j n U v

Editorial Fulcrum of Development

Most of the advances won by women’s in teenagers) in improving communication movements have benefitted white middle with members of the ‘opposite’ sex. However, class women more than others in the rest this does not translate into improving of the world. Such an inequity, and there relationships or altering views about the E-mail: [email protected] are more, is ignored in most forums. Our status of women. It often reinforces the culture seems to establish and reinforce this traditional views about sexuality and gender and awareness alone will therefore not be roles. Are men and women fundamentally There is woefully inadequate research adequate to commence altering the system. different? Perhaps there are many similarities in the area of science communication in (Sex is biological and given by genetics while between the sexes and yet experience, general and gender communication in gender is what society constructs and a lot heredity, orientation, class and education particular. A lot of empiricism is witnessed more complex.) I am convinced that you can have given rise to gender disparities. in the few field campaigns that have been be empowered to think more carefully and While traditional value systems are not launched. One’s own class, education, sex, analyse critically with a gender lens. comfortable in the urban middle class, we are etc., influences how such campaigns and the Indian women had no voice till a not yet convinced about the alternate views. communication material are used. few decades back. Most had no access to The rural community is more orthodox and Communication will be at the higher education and neither could they faces an even bigger barrier to change. This heart of any social change. Only this can own property. They were viewed as frail causes frustration in the community and challenge views that constrain individuals and delicate for any hard assignment or at the same time heightened interest in the and create inequities. Public discourse will intellectual work. Dowry, marriage and keen observer. be the key objective of any communication other social customs ensured their lower Gender, culture and communication strategy and this should guide our collective status. Views, even of women, will require are interlinked. We cannot address efforts. Communicating issues of gender more time to change. Family serials on most one without impacting on the others. development and the underlying concepts of entertainment television channels reinforce Perplexing questions need to be addressed science will form the core of the programmes the stereotypical roles. There are major by communicators when designing a mass supported by Vigyan Prasar. changes necessary before men, women and communication campaign. This is even The posters, books, films and radio children can live more humane and fulfilling more complex when the subject is gender programmes that are under preparation will lives. inequality. The exercise will be worthwhile help the community to initiate dialogue You talk to your friend about gender if it is effective. We celebrate International and begin the process of orientation of equity and as a result she changes her Women’s Day this month and issues of views and attitudes. Stereotypes are not perception. A teacher can influence her women’s health and nutrition have been easy to overcome but the challenge has students to evaluate their course and syllabus identified as areas of focus. to be addressed. Increased understanding differently. A person may seek to influence Regardless of whether you are privileged of the core messages will be a significant his employer to make more gender sensitive or oppressed by society, this editorial may achievement. This will encourage more work environment. Information through be unsettling. You might find it helpful to critical thinking on development agendas interpersonal communication is important begin by taking positive action and that of governments and the attitudes of the and effective. It helps to form opinions and would have served the objective of this page. individuals. attitudes that will change behaviour. I believe that change is needed in the way we There is a growing fascination (not only view and enact gender development. o Anuj Sinha

Editor : Er Anuj Sinha Vigyan Prasar is not responsible for the statements and opinions Address for Vigyan Prasar, C-24, expressed by the authors in their articles/write-ups published in correspondence : Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi-110 016 “Dream 2047” Tel : 011-26967532; Fax : 0120-2404437 Articles, excerpts from articles published in “Dream 2047” may e-mail : [email protected] be freely reproduced with due acknowledgement/credit, provided website : http://www.vigyanprasar.gov.in periodicals in which they are reproduced are distributed free.

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43 Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 Derek Harold Richard Barton Maker of conformational analysis an essential part of organic chemistry

“One of the fundamental conditions for life on the Earth is the ability of carbon atoms to Dr. Subodh Mahanti bind each other to a practically unlimited extent. They form chains, often very branched, E-mail: [email protected] but also rings and networks. The number of carbon compounds is thus very large — some years ago I saw the number two million — and many new ones are discovered or prepared decarboxylation, and the Barton-McCombie every day. It is obvious that a multitude of different substances are required to build up a deoxygenation. Barton published more than living organism and make it function.” 1,000 research papers. Derek Harold R. Barton Barton was born on 8 September 1918 “Conformational analysis may be described as the correlation of the preferred shapes in Gravesend, Kent, England to William or conformations of organic molecules with their chemical and physical properties. Thomas and Maude Henrietta Barton. Frequently it is possible to assume a preferred conformation from the molecule and thus He attended a number of schools, viz., to deduce something of its chemical and physical properties.” Gravesend County School for Boys (1926- Derek Harold R. Barton 29), King’s School in Rochester (1929-32), and Tonbridge School (1932-35). Finally “Barton’s first paper, published in 1943, described the volatile excretion of ethylquinone he had to leave school without getting any from flour beetles when under stress. Clearly, even the beetles knew that they had to qualifications because of his father’s sudden respond to the steely gaze of the young man and consequently (as they died) they exuded death in 1935. He had to help his family. He chemicals with interesting properties. That aside, this began his lifelong interest in natural worked as an apprentice in the timber trade. products even though some of his later years were largely dedicated to inventing chemical In spite of adverse circumstances Barton reactions.” harboured firm determination to excel in his Steven V. Ley in Biographical Memoirs of the Fellow of Royal Society (2002) life, to do something great in life. In 1937, he joined the Medway Technical College in erek Harold Richard Barton (mostly Gillingham. He joined the Imperial College Dknown as DHRB among his friends, of London, London University in1938 from colleagues and students) played an where he graduated in 1940. He not only instrumental role in making conformational obtained a first class honours degree but also analysis or the study of three-dimensional won the prestigious undergraduate prize, geometric structure of molecules as an the Hoffman Prize. He obtained his PhD essential part of organic chemistry. In 1950, degree in 1943. His doctoral adviser was Ian Barton published a brief research paper Heilbron, a Fellow of the Royal Society of entitled “The Conformation of the Steroid London. Nucleus” in a journal called Experimentia. Like all others Barton had to join the In this paper Barton showed that organic War efforts and worked for the government molecules in general and steroid molecules in during 1942 to 1944 at a military intelligence particular assume a preferred conformation. unit at Baker Street in London. The work in Barton reached to such a conclusion by which he was involved did not interest him analysing results accumulated by chemical much and undertook research work at night physicists, particularly by Norwegian in the laboratories of the Imperial College. chemist Odd Hassel (1897-1981). Barton’s At the end of the war he worked for Albright paper introduced the field of conformational Derek Harold Richard Barton and Wilson Ltd. in Birmingham as research analysis and its significance was soon realised chemist. He got involved in the synthesis of by fellow organic chemists. It revolutionised in chemistry”. organophosphorus compounds. Industrially organic chemistry. Barton’s paper was hailed Barton’s work on oxyradicals and the work was important but it failed to as the first real advance in stereochemistry his predictions about their behaviour in provide enough intellectual stimulus to since the theory of Jacobus Henricus van’t reactions helped in the development of a Barton. And so after a year Barton joined Hoff (1852-1911) and Joseph Achille le Bel simple method for synthesising the hormone the Department of Chemistry at Imperial (1847-1930). Barton was awarded the Nobel aldosterone. Barton’s contribution to radical College London, first as Assistant Lecturer Prize in chemistry in 1969 jointly with the chemistry is very significant. A student of and then as ICI Research Fellow. The ICI Norwegian chemist Odd Hassel (1897-1981) organic chemistry will find Barton’s name Fellowship enabled him to develop an for “contributions to the development of the associated with a number of reactions interest in the structure and synthesis of concept of conformation and its application such as the Barton reaction, the Barton terpenes and steroids, which eventually led Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 42 International Year of Chemistry 2011

of Barton’s work on conformational analysis it would be in order to discuss about conformations. The structure of organic compounds are governed by three principles — constitution, configuration and conformation. Constitution indicates the order in which the constituent atoms of a compound are linked together, or in other words one can say that constitution represents the ground plan. The principle of configuration comes into play when there is a centre of asymmetry in a molecule. For asymmetrical molecule there will be a right form and a left form. A saturated carbon atom attached to four different groups is an example of asymmetrical molecule. In 1874, J. H. van’t Hoff had observed that Odd Hassel J. H. van’t Hoff for a molecular entity having n centres of asymmetry there will be 2n isomers or 2n him to conformational analysis. In 1949, stable molecular entities having the same into account of the fact that certain groups Barton joined Harvard University in USA constitution but differing in configuration. may attract or repel each other. as Visiting Lecture in Chemistry of Natural In later years it was proved that van’t Hoff was Some important examples of Products at the invitation of Louis Fieser. It correct in his assertion. Conformation refers conformational isomerism are indicated was at Harvard that Barton formulated his to any of the large number of possible shapes below: ideas on conformational analysis. of a molecule resulting from rotation of one 1. Linear alkanes (ethane, butane, etc.). In 1950, Barton joined the Birbeck part of the molecule about a single bond. 2. Ring conformation — cyclohexane, College in London first as Reader and later As early as in 1936, researches in chemical carbohydrates. he became a Professor. In 1955, Barton physics revealed that that restricted rotation 3. Optical isomerism resulting from joined Glasgow University as the Regius about single bond is present in all organic restricted rotation about carbon- Professor of Chemistry. At Glasgow, jointly compounds. Theoretically large numbers of carbon bond (atropisomerism). Such with J Monteath Robertson, Barton worked conformations are possible. However, certain isomerism is especially prevalent on the X-ray structure determination of arrangements of bonded atoms and groups in biphenylic system; for example, complex natural products and explored new are preferred. The preferred conformations binaphthol. lines of research like organic photochemistry are those in which the arrangements of atoms 4. Folding of molecules, as seen in and oxidative coupling of phenols. In 1957, and groups are in such a way that crowding proteins. he came back to his alma mater, Imperial and strain can be avoided and they also take In case of ethane (C2H6), an alkane, College London, as Professor of Organic the two extreme are shown below: Chemistry and stayed there till 1978. While serving the Imperial College London he visited a number of US universities as Visiting Professor. In 1958, he went to Massachusetts Institute of Technology as Arthur D. Little Visiting Professor and then in 1959 as Karl Folkers Visiting Professor at the Universities of Illinois and Wisconsin. In 1960, Barton was Visiting Professor at the University of California at Berkeley where he In arrangement like I (eclipsed spent most of his time with the group headed conformation) the hydrogen atoms exactly by W. H. Dauben. In 1978, Barton became oppose each other but in arrangement II they the Director of the Institut de Chimie des are perfectly staggered. In between the two Substances Naturelles (ICSN), a government extreme arrangements there may be an infinite funded research institute at Gir-sur-Yvette in number of intermediate arrangements which France. In 1986, he became Distinguished are called skew conformations. All possible Professor at the A&M University, Texas, structures are freely inter-convertible. There USA where he stayed till his death. is an energy barrier (3 kcal/mol) between the To understand the significance Ian Heilbron two extreme arrangements. The staggered 41 Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 International Year of Chemistry 2011

biological activities of natural products are determined by the shapes of their molecules and the positions and orientations of key functional groups. The basic assumption in conformational analysis is that preferred conformation of a molecule can be related to its physical and chemical properties. Conformational analysis proved to be a valuable tool for working out the configuration, in planning organic synthesis and in analysis of reaction mechanisms. Depending on the type of conformation the reactive groups may be easily accessible or they may be blocked by other groups. This means the knowledge of conformation of a molecule may help explain or predict the course of its reaction. Barton himself used J. A. Le Bel conformational analysis to determine the J Monteath Robertson geometry of many natural products. Commenting on the personality traits conformation has the minimum potential of Barton, Gordon W. Kirby wrote: “Derek self-defence! His academic staff learned energy, which increases with rotation Barton early acquired the reputation of being to be alert before, as well as during and and reaches a maximum at the eclipsed hard and uncompromising, a reputation that after, colloquia. Occasionally, with advance conformation. However, as the energy grew as much from anecdotes as first-hand warning of seconds rather than minutes, he barrier is too small the rotation about the knowledge. True, he could deal harshly with would invite a young colleague to introduce carbon-carbon bond may be considered as fools and the lazy, but anyone demonstrating the speaker, with an encouraging remark free rotation for all practical purposes. In a serious attitude to work and chemistry such as ‘Of course you know all about Dr. fact at room temperature the rotation about soon gained his respect. To these, especially X’s published work.’” C-C bond in ethane occurs about 109-1010 the young and inexperienced, he showed a Besides the Nobel Prize, Barton times per second. patient willingness to help and guide. At received numerous awards for his outstanding A ring of six carbon atoms for example question time after colloquia the sight of contributions in chemistry. In 1954, Barton cyclohexane can have two conformations Barton in the audience could unsettle even was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of known as the chair and boat conformations confident speakers. His ability to detect flaws London. He was knighted in 1972. His as shown below: in an argument and to reveal publicly gaps numerous other awards included Harrison in a speaker’s knowledge of chemistry was Memorial Prize of the Chemical Society of legendary, and woe betide the pretentious London (1948), First Corday-Morgan Medal Chair Boat Chair or those who tried evasion as a form of of the Chemical Society of London (1951), The other important conformational Fritzsche Medal of the American Chemical shapes of cyclohexane are half-chair, Society (1956), First Roger Adams Medal envelope, twist-boat or twist. These forms of the American Chemical Society (1959), have two positions for the hydrogen atoms Davy Medal of the Royal Society of London — axial and equatorial. It may be noted (1961), First award in Natural Product of that cyclohexane conformations are classical the Chemical Society of London (1971), examples of conformational isomerism and Medal of the Union of Scientific Workers have noticeable effect on the physical and of Bulgaria (1978), Medal of the University chemical properties; as result they have been of Sofia, Bulgaria (1978), Medal of the extensively studied. The chair form is the Academy of Sciences of Bulgaria (1978), most stable one. Certain substituents might Copley Medal of the Royal Society of favour one of the two chair forms. Molecules London (1980), Hanbury Memorial Medal, with networks of several rings such as steroids the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain are often more rigid and so they are more (1981), American Chemical Society Award likely to assume a preferred conformation. for Creativity in Organic Syntheses (1989), After the publication of his seminal Chemical Pioneers Award, the American research paper Barton confirmed his ideas Institute of Chemistry (1993), and Priestley on conformational analysis with further Medal of the American Chemical Society work on the stability and reactivity of steroids and terpenes. He could show that Louis Fieser Continued on page 37 Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 40 Trans-Neptunian objects and their importance

fter Pluto was relegated to a dwarf the orbital periods of Neptune and these Aplanet status, the small bodies lying resonant objects are related by a small ratio. Utpal Mukhopadhyay beyond the orbit of Neptune caught special This type of orbital resonance between two Email: [email protected] attention of astronomers. These objects are celestial bodies occurs when they influence the most distant celestial bodies of the solar system accessible to ground based of the solar system, then we find that observations. These small bodies are Box 1: Kuiper Belt in each of the stellar systems around collectively termed as ‘Trans-Neptunian the stars HD 128311, HD 82493, Objects’ or TNOs. In fact, after the After the discovery of Pluto in 1930, American HD 73526, and Gliese 876 contains a discovery of one of this kind, viz. 1992 astrophysicist Frederick C. Leonard (1896 – 1960) pair of planets which are locked in 2:1 QB1, about twenty years ago, planetary suspected the existence of more celestial bodies of resonance. Resonances of 4:1 and 5:1 scientists focused their attention to this type beyond the orbit of Neptune and believed ratios are found between the planets TNOs and several more objects of this that those objects might be detected in future. around the stars HD 108874 and HD type were detected in the early years of Afterwards, in 1943, Irish astronomer Kenneth 202206. the present century. Till now, more than Edgeworth (1880 – 1972) made an assumption 1,400 TNOs have been detected which regarding the existence of a large number of small (c) Scattered objects differ with respect to their sizes, orbits, bodies, rather failed planets, beyond Neptune. Unlike the classical KBOs and resonant and various other features. According to him: objects, the scattered (or scattering) disc “….the outer region of solar system, beyond the orbits objects (SDOs) follow a large eccentric Classification of TNOs of the planets, is occupied by a very large number of path (maximum orbital eccentricity Depending on their distances from the comparatively small bodies”. Subsequently, Dutch can be up to 0.8) and their perihelions Sun and orbital characteristics, TNOs astronomer Gerhard Kuiper (1905 − 1973) made a lie near the orbit of Neptune. The have been classified into four groups, similar assumption regarding the existence of a belt- perihelion distances of SDOs could viz., classical objects, resonant objects, like region at the outskirts of the solar system during be 30 to 35 AU while their aphelion scattering objects, and detached objects. its formation period. This belt-like region is known distances can be as large as 100 AU. The Classical and resonant objects are as ‘Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt’ or simply ‘Kuiper Belt’. inclinations of their orbits are also very together called ‘Kuiper Belt Objects’. However, Kuiper believed that at the present stage large and can be up to 40o. This means bodies have been driven out towards the ‘Oort that the innermost ring of the scattered (a) Kuiper Belt Objects Cloud’, a spherical reservoir of comets lying far away disc merges with the Kuiper belt while its The Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) are at the farthest corner of the solar system. outer rim lies far away from the orbit of at an average distance of 30 to 55 Neptune. Most astronomers believe that astronomical units (AU) where 1 AU is the mean distance of the Earth from each other gravitationally. For instance, the Sun and is equal to nearly 150 million there is a 2:3 resonance between Pluto and kilometres. The eccentricities of the KBOs Neptune, which means that Pluto completes are low. They come from a region of space two revolutions around the Sun by the time known as Kuiper Belt (see Box 1). Classical Neptune makes three such orbital revolutions. KBOs are called ‘cubewanos’. A typical TNOs which are locked in 2:3 resonances example of cubewano is 1992 QB1 which with Neptune are called ‘Plutinos’ while 1:2 was discovered by Jane Luu and David resonance TNOs are called ‘Twotinos’. Jewitt in the year 1992 with Keck telescope The mean motion resonance is also of Mauna Kea in Hawaii islands. [The name seen in celestial bodies other than TNOs. cubewano is derived from the first trans- For instance, 2:1 resonance exists between Neptunian object (TNO) found after Pluto the moons of Saturn Dione and Enceladus and Charon, which was called 1992 QB1. as well as between Tethys and Mimus, while the SDOs were driven out beyond the orbit Later similar objects were called “QB1-o’s”, Hyperion and Titan are locked in 4:3 ratios. of Neptune by the gravitational influence of or ‘cubewanos’.] Jupiter’s three Galilean satellites Io, Europa the four gas giants, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Ganymede are trapped in a mean and Neptune and are still perturbed by (b) Resonant objects motion ratio of 1:2:4. So far, this is the only Neptune. The first scattered disc object to be instance of resonance motion among three Resonant objects are locked in a mean recognised as such was (15874) 1996 TL66, motion ratio with Neptune. This means that celestial bodies. However, if we move out originally identified in 1996 by astronomers 39 Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 Cutting Edge based at Mauna Kea in Hawaii.Until 2009, 5. Pluto is the second largest dwarf Secondly, until recently it was thought more than a hundred SDOs had been planet and TNO. It has three known that periodic comets come from two regions, identified, the largest of them being 136199 satellites, viz., Charon, Nix, and viz,. Kuiper belt and Oort cloud. But, recent Eris which was discovered on 5 January Hydra. investigations shows that scattered disc may 2005. Eris was earlier known as Xena. 6. The first retrograde TNO has been be a possible reservoir of periodic comets temporarily designated by 2008 KV42 because SDOs are among “the most distant (d) Detached objects (nickname ‘Drac’). and cold objects in the Solar System”. It Detached objects, the fourth group of 7. At present the dwarf planets may be mentioned here that the aphelion TNOs, differ from the other three types Eris, Pluto, Makemake, and of the detached object Sedna is 960 AU; in the sense that they are not perturbed by Haumea have been given a special that is, it is about 32 times more distant the gravitational influence of Neptune due status as ‘Plutoid’. According to than Neptune from the Sun. Till now it is to their huge perihelion distance. For this International Astronomical Union’s the most distant known object of the solar reason, these celestial bodies are termed as announcement of 11 June 2008, a system. So, investigations of the TNOs have ‘detached’ objects (also known as ‘extended plutoid is defined as a celestial body already changed some of the old scientific SDOs, ‘distant detached objects’, etc.). A in orbit around the Sun, with a views about the solar system. typical example of detached object is ‘90377 semi-major axis greater than that of Sedna’ whose perihelion and aphelion Neptune, which has sufficient mass Waiting for the future distances are 76 AU and 927 AU respectively. to assume nearly spherical shape and For studying the surface features of the The orbits of the detached objects have has not cleared the neighbourhood of TNOs, astronomers of the European high eccentricity and large semi-major axes its orbit. Satellites of plutoids are not Southern Observatory (ESO) have taken (up to few hundred AU). Till now at least considered as plutoids. But, a section up an intensive programme using their Very nine confirmed detached objects have been of the scientists are not satisfied with Large Telescope (VLT) situated at Paranal, detected. the term ‘plutoid’. According to them, La Silla in Chile. Forty selected objects have this very term itself again signifies a been studied and some preliminary results TNOs of special interest special status for Pluto. A list of some have been obtained. These results show that Some TNOs have special status with respect large dwarf planets has been given in the surface compositions of largest TNOs to their discovery, number of satellites or Table 1. A glance at the table reveals (including dwarf planets) are different from

Table 1 Dwarf Plutoids Date of Diameter Number of Names of planets discovery ( km) satellites satellites Eris (Xena) Eris 21.10. 2003 2400 1 Dysnomia Pluto Pluto 18. 02. 1930 2300 3 Charon, Nix, Hydra Haumea Haumea 28. 12. 2004 2000 2 Hi’aka, Namaka Makemake Makemake 31. 03. 2005 1600 None ------Sedna ------14. 11. 2003 1800 None ------Quaoar ------04. 06. 2002 1290 1 Weywot Orcus ------17. 02. 2004 1100 1 Vanth

something else. Some of these objects are that all plutoids are dwarf planets but that of other objects. Water ice has been listed below. the converse is not true. detected on more than 50% of the largest 1. 1992 QB1 is the first KBO discovered objects. Moreover, methane is found on Eris, after Pluto (discovered in 1930) and Why do we study TNOs? Pluto, Sedna and Quaoar. Spectral study of Charon (discovered in 1978) although TNOs contain primordial material of the Pluto and Eris has revealed that the methane at the time of discovery, Pluto was solar nebula out of which the solar system was ice may be dissolved in nitrogen. Crystalline considered a planet. formed. They were driven far away during water ice has been spotted on the surface of

2. (15874) 1996 TL66 is the first object the formation of the Sun and the planets. Orcus. It is not possible to discuss all the to be categorised as a SDO. Hence their material is least processed. So, a results in detail here. However, it can be said 3. 20000 Varuna and 50000 Quaoar are close examination of these bodies may reveal that many new findings have already come large cubewanos. the nature of the material which formed the up and more are due to come in near future. 4. The largest dwarf planet Eris is at solar system. This is very important because Thus, we find that the study of TNOs can present the largest TNO; it has one till now our knowledge regarding the solar reveal many unknown features that may known satellite Dysnomia. system formation is very limited. open up new vistas in planetary science.

Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 38 Continued from page 40 (Derek Harold Richard Barton...) Vigyan Prasar and All India Radio Presents (1995). He was awarded honorary doctorate Science Serial on Biodiversity of India degrees from over 30 countries. He was member of many scientific academies and learned societies. Barton died on 16 March “Colours of Life” 1998 at College Station, Texas, USA. from 13 February 2011 in 19 Indian languages and from 117 stations. Barton believed that the most You have a chance to win exciting prizes send correct important quality in academic research is answers to question at the end of each episode. originality, a quality which one can achieve Timings for Radio Serial in different languages with intelligence, integrity, hard work and Language Production State Broadcast Timings sometimes serendipity. Our young chemists Centre Centre (Every Week) should remember Barton’s advice to younger Hindi Delhi Delhi Delhi-A (Sun) 09.00-09.30 AM scientists: “In the academic world if you A & N Port Blair A'chal Pradesh I Itanagar, Passighat know how to do a reaction, you should not Bihar Patna, Bhagalpur, Sasaram, Darbhanga do it. You should only work on potentially Chattisgarh Raipur, Jagdalpur, Ambikapur important reactions that you do not know Haryana Hissar, Kurukshetra, Rohtak H.P. Dharamshala, Shimla how to do.” J&K Jammu, Leh Jharkhand Jamshedpur, Daltoganj, Ranchi M.P. Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Chhatarpur, References Gwalior, Rewa 1. Barton, Derek Harold R., Meghalaya NES, Shillong Rajasthan Jaipur, Jodhpur, Barmer, Suratgarh, Bikaner, Udaipur Conformational Analysis in 100 Years Uttarakhand Almora, Pauri with Nobel Laureates, New Delhi: U.P. Agra, Gorakhpur, Lucknow, Faizabad, Jhansi, Encyclopaedia Britannica (India) Pvt. Mathura, Najibabad, Rampur, Varanasi, Allahabad Ltd., and I. K. International Pvt. Ltd., English Delhi Delhi (Sun) 09.30-10.00 PM Meghalaya Tura New Delhi, 2001. T.N. Chennai-B 2. Morrison, Robert Thornton and Boyd, Maharashtra Mumbai-B Robert Neilson, Organic Chemistry W.B. Kolkata-B (4th edition), Massachusetts: Allyn Telugu Hyderabad A.P. Hyderabad-A, Vijayawada, Cuddapah, (Sun) 9.35-10.05 AM and Bacon, Inc, 1959. Adilabad, Tirupati, Visakhapatnam 3. Ley, Steven V., “Sir Derek Harold Assamese Guwahati Assam Guwahati, Dibrugarh (Sun) 9.50-10.20 AM Richard Barton (8 September 1918- Konkani Panaji Goa Panaji (Sun) 9.30-10.00 AM 16 March 1998)”, Biogr. Mems Fell. R. Gujarati Ahmedabad Gujarat Ahmedabad, Bhuj, Rajkot, Godhra (Mon) 9.30-10.00 PM Soc. Lond. 48, 1-23 (2002). (Available Kashmiri Srinagar J&K Srinagar (Tue) 9.30-10.00 PM

on the Internet). Kannada Bangalore Karnataka Bangalore, Bhadrawati, Mysore, Dharwad, (Sun) 08.35-9.05 AM 4. Eliel, Ernest L., Stereochemistry of Gulbarga Carbon Compounds, New Delhi: Tata Malyalayam Thiruvanan- Kerala Calicut (Kozhikode), Trichur, Trivandrum (Wed) 08.00 -8.30 PM McGraw-Hill Publishing Company thapuram Ltd., 1976. Marathi Pune Maharashtra Nagpur, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Pune, Jalgaon, (Sun)07.25-7.55 AM 5. The Cambridge Dictionary of Scientists Kolhapur, Sangli, Mumbai-A Ratnagir, Parbani (2nd Edition), Cambridge: Cambridge Manipuri Imphal Manipur Imphal (Sun) 06.40-07.10 AM University Press, 2001. Khasi Shillong Meghalaya Shillong (Sun) 09.10-9.40 AM 6. A Dictionary of Scientists, Oxford: Mizo Aizawl Mizoram Aizawl (Sat) 8.35-09.05 AM

Oxford University Press, 1999. Nagamese Kohima Nagaland Kohima (Tue) 12.30 N-1.00 PM 7. Available sources on the Internet. Oriya Cuttack Orissa Cuttack, Sambalpur, Behrampur, Jeypore (Sun) 8.30-9.00 AM Bhawanipatna, Rourkela, Baripada (The article is a popular presentation of the important points of the life and work of Derek Punjabi Jallandhar Punjab Bhatinda, Jallandhar, Patiala (Sun) 10.00 -10.30AM Harold Richard Barton available in the literature. Nepali Gangtok Sikkim Gangtok (Sat) 9.30-10.00 PM The idea is to inspire the younger generation to W.B. Kurseong know more about Barton. The author has given the Tamil Madurai T.N. Chennai-A, Combatore, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, (Sat) 08.00-8.30 PM sources consulted for writing this article. However, Tirunelvelli, Karaikal the sources on the Internet are numerous and have Pondicherry Pondicherry not been individually listed. The author is grateful Bengali Kolkata Tripura Agartala, Kailashahar (Sun) 11.00-11.30 AM to all those authors whose works have contributed W.B. Kolkata-A, Murshidabad, Siliguri to writing this article and the sources of the pictures Assam Silchar reproduced here.) (For details see the website www.vigyanprasar.gov.in)

37 Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 Film as a medium has great potential: Seema Murlidhara

renowned science film maker, social science TV programming. Here are excerpts No, to be honest! One can never really Ajournalist, scholar of FTII, Pune, and of the interview. say that any film in particular would bring Director-Producer of Beacon Television, Er Anuj Sinha: Congratulations for recognition or awards. This film had turned Mumbai Ms. Seema Murlidhara was the Golden Beaver Award! How does it feel out really well considering it was a difficult awarded by ‘Golden Beaver Award’ at the and specialised subject. first “Rashtriya Vigyan Chalchitra Mela AS: Another of your work has been and Competition 2011”. The country’s recognized recently. What was this film first science film festival and competition about? was organised by Vigyan Prasar during SM: 'FLYER-the History of Flight' the 98th Indian Science Congress at SRM bagged the Best Video Programme Award in University, Chennai from 4 to 7 January the Secondary & Senior Secondary Section 2011. Prominent film director Dr Adoor at the recently concluded 16th All India Gopalakrishnan presented the award to Ms. Educational Video Festival organised by Murlidhara for her film ‘Bahari Duniya ke NCERT-CIET in New Delhi. This film was Ajab Sanket’ under the category ‘Popular made by us for the Visveswaraya Industrial science programme’ in a grand award and Technological Museum, Bangalore. The presentation ceremony on 7 January 2011. Museum has a scale model of the Wright Recipient of many National Awards, Flyer. The brief given to us was to showcase Ms. Murlidhara was also felicitated for Best Ms Seema Murlidhara it for the visitors to the gallery. It was a Video Programme for ‘FLYER: the History challenging assignment and we decided to of Flight’ at the 16th All India Video to be honoured and feted? Did you expect weave the story of flight around it. It was a Festival, NCERT (2010) held in New Delhi this film to bring such recognition? great opportunity to present the 'scientific in January, 2011. She is a winner of the Ms Seema Murlidhara: Thank process' how the Wright Brothers built the ‘National Award for Science Popularisation you. The Golden Beaver Award was a very 'Flyer' and record the many failures that lead through the Electronic Media 2006’ given pleasant and delightful surprise. It felt truly to the final success. The film also explained by Rashtriya Vigyan Evam Prodyogiki wonderful because awards like these are a the aerodynamic forces in a simple manner. Sanchar Parishad (RVPSP, DST). The former huge encouragement, a positive push to AS: You and Shri Muralidhara have President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam keep striving for more, to keep improving. worked as a team for several years. How do had appreciated her effort in this direction. Film making is a creative process by which you divide your responsibilities considering She has also worked as Senior Producer in Zee we strive to reach more and more audiences. that this is such a creative field? TV where she produced many popular shows Awards tell us that we are doing our job well. SM: Murali and I have been working of Science and Current Affairs including The icing on the cake, of course is the fact together for the last 15 years with our “Hum Zameen”, an award-winning wildlife that we love what we do! production house Beacon TV. The fact that and environment magazine we are also a couple does not programme. She has produced change anything. Like any TV science programme for creative team, we fight and Vigyan Prasar, DST; Family argue and then decide on what Planning Association of India; works the best. Very often we ISRO’ NCSM; Nehru Science edit or shoot sequences in more Centre, Mumbai; DD Bharati ways than one (his way and and many other organisations. mine) and then decide! During the Rashtriya Over the years we have Vigyan Chalchitra Mela and learnt to respect each other’s Competition 2011 award strengths! His is the technical ceremony Er. Anuj Sinha, mind and has come to enjoy Director, Vigyan Prasar and hands-on editing. All the Consultant, Department of programmes done by us are Science & Technology, Govt. edited by him. I, on the other of India interacted with Ms hand, am the 'talker'. I love Seema Muralidhara on current Ms Murlidharan received National Award for Science to write concepts and present trends and challenges in Popularization 2006 by Shri Kapil Sibal them, deal with people, research Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 36 Interview and devise the story line. I am also responsible AS: In your opinion how could content should be lighter and allowed to for scripting. We divide the responsibility of Vigyan Prasar make the process of producing flow. Very often, we end up putting in too directing shoots between us. interesting programmes for TV more much information. We have learnt to give each other efficient? Last but not the least, though one 'creative space' and also to keep egos SM: In my view, the timeline of understands why programming is being aside. Working together is enjoyable and production has to be tighter. The long period done in blocks and divided among different enriching. taken to produce just 5-6 films raises the producers, we can't help but say that this In fact, I give him full credit for costs and a certain amount of creative fatigue causes such a mix of very different styles teaching me how to write TV scripts in sets in. Moreover, there is a multiplicity of and treatments that the series does not get Hindi. He belongs to the South of India experts. VP has its own set of experts and the a character. Just the shared montage and and his knowledge of Hindi is limited. So Directors, their own. Very often, our experts packaging cannot give a series its character. we have this process. I always read all our become redundant. AS: Every film maker struggles to scripts to him and anything that he does About the interesting bit, one point we attract and retain a talented technical team. not understand is changed (Our in-house would like to make is that the information How have you succeeded with your crew since secret to keep the scripts 'simple' and load in each film needs to be eased. The there are lean times for science film makers? 'understandable'.) AS: Does this professional division reflect within your family also? SM: No, we try and leave work About Beacon Television in office. In fact, we have always been a We are a husband-wife team of H. B. couple and there have been no divisions in Muralidhara and Seema Muralidhara. housework. We are both hands-on home- Having trained from the FTII as TV News makers and parents. We are a nuclear family Correspondents and after working with and have single-handedly juggled home and Doordarshan News and Zee TV for a few work. We have always shared chores like years, we decided to become our own bosses cooking, dusting, cleaning, buying groceries, and grow in a niche field. Information based etc. When I am away for work, he is the programming was our forte and we were mother too and when he is away, I step in. inclined towards issue based programmes. Now our kids are grown up, but there Beacon Television was set up by us about 15 was a time when they were little and Murali years ago. used to be home changing diapers and Having started out with programmes for Zee TV (Hum Zameen, Environment feeding kids when it was my turn to step out & Wildlife), Humare PM ji (Prime Ministerial Politics) and Adarniya Pradhan Mantri for work. (a rights based programme that gave the common man a voice), we soon expanded our AS: You have done science films for client base to Hindujas, Chakra Channel, Star TV, UTV, Doordarshan, and a number Vigyan Prasar, TV Channels and other of NGOs. Health, Environment and Wildlife, Children's Programmes, Women's Issues, promoters. What has been your best HIV & AIDS became our genre and specialisation. experience and why? One of our assignments in 2005 was SM: ‘Aisa Hi Hota Hai' is the first thing 'Aisa Hi Hota Hai' for DECU-ISRO and that comes to my head. It was a weekly serial Vigyan Prasar. This was a science show for and our first 'science for children' show. I children and by children. Broadcast on was learning the ropes with deadlines. I don't Doordarshan National in the Sunday morning think I have studied that much even in my slot this was a huge success and it hooked us school and college years. It was an adrenaline to the genre of science communication and pumping experience that I thoroughly popularisation. Har Mutthi mein Science enjoyed. The research and the weekly shoots (Vigyan Prasar), Kucchha Papad - Pukka with children, the working models and the Papad (DD Bharati), Sanjhi Sehat (DD analogies, the tight edit schedules and then Bharati), Mukhaute, Kahani Dharti Kee and the high of a 'great response' both from the Tarron Kee Sair followed. Several films for the National Council of Science Museums, viewers and the producer. It was a wonderful ranging from electronics to fun science and bio-technology were produced. There has experience working with DECU-ISRO and been no looking back ever since. Vigyan Prasar. It was a series that taught me Several awards including the National Award for Science Popularisation by RVPSP, much and truly opened the doors of S&T DST for the year 2006, and the Bronze Tree in Vatavaran have kept us motivated and films for Murali and I. enthused. One huge achievement of ‘Aisa Hi We pride ourselves for the quality of our work. We love what we do and we do it Hota Hai’ was the fact that it proved to us with love! all over again that there is a viewership for (as told by Ms. Seema Murlidhara) such programmes!

35 Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 Interview

SM: We have been lucky. Both, Murali and I are multi-tasking (the only About the Film : Bahari Duniya Ke Ajab Sanket way to control quality and costs)! Between the two of us we manage research and The Film 'Bahari Duniya Ke Ajab recce, script, editing and even narration. Sanket' was a part of the Series 'Taarron Kee Moreover, we have succeeded in forging Sair' produced by Vigyan Prasar during the long-term professional relationships with International Year of Astronomy 2009. It cinematographers, directors, experts, was the fourth of our set of 5 films dedicated researchers, animators and graphic artists. to the 'Birth and Life of Stars'. It was a They work with us on a freelance project challenging brief largely because we had basis. I think its our discipline and mutual never tackled astronomy before and were respect as well as the uniqueness of our work quite ignorant about the subject. In this that attracts and keeps our team together film we were to talk about neutron stars and interested. and pulsars. Our target audience was the Yes, there are lean times as science film lay person and not somebody with an inherent interest and knowledge of astronomy. makers but we have come to enjoy these and We targeted the average Indian family and set out accept them as time for pursuing reading, to craft a visual treat that demystified and informed hobbies and other interests. as it entertained. As always, the first task was to AS: How do you view the talent and understand these spectacular bodies ourselves. We spirit of the new generation of film makers looked for information and high points in research. from Mass Communication Institutes? Some This done, we realised the potential and decided to talent that you have spotted and would like give it a sense of drama by heightening the mystery us to follow? around these astral bodies. The mysterious signals SM: I'm afraid that our interaction caught by the first ever radio telescopes as well as with the new generation of film makers from the ancient Chinese records of the then unknown Mass Communication Institutes is fairly supernova explosion became dramatic beginnings. limited. I am not in a position to comment We especially enjoyed making the models for on their talent and spirit. I however do this film. Once IUCAA showed us the model of a watch work by youngsters and while I enjoy shock wave with a bucket and rubber tubing, we their creativity and artistry, I also feel sad used the camera and lighting to create a spectacular that very often they are so caught up with shot. The smoke rings moving out of the bucket illustrating the shock wave was lit up the technique that the content is missing. dramatically to enhance the impact. Also, there are very few youngsters We also decided to create a visual who are passionate about S & T. The field model for the pulsar. The switched on is relatively 'new' and 'boring', as it has been torch on the turntable that seemed to turn largely shunned by popular broadcasters. off as it moved away from the camera was Hopefully, things will change! devised. It was a simple shot that effectively AS: The soul of any film is a good demonstrated why the neutron star pulsed! script. How are you scouting for talented We experimented and innovated in writers for science and development films? treatment and technique and enjoyed the SM: I'm afraid the answer is a process of making this film. The award was negative. We have not had the need to scout a welcome endorsement that our hard work for writers for our science and development and effort was successful! films. We both started out as journalists and (as told by Ms. Seema Murlidhara) a journalist always writes one’s own reports. We belong to the school of thought that for any good film the director has to know AS: Given a generous patron, what superstition-exposure. It would need to be a the script and the script writer has to know would be the subject and treatment of your long-running show that gets the time to build the subject so the package becomes one. I dream project? up an identity. Topical, rational, ethical and do hands-on research and script for every SM: Its a tall wish! :) It would be an scientific would describe its characteristics film done by us. Being from a non-science anti-superstition and myth busting show. not in a preachy way but in a dynamic and academic background, this is the part I enjoy Most definitely that! entertaining way. People would write in/ most as it gives me the opportunity to learn This is how I dream about it! A weekly phone in. All kinds of questions would be and understand. I also feel that being a lay interactive show in a popular slot that is answered. Here facts would not be doled out person helps. I am able to break down things dynamic, hard hitting, investigative, bold, but things would be explained in a fun and to a very simple level and the audience and above all scientific. It would have a mix interactive manner. therefore enjoys it! of health, technology, myth busting and eg. A baba dips children in 'boiling oil' Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 34 Interview

letters to the Editor A query about miscarriage I have been reading the articles by Dr. Yatish Agarwal on medical topics and preserving them as my basic reference. Of course, I have noted the disclaimer at the end of the articles. In the article ‘When the Pregnancy Goes Wrong – Tiding Over the Woes of Miscarriage’ (Dream 2047, February 2011), you have mentioned, “An early miscarriage often happens around the time that you would have expected to have a period, with bleeding and a similar sort of aching pain.” Is there a possibility of this going completely unnoticed in absence of any Dr Adoor Gopalakrishnan felicitated Ms. Seema Murlidhara with other symptom? Golden Beaver Award 2011 Vaidya D V to cure them and yet people throng to the But this medium can only change mindsets Ablesoft Computers, scamster. He makes money and the child is if it becomes more entertaining, lighter and 3, Vedanta Gad, 36, Meghana Society, deprived of medical care. An exposure of the simpler. It needs to address the needs of this Sahakar Nagar No. 2, conman would lead to facts about 'boiling' population, speak their language: one-to- Pune 411 009. and 'heat energy'. This would lead to how one. medicine would cure the child and above all But film makers like us have to change ***** expose the 'boiling oil'. How it is not boiling the challenge posed by the entertainment but bubbling due to the addition of lime and the 'TRP' hungry segment head-on. Educative articles juice. We have to open our eyes to the fact that we The biography of Justus Von Liebig is This show would promote rational are competing with the appealing genre of (Dream 2047, November 2010) was thinking and create a healthier society. soaps and sensationalism! So why can we not excellent and educative. The article on Only I know how it angers me to see entertain as we educate? dinosaur dung and evolution of grass that newborns continue to die because their Moreover, the progress of our society was also very informative. I congratulate parents think it is healthy to apply cow dung is not just burdened by large 'semi literate' the editorial team. on their umbilical stubs. It is a shame to see and 'illiterate' segments but also those Basanta Kumar Das, large populations thronging to sadhus and 'literate' sections that continue to be trapped B-113, Sector-I, babas for a male offspring. It is horrible to in dogmas! We need to become more visible Damanjodi-763 008 see diabetics fasting in the name of religion and 'lighter'! We need to Infotain without Dist. – Koraput, Odisha. and women ruining their lungs on polluting compromising the content! chulhas. AS: The developments in ICT will ***** It would not be an atheist show but impact on the film medium. How are you a show with the firm belief that 'Science preparing for the changes? A worthy publication matters' and 'Faith in self is better than SM: We understand that ‘change’ is mindless dogma' the only constant! In fact, our field has been I am a new reader of Dream 2047. I find AS: The progress of our society is impacted greatly by changing technology! it is really a worthy publication which burdened with large semi-literate and From cameras and post-production facilities has established a strong link between the illiterate segments. How do you view the to the broadcast platforms, everything has current science and the common reader. role of the film medium in accelerating the been changing. We keep ourselves in the shift to a more aware society? know of things and are trying to change Rupesh Kumar, SM: Film as a medium has great and adapt. We are also exploring web- Purani Bazar, potential with the semi-literate and illiterate based programming as a conscious decision Chainpur, Siwan, sections. It is the visual world  the medium keeping in mind the current scenario. Bihar – 841 203. that is at their doorstep, inside their homes! AS: Thank you for your time and It enjoys a credibility and amazing reach. sharing your insights with the readers. ***** 33 Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 Complications in Pregnancy Recognizing the emergency is half the battle won

Dr Yatish Agarwal “Ah, Hope! what would life be, stripped of thy encouraging smiles, that teach us to look e-mail: [email protected] behind the dark clouds of to-day, for the golden beams that are to gild the morrow.” -Susanna Moodie in Life in the Clearing swelling over the ankles, legs, tummy, face, The doctor will ask you to go for a fingers and vulva. Urinary tract infections In its more acute form, the onset is Infections of the urinary bladder, and in urine test before starting the antibiotic more dramatic and it rapidly passes into the ureter and kidneys, are common during treatment. You would need lots of fluids eclampsia. The mother has convulsions pregnancy. These infections could occur at and a complete bed rest. Mostly, the results and she may go into coma. Her life is at any time, but are more common after the begin to show within 48-72 hours. The serious risk and the baby may also die. In 20th week of pregnancy. fever comes down. The burning also stops. You must, however, continue the treatment some instances, a premature labour may also for the prescribed period. Stopping the set in. medicine without completing its course can lead to recurrence and a more difficult Risk factors situation. The treatment usually lasts two Toxaemia is most common in first weeks. pregnancies. First-time mothers who are either less than 20 years old or over 35 years Toxaemia and eclampsia are the most likely sufferers. A mother who Toxaemia of pregnancy or pre-eclampsia is has suffered similarly during a previous a potentially serious complication of late pregnancy or has a mother or sister who pregnancy. The condition is marked by a suffered toxaemia is also at higher risk. The sudden rise in blood pressure, rapid gain in risk is also higher if there is a previous history weight from retention of fluid, swelling over of high blood pressure or kidney disease. A the body and loss of protein in the urine. Its twin pregnancy and small-stature women onset may be so quiet that it could catch you also carry a higher than average risk. unawares. Prevention Tell tale signs The best prevention against toxaemia is to What makes you vulnerable? be regular about the antenatal check ups. Urinary tract infections are more common You could develop a severe headache, pain This way the condition can be diagnosed during pregnancy because of two factors. in the chest or upper abdomen, vomiting, early. You must have a complete examination One, the enlarged uterus puts pressure on drowsiness, dimness of vision and sudden with weight and blood pressure and urine the ureter and this slows the outflow of assessment done on each visit. urine. And two, the pregnancy hormone (progesterone) causes a dilatation of the ureters. This allows the bacteria to travel What to do There is immediate need for specialist more easily to the kidneys. Once the bacteria medical care. The mother must be find feet into the urinary bladder, the admitted to a hospital immediately and infection is quick to spread into a full-blown put under close monitoring. She will need urinary tract infection. various forms of medication to control her symptoms. If this does not work, decision is What to do taken to deliver the infant. This can save the You must be quick to recognise the first situation many times and protect the life of symptoms. If you feel burning or stinging as both mother and child. The labour is either you pass urine, need to frequently visit the induced with the help of a intravenous bathroom, suffer discomfort in the lower drip or an emergency Caesarean section is abdomen, and develop fever with chills, done. If active treatment is not given, the think that you could be having a urinary condition carries a very high risk for the tract infection. See the doctor. mother and baby. Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 32 Mediscape

Ectopic Pregnancy doctor can diagnose the condition rather In the past when a woman had to have Sometimes a pregnancy goes wrong at comfortably. However, an early diagnosis, both tubes removed, the uterus was usually the very beginning. After conception, the prior to rupture, is difficult. Before the removed as well, since there was no longer fertilised egg, instead of moving into the pregnancy achieves a certain size, it may be a possibility of her becoming pregnant. But womb, gets stuck in the fallopian tube and difficult or even impossible for the physician with the development of in vitro fertilisation begins to grow there. Much less commonly, to feel. Further, similar symptoms can occur techniques this, of course, is no longer the the fertilisation occurs in the ovary or the in a number of conditions. These include case, and physicians therefore, preserve the egg reaches the cervical canal. pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, uterus. On rare occasions the egg is either rupture or twisting of an ovarian cyst, and fertilised outside the tube or discharged from spontaneous miscarriage. Birth of a handicapped baby the free end of the tube after fertilisation; it The way to an early diagnosis is through The birth of a handicapped baby is an then gets implanted within the abdominal the ultrasound and hormonal pregnancy extremely difficult situation. Most parents cavity, establishes a blood supply, and tests. These tests, however, are not totally find it very hard to cope with, even continues to develop. Such pregnancies infallible. That is why doctors sometimes do though—because of ultrasound—you may usually do not survive, although culdocentesis. In this procedure a hollow know in advance that you are in extremely rare cases they going to have, or are likely to have, actually go to term. All of them a handicapped baby. Sometimes are given the name of an ectopic you may come to know only some (out of place) pregnancy. months after, when the baby does not show optimum progress in his Causes development. A common cause of an ectopic Many parents, and mothers pregnancy is a blockage or an in particular, have to cope with infection in the fallopian tube. For feelings of guilt and the idea that example, the tube may have been in some way they have caused their damaged by an infection. This baby’s problem. This feeling of produces structural distortion of guilt is almost always unjustified, the tubes. The sperms can move but that does not make it less real. up to the free end of the tube, It will take time, and the right near the ovary where fertilisation people around you, and probably occurs, but the passage is too a lot of talking, before you can feel narrow to permit the fertilised better. It is certainly not the time to point egg to make its way into the womb cavity. needle is inserted into the lower pelvic cavity accusing fingers at each other. There may be number of other factors also. through the upper vagina. If there is internal These include a history of a previous ectopic bleeding, blood will be aspirated from this What to do pregnancy, a Caesarean section, pelvic space; and this would support the possibility It is a responsibility you have been given, surgery, failed tubal ligation, pelvic tumours, of an ectopic pregnancy. In some cases and it is your duty to do your best. The need and induced and spontaneous abortion or however, it becomes necessary to perform is to get as much support and information as use of fertility drugs or post-coital oestrogen an immediate laparoscopic examination. you possibly can. Your treating obstetrician contraceptives (the morning-after pill) or an Using a slender, tubular endoscope inserted and baby’s paediatrician, and your GP may existing endometriosis. through an incision in the abdominal wall, be able to help in this regard. the surgeon examines the pelvic cavity in You would have to look for and Symptoms detail. find what best help is available in your Signs of an ectopic pregnancy usually neighbourhood for your baby, and what occur after a missed period. The signs are a Treatment treatment opportunities exist. Many severe pain on one side—low down in the The treatment for ectopic pregnancy children with a handicap do better than abdomen, vaginal bleeding, and sometimes depends on the site it has implanted and on able-bodied people given proper support and feeling faint. If you get a strong one-sided the patient’s condition. Needless to say, it surroundings. The idea should be to find the pain and it is possible that you may be calls for an immediate hospitalisation, blood best possible treatment for them and not pregnant, do not delay. Contact the doctor transfusions and surgery. Most surgeons think of them as a burden or punishment. A immediately. There is a serious risk that the prefer a conservative approach whenever positive and caring attitude can see the baby bleeding may become so severe that it may possible, particularly if the patient is childless, grow well and happily. lead to shock. has fertility problems, or is quite young. It is It may also be a good idea to see a genetic increasingly common, when the pregnancy counsellor who has special knowledge about Diagnosis has not yet ruptured, for the doctor to open the reasons why such handicap occurred and When all of the signs and symptoms of the tube surgically, remove the pregnancy, what would be the chances for the defect to ruptured ectopic pregnancy are present, the and close the tube, leaving it in place. recur when you have a subsequent child. 31 Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 Recent developments in science and technology

World’s largest neutrino observatory completed Culminating a decade of planning, Biman Basu innovation and testing, construction of the e-mail: [email protected] world’s largest neutrino observatory was successfully completed in December last particle moves through a very transparent year near South Pole. The final string of medium, such as clear ice, it fills it with optical sensors was installed in the IceCube a blue light called Cherenkov radiation. Neutrino Observatory, which contains 5,160 Because the particle goes faster than the light optical sensors on 86 strings embedded (in the transparent medium), it forms a bow in a billion tons of ice, almost two-and-a- wave like a speedboat in water. From that half kilometres below the Amundsen-Scott bow wave, scientists can map the direction of South Pole Station of US National Science the original particle. The IceCube Neutrino Foundation. The detector is a massive ice- Observatory is designed to detect these bound telescope that fills a cubic kilometre occasional flashes of blue light as proofs of of deep Antarctic ice. The largest part of the passage of neutrinos. the IceCube detector is the ice itself. At The main task of the IceCube is to these depths, it is dark and optically ultra- watch for energetic neutrinos emanating from transparent, allowing the sensors to record violent cosmic events such as supernovae and the traces of particles from tiny flashes of The last sensor is lowered down a hole in gamma-ray bursts. According to scientists blue light – called Cherenkov radiation – the ice as part of the IceCube Neutrino of University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, emitted after a high-energy neutrino strikes Observatory. (Credit: NSF/B. Gudbjartsson) who are remotely operating the detector, one of the water atoms in the ice. IceCube should provide new insight into the After photons, neutrinos are the most cosmic events, but they rarely interact with highest-energy processes in the universe. For common particle in the universe. A neutrino regular matter. Every second, in the region instance, catching the trace of neutrinos from is an elementary particle that usually travels of the Earth, about 65 billion (6.5×1010) core-collapse supernovae, some of which close to the speed of light, is electrically solar neutrinos pass through every square emit more than 99 percent of their energy in neutral, and is able to pass through ordinary centimetre perpendicular to the direction of neutrino form, would allow astrophysicists a matter almost undisturbed. This makes the Sun. clearer look into the mechanism by which neutrinos extremely difficult to detect. One way to find neutrinos is to wait stars die. IceCube might also help to reveal Neutrinos have a very small, but non-zero for the extremely rare occasions when they the nature of dark matter, an invisible rest mass. As neutrinos have mass, they collide with intact atoms, producing a component of the Universe that may consist interact gravitationally with other massive shower of charged particles. When a charged of one or more types of weakly particles, but very weakly. interacting particles (WIMPs). Neutrinos are created as a result of certain types of radioactive The mystery of Sun’s decay or nuclear reactions such as hot corona solved those that take place in the Sun, in From Earth the Sun appears as a nuclear reactors, or when cosmic dazzlingly bright disc. But when the rays hit atoms. Most neutrinos bright disc is fully covered by the passing through the Earth emanate Moon, as happens during a total from the Sun. Others come from solar eclipse, a faint halo can be seen cosmic rays interacting with the around the darkened solar disc. This Earth’s atmosphere, and dramatic is the outermost layer of the Sun's astronomical sources such as atmosphere called the 'corona', exploding stars in the Milky Way which becomes visible only during and distant galaxies. Ever since a total solar eclipse. The most neutrinos were discovered in 1956, unusual thing about the solar corona scientists have hoped to decipher is its extremely high temperature. the information these astronomical It has a temperature of millions of messengers carry about distant Schematic diagram of the IceCube neutrino detector. degrees Kelvin. This is quite puzzling Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 30 New Horizons

Kelvin (Science, 7 January colleagues exploited dark matter’s indirect 2011). effects to solve the conundrum, by using After analysing coronal radio telescopes to carefully analyse data from the two satellites, disturbances in the vast clouds of hydrogen the team found that the vast gas at the farthest reaches of the Milky Way. majority of the spicule plasma A dark matter-dominated galaxy passing is only heated to between through the gas should leave ripples in the 0.02–0.1 million degrees dust that are an indication of not only where Kelvin and sinks back down the galaxy is, but how big it is. Using the into the chromosphere. method, Chakrabarti and her team found a However, the key finding is set of ripples that indicate a comparatively that a small but significant huge satellite galaxy, 260,000 light-years portion of the plasma is heated from the centre of the Galaxy. beyond 1 million degrees The dark galaxy was detected using Kelvin and uplifted into the a technique similar to that used 160 years corona. The researchers found ago to predict the existence of Neptune. this process to be ubiquitous Neptune’s gravitational effect on Uranus across the Sun. was seen long before it was viewed through Although the spicule a telescope. The gravitational effects of the A false-colour image showing the solar corona: the blue, theory offers a satisfactory invisible dark galaxy on the outer edges of green, and red channels show plasma at temperatures of 1, and plausible explanation the Milky Way galaxy were similarly used to 1.5, and 2 million degrees, respectively. The image shows the of coronal heating, it does detect the presence of the dark matter galaxy, corona for a moderately active Sun, with some (red) hot active provide a definitive answer. which emits no light. The details and findings regions in both hemispheres, surrounded by the (blue/green) In order to pinpoint the exact of these analyses were presented at the 217th cooler plasma of the quiet-Sun corona. (Credit: NASA) role of spicules in coronal meeting of the American Astronomical heating and to understand Society held in Seattle, Washington, USA, because the visible surface of the Sun – the what drives and heats them in the first place, from 9 to 13 January 2011. [Paper available photosphere – has a temperature of only De Pontieu hopes to exploit an upcoming at arXiv:1101.0815v1 [astro-ph.CO] 4 Jan about 6,000 degrees Kelvin, and there is NASA mission – the Interface Region Imaging 2011] no other source of heat, either internal or Spectrograph (IRIS), which is due for launch According to Chakrabarti, who external, that can provide the heat to raise in December 2012. IRIS is designed to devised the new technique, this is basically the temperature of the corona to millions of focus on the physics of the region between a new method to render dark galaxies degrees Kelvin. the solar surface and corona, which could visible. Chakrabarti’s technique is capable For several decades the extremely high provide vital clues for solving the mystery. of detecting dim dwarf galaxies as small as temperature of the corona was thought to be a thousandth the mass of the Milky Way, associated with effects of the solar magnetic Dark matter galaxy detected and she believes confirming the existence field, which can store and transport energy Our Milky Way galaxy may have a small of Galaxy X could lead to the discovery of from lower regions of the Sun to the companion made entirely of invisible dark more nearby dark matter galaxies. In fact, corona. However, the details of how this matter that is supposed to make up heating took place fully understood. Now almost 80 percent of the universe. observations from a new generation of But dark matter does not interact Sun-observing spacecraft – NASA’s Solar with light and cannot be seen Dynamics Observatory and the Japanese through a telescope like normal Hinode spacecraft – are indicating a different matter – it is known only because mechanism, one that could provide the it exerts gravitational forces on corona with a significant portion of its heat matter we can see. The presence by continually delivering hot ionised gas, or of a galaxy containing dark plasma, to the upper atmosphere. The team matter, dubbed ‘Galaxy X’ was of researchers led by Bart De Pontieu at the revealed using a new mathematical Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics technique developed by Sukanya Laboratory in California, USA, have found Chakrabarti, a post-doctoral that short-lived fountains of plasma known fellow and theoretical astronomer as spicules, shooting up from the Sun's at the University of California, chromosphere – a relatively thin layer Berkeley, USA. The technique is separating the photosphere and corona – used to analyse the ripples of gas appear to play a role in heating the corona to in spiral galaxies. The Milky Way galaxy beyond which a galaxy made searing temperatures at millions of degrees Chakrabarti and her of dark matter has been discovered. (Credit: NASA) 29 Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 New Horizons

Chakrabarti thinks dark matter galaxies could mates. None was known to be specifically be lurking in great numbers just outside the aimed at defending territory. Milky Way. With an estimated mass equal For the study, Sergio and his to only one hundredth the mass of the team catalogued and quantified the nest Milky Way, Galaxy X is the third largest of decorations of 127 nests in Doñana National the Milky Way’s satellite galaxies. The two Park, monitoring the survival of the nest Magellanic clouds are each about ten times owners and their young for that season to larger. However, being made of dark matter, determine whether nest decorators were the even a satellite galaxy one-thousandth the fittest of the flock. They kept watch on black mass of the Milky Way would still exert a kites that had been banded and followed for large enough gravitational effect to cause years in the national park in southwestern ripples in the disk of our galaxy, which can Spain. be detected from Earth. Chakrabarti has also The researchers also walked along calculated that the predicted galaxy is in a nearby roadsides to find out what garbage parabolic orbit around the Milky Way, now was available and compared that with what at a distance of about 300,000 light-years the birds actually placed in their nests. In from the galactic centre. The galactic radius one experiment, Sergio’s team set out green, is about 50,000 light-years. transparent, or white, 20-centimeter-square When viewed from Earth, Galaxy sheets of plastic to determine which ones the X currently sits across the Milky Way birds preferred. The birds completely ignored somewhere in the constellations of Norma Black kite (Milvus migrans) green and transparent pieces of plastic and or Circinus, just west of the galactic centre in went for the bright white stuff that could be Sagittarius. According to Chakrabarti, Galaxy in Spain, have discovered a peculiar trait in seen from far away. X is not likely to be composed entirely of birds aimed at keeping predators at bay by During the study, the researchers dark matter. It should also have a sprinkling using pieces of white plastic in their nests. found that several weeks before females of dim stars, which should provide enough In a study with the common black kite laid eggs, the birds festooned their nests light for astronomers to see it, now that they (Milvus migrans), found across Europe, Asia, with pieces of white plastic, the amount of know where to look. Africa, and Australia, the researchers found which depended on the fitness of the birds. The reason the dark matter galaxy has that the birds use scraps of white plastic to The fitter birds, which survived better and not yet been seen is mainly because it lies signal territorial dominance. These plastic produced the most young, tended to put in the same plane as the disc of Milky Way. scraps warn off rivals not to challenge the up the most decorations (most amounts Clouds of gas and dust standing between nest owner or attack the nest. Many other of white plastic scrap), whereas birds with us and Galaxy X, make it poorer territories had none. difficult to observe through Very old and very young birds telescopes. Although presence also had plain nests. of a satellite galaxy made of Thus, nest decorations dark matter is indicated by could be correlated with how the results of the study, now fit the birds were. And potential all that remains is to confirm intruders took notice. Birds it. That will have to wait until interested in stealing food or Chakrabarti’s collaborators are commandeering a nest almost granted time to use the Spitzer never bothered the nests with Space Telescope. If Galaxy most plastic scraps, but plain X’s existence is confirmed, nests could undergo up to six it would be a major step in raids per hour, Sergio and his verifying our understanding of collaborators reported in their how the universe condensed paper. According to Sergio, from primordial matter and the plastic appears to be a energy after the Big Bang. convenient way of codifying A black kite nest littered with white plastic scrap. and announcing strength, Birds use plastic Three eggs can also be seen. (Credit: F. Sergio) saving kites from indiscriminate to warn intruders or ill-chosen battles. What is considered garbage by most people bird species have been known to use human- This behaviour of the black kite was is the perfect nest decoration for some made objects such as colourful ribbons, something totally new. According to Sergio, birds, and with a specific purpose. Three trinkets, beads, and even colourful plastic the results suggest that animal-built structures Spanish researchers led by Fabrizio Sergio, cloth pegs to decorate their nests, but most may serve as signalling devices much more a biologist at the Doñana Biological Station of were considered to be aimed at attracting frequently than currently recognised. n

Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 28 Your Opinion Your opinion

Dream 2047 has been inviting your opinion on a specific topic every month. The reader sending the best comments will receive a popular science book published by VP. Selected comments received will also be published in Dream 2047. The comments should be limited to 400 words.

This month’s topic: “Will a complete ban on plastic carry bags and sachets help prevent pollution of the environment?”

Response should contain full name; postal address with pincode and email ID, if any; and should be accompanied by a recent passport size photograph. Response may be sent by email ([email protected]) or by post to the address given below. If sent by post, “Response: Dream 2047 March 2011” should be clearly written on the envolope. Vigyan Prasar A-50, Institutional Area, Sector-62, Noida 201 307 (U.P.) Phone: 91-120-240 4430/35 Fax: 91-120-240 4437 Email: [email protected] Website: www.vigyanprasar.gov.in

Winners of “Your Opinion” contest for December 2010 Topic: “In spite of stringent anti-pollution laws and crores of rupees spent on pollution control programmes, why do our rivers and air remain highly polluted?”

Kuldeep Bauddh directly into the rivers, damaging aquatic life forms and turning Research Scholar (SRF) rivers into garbage dumps. Similarly, polluting gases such as carbon Department of Environmental Science monoxide, oxides of sulphur and nitrogen continue to poison the Babasaheb Bhimrao ambedkar University air, posing risk to human health. Laws checking vehicular emissions Raibareily Road, Lucknow-226025 need to be implemented more stringently. Industries need to control E-mail: [email protected] the emission of harmful gases. Above all, there is need for greater The anti-pollution laws and our government awareness at all levels. alone cannot do anything until and unless every citizen is aware of ***** environmental pollution and its effects. Corruption and politics are mainly responsible for the failure to implement any anti-pollution law Mrs. Ch. Kanaka Durga, or policy. There must be proper planning and control measures and Teacher, J.D.A.V. High School, V.S.P. Township, the government should take the initiative to create mass awareness Madharam, Khammam district – 507 122 to save environment. It should not be mere political propaganda but A.P. should be an integral part of our educational programs. People should Ever increasing air pollution can be attributed understand that if we are degrading our environment we are harming mainly to lack of an efficient public transport ourselves. Any government at its own level cannot achieve the goals system in most cities. The gap is filled by individual of sustainable development until people play a more proactive role. vehicles, causing higher levels of pollution. Spread of concrete jungles has led to destruction of forest lands, further ***** magnifying the problem. Availability of clean fuels like CNG Mrs. Jyothi Shrinivas Kadkol, (compressed natural gas) or bio fuels in select cities has been able to Muktangan Exploratory Science Centre, tackle the problem of air pollution, but only to a small extent. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Chowk, Water pollution is mainly the result of untreated waste let into Senapati Bapat Road, water bodies by various industries. In India people perform many Pune- 411 016,Maharashtra traditional customs in or on the bank a river which adds loads of The anti-pollution laws are stringent but they organic wastes, boost the growth of decomposers leading to foul are not disseminated at all levels effectively. The smell and turbidity. It is time people realise that salvation comes laws need to be strictly enforced and monitored only when man is able to exist on Earth. Crores of rupees spent at all levels without compromise. Corruption and the tendency on pollution control programmes can produce results only when to compromise have been acting as negative catalysts for the awareness among people increases. Involvement of the masses in enforcement of the laws. In many cities, sewage treatment units are these programmes is need of the hour. too few and many do not work efficiently. As a result, sewage goes *****

27 Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 VP News ‘Rashtriya Vigyan Chalchitra Mela and Competition (RVCM) – 2011’

Dr Arvind Ranade briefing about RVCM at opening ceremony Opening Remark by Er Anuj Sinha, Director, VP, at opening ceremony During the 98th Indian Science Congress, This competition attracted outstanding different categories. Out of these, 11 entries Vigyan Prasar organised the India’s First science and technology video film producers in the ‘Popular science films’ category; nine Science Film Festival at SRM in the ‘Short film on science and University, Chennai. The festival technology’ category; and two in was held from 4 to 7 January the ‘Animation and graphics film 2011. It was organised to facilitate, on science and technology’ were nurture, recognise and encourage shortlisted. outstanding Indian science film During the first three days, producers. Jahangirabad Media the shortlisted science films were Institute, Barabanki, UP and Tamil screened, which were well received Nadu Science Forum, Chennai by the viewers. The films under were the partners who provided different categories for awards technical and event support were selected by a national jury respectively. The competition had comprising well known and the three categories; (a) Popular prominent personalities of science science films (duration more than communication. The jury was 20 mts), (b) Short films on science Dr P. V. Sunil Kumar discussing with film producers & Directors lead by Mr Kiran Karnik while Er and technology (duration less than Gauhar Raza, Mr Amar Kanwar, 20 mts), and (c) Animation and graphic in the country and set new bench marks for Mr U. Radhakrishnan, and Mrs Saba Dewan film/video on science and technology. excellence. There were 58 entries received in were the other members of the jury.

Winners of RVCM with Er Gauhar Raza (on chair left), Dr Adoor Team members of RVCM from VP, Jahangirabad Media Institute, Gopalkrishnan (on chair centre) and Er Anuj Sinha (on chair right) and Tamil Nadu Science Forum with Adoor Gopalkrishnan Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 26 The Science Film Festival was The award winners inaugurated on 4 January 2011 by Er Gauhar Raza, Eminent Science Film Maker, and Category: ‘Popular science films’ Scientist and Jury Member. Er Anuj Sinha, Director, Vigyan Prasar, gave the opening ‘Golden Beaver Award’ remarks and welcomed the participants. The Film Title : ‘Bahari duniya ke ajab shanket’ festival was well attended by enthusiast film Film Director : Mrs. Seema Muralidhara, makers, producers, delegates, and science Beacon Television, Mumbai communicators. The award presentation ceremony was held at T. Ganeshan Auditorium Hall No. 1 ‘Silver Beaver Award’ within the campus of SRM University. The Film Title : ‘Doorbin ke 400 saal’ Guest of Honour was the prominent film Film Director : Sri Rakesh Andania, Credence Media, maker Dr Adoor Gopalakrishnan and the New Delhi Chief Guest was Prof. K. C. Pandey, General President of 98th ISC. The awards were presented by the Dr Adoor Gopalkrishnan ‘Bronze Beaver Award’ and Er Gauhar Raza, member of the national Film Title : ‘Butterflies’ Jury. Film Producer : Dr Babu Sabastian, State Institute of Education Technology, Thiruvananthapuram Film Director : Sri Suresh Elamon ‘Certificates of Merit’

Category: ‘Short films on science & technology’ To encourage the science films makers, Vigayn Prasar honoured the following short listed films by presenting them ‘Golden Beaver Award’ with ‘Certificates of Merit’: Film Title : ‘Action reaction’ Film Director : Mrs. Anita Gupta, Central Institute of l Tahamina Begum from Doordarshan Educational Technology, NCERT, Kendra, Kolkata for the film New Delhi ‘Telescope and Galileo’. l Sri Bharat Shitole from BHU Entertainment, Mumbai for the film ‘Silver Beaver Award’ ‘Baate Raaj Ki’ Film Title : ‘Ants all around us’ Film Producer : Dr Babu Sebastian, State Institute l Dr P V Sunil Kumar from of Education Technology, Vikram Sarabhai Space Center, Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram for the film Film Director : Sri Suresh Elamon ‘Touching the lives’ l Moasunep Kichu, and Subha Das Mollick from EMMRC, St.Xavier ‘Bronze Beaver Award’ College, Kolkata for the film ‘History Film Title : ‘Beyond bicycle’ of Sound Recording’ Film Producer & Director: Sri Matiur Raheman, Television Programme Company, New Delhi l Producer – National Council of Science Museums, Kolkata for the film ‘Aachrya Jagdish Chandra Bose’ Category: ‘Animation and graphics l Sri Satish Pandye from Lucrative Eye, films on science & technology’ New Delhi for the film ‘Engineering ‘Golden Beaver Award’ Marvels- the signature bridge’ Film Title : ‘Pupi-2’ l Mrs. Mohuya Chaudhuri from Film Director : Mr. K. S. Madhu, Hibiscus Digital International Aids Vaccine Initiative, Media, Thiruvananthapuram New Delhi for ‘Quest for an AIDS Vaccine’ There were no winners for the Silver and Bronze Beaver awards in this category.

25 Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 Radio Science Serial Review meeting-cum-workshop

igyan Prasar, in association with All on the recently concluded serial ‘Science there was discussion on briefs developed VIndia Radio, has been producing in Modern India.’ The review brought out for the serial on ‘Chemistry’ by Vigyan and broadcasting radio serials on science the rich variety of innovative formats used Prasar. This session was conducted by Shri topics in 19 Indian languages through 117 by the various groups. In this session it was Kapil Tripathi. Several points in terms radio stations spread across the country. agreed by all the groups that next 13-episode of content, format and production were For reviewing and assessing the progress serial on ‘Bio-diversity’ may be started from discussed. Participants urged that VP should and decide ways to enhance the reach of 13 February, 2011. incorporate important message in all briefs

Session on “S&T for Women Empowerment" at Chandigarh Participants at Chandigarh Workshop the serials, two regional meeting-cum- In afternoon session, there was a to help the script writers. workshops were organised at Chandigarh on detailed discussion on proposed serial on The second workshop was organised 30-31 January, 2011 and at Tirupati on 7-8 ‘S&T for women empowerment’. The session at Tirupati on 7 and 8 February 2011. It February, 2011. was conducted by Mrs. Kinkini Dasgupta was organised in association with Jan Vigyan The first workshop in Chandigarh Mishra. Lots of suggestions came out from Vedika, Andhra Pradesh. The languages was organised by Vigyan Prasar jointly with, the participants during the discussions which covered were Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samithi, Chandigarh. will be incorporated in briefs to be given to Kannada, Marathi and Konkani. It covered the languages Hindi, English, writers for the development of scripts. In this workshop also, all the issues Punjabi, Kashmiri and Gujarati. In his On next day, i.e. 31 January 2011, related to the serial on ‘S&T in Modern India’, keynote address on the first ‘Biodiversity’, ‘S&T for women day of the workshop, Dr. T V empowerment’, and ‘Chemistry’ Venkateswaran underlined the were discussed in similar manner role of radio in communicating as was done at Chandigarh. the method of science and All the participants actively scientific temper to the masses participated in each session In this session Mrs. Kinkini and suggested important points Dasgupta Mishra spoke on which may be incorporated Gender Communication. Shri in the briefs developed by Kapil Tripathi briefed the Vigyan Prasar. Issues related participants about the purpose to content, format, strategies, of the two-day review meeting- and deadlines of all proposed cum-workshop. After a round serials were discussed. Dr. T V of introductions, representative Venkateswaran conduced the from All India Radio and resource session on ‘S&T for women groups explained the status of the empowerment’ and Shri Nimish project and discussed feedback A view of Radio Workshop at Tirupati Kapoor took a session on Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6 24 in the proposed 13- Chronicle-Vigyan Prasar episode serial. Seventeen more topics for the serial Science Quiz Programme on ‘Chemistry’ and the experts to develop briefs on these subjects were also discussed. Shri Kapil Tripathi presented an overview of radio programmes of Vigyan Prasar. In both the meetings it emerged the Vigyan Prasar and Chronicle has decided VP’s radio serials are well to publish a Science Quiz every month received in majority of starting from February, 2011 for the Participants at Tirupati Workshop languages and there is a period of one year in Civil Service need for strong publicity Chronicle Magazine both in Hindi and ‘Chemistry’. Participants were of the view for reaching a larger audience. A regional English. This magazine is published by that the serial on ‘Chemistry’ should be of 26 workshop for North East and Eastern region Chronicle, Noida. This programme episodes, instead of 13 episodes, because all will be organised in the month of March will be as a part of International Year of major issues of chemistry cannot be covered 2011 at Kolkata. Chemistry 2011 (IYC). The objective of the quiz programme would be to Science Expo-2011 organised in Lucknow create interest, awareness towards this subject among youth so that they would ‘Science Expo-2011’ was able to know about the importance of organised during 19-23 January Chemistry in day to day life. Vigyan 2011 in Regional Science City, Prasar will prepare a questionnaire every Lucknow in which about 22 month both in Hindi and English and scientific research institutes from will select five winners from Hindi and different parts of the country English quiz for the prizes. These prizes and Lucknow participated. will be given by Vigyan Prasar in terms of Publications of Vigyan Prasar its publication. were displayed at the Expo. The State Minister for Science, Abdul Mannan Scientific Awareness inaugurated the Science Expo. Conference He said that such kind of events can help in the dissemination of science in the society. Some of major participants of this Expo were Biotech Park, Lucknow; Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow; Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow; Science and Technology Council, Uttar Pradesh; DRDO; INSA, Lucknow Chapter; and Lucknow University. Nimish Kapoor, Manish Mohan Gore and Manbir A Scientific Awareness Conference was Makhloga represented Vigyan organised by Vigyan Jagarukta Samiti Prasar in this event. on 2 December 2010 in a suburban In the discussion session town named Barhalganj in Gorakhpur with children, Nimish Kapoor, district of eastern Uttar Pradesh. On this Scientist, Vigyan Prasar briefed occasion the renowned Indian molecular the children about the making biologist Dr. Lalji Singh encouraged the and activities of VIPNET clubs children to do science and to become (Vigyan Prasar Network of scientists. Vigyan Prasar also participated Science Clubs) and answered in this conference. questions regarding such clubs.

23 Dream 2047, March 2011, Vol. 13 No. 6