPO Kolkata d) Howard Aiken d) GPO Hyderabad 2. Modern computer was first developed in; 9. Which state in India launched e- a) 1954 b) 1967 governance for the first time? c) 1946 d) 1974 a) Andhra Pradesh 3. The First mechanical calculator of the b) Kerala world was developed by; c) Madhyapradesh a) Blaise Pascal d) Tamilnadu b) Charles Babbage 10. Which was the first Indian newspaper c) Herman Hollerith available on internet? d) Howard Aiken a) Dainik Jagran b) The Hindu 4. Who developed the first computer c) The Statesman d) Amar Ujala programme? 11. Which was the first supercomputer of the a) Charles Babbage world? b) Howard Aiken a) Blue Gene b) Cosmos c) Ada Augusta c) Deep Blue d) Cray-1 d) Herman Hollerith 12. Which is the first electonic computer 5. The first electromechanical computer developed in the world? ‘Mark-I’ was developed by; a) ENIAC b) EDVAC a) Ada Augusta c) EDSAC d) UNIVAC b) Howard Aiken c) M.V. Wilkes 13. IC chip (Integrated Circuit Chip) was d) John Von Newmann developed by; a) Bardeen b) Shockley 6. ‘Robot’ uses; c) Brattain d) Jack Kilby a) Analog computer b) Digital computer 14. The layer on IC chip is made of; c) Hybrid computer a) Aluminium b) Copper d) None of the above c) Nickel d) Silicon

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15. In computer, the length of a Word is 21. Which is the scientific computer measured in; language? a) Bit a) Fortran b) Pascal b) Angstrom c) Cobol d) Algol c) Nanometer 22. Which of the following computer d) Byte languages is similar to English language? 16. Which is the first language developed for a) Cobol b) Fortran programming? c) Basic d) Prolog a) Cobol 23. ‘PARAM’ supercomputer in India has b) Algol been developed by the institution; c) Fortran a) BARC d) Prolog b) IIT, Mumbai c) C-DAC, Pune 17. In which language, the most suitable d) DRDO documentation is possible? a) Cobol 24. Which is called as ‘Information b) Fortran Highways’? c) Pascal a) Internet b) Pager d) Prolog c) E-mail d) Cellular phone 18. Which of the following is a fifth 25. Which of the following supercomputer generation computer language? has been developed by BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre)? a) Algol a) Anupam b) Param b) Cobol c) Mach d) Pace c) Prolog d) Comal ANSWER 19. Computer literacy day is observed on; 01. (c) 02. (c) 03. (a) 04. (c) 05. (b) a) 2 December 06. (c) 07. (c) 08. (b) 09. (a) 10. (b) b) 8 November 11. (d) 12. (a) 13. (d) 14. (d) 15. (a) c) 11 November 16. (c) 17. (a) 18. (c) 19. (a) 20. (c) d) 2 September 21. (a) 22. (a) 23. (c) 24. (a) 25. (a) 20. The first computer virus was identified n in India at; At/Po- Makidia, Via- Hatigarh, a) Bengaluru Dist.- Balasore b) Hyderabad Mob.: 8093823106 c) Chennai d) Mumbai

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