Editorial Technology Solutions to Energy Issues – Dissemination strategies

he system of water, energy, environment Suitable opportunities already exist for Tand agriculture comprise the four adopting environment-friendly technologies major components of the Earth system in the area of energy, transportation, water E-mail: [email protected] concerned with life support. Technology conservation and use, agriculture and industry. fuels and good practices in the use of energy, (and science) cuts across the four systems. Many of the eco-friendly technologies can deserve to be popularised, promoted and An integrated multi-level system is needed be adopted in a decentralised manner. Bio- encouraged. How can you lead campaigns to address the problem of global change with fuels potentially supply some 30 per cent of that help society make better choices? its demographic, environmental, climatic, global demand in an environment-friendly Existing mass media including biological, technological, economical, manner without significantly affecting food television, radio and print offer many social, and health components. Natural and production. While oil will not disappear opportunities. Personal interaction through human-engineered resource systems, such as in the near future and even after the recent lecture demonstrations, dialogue and debates environmental security, energy security, and surge in its prices, farm-grown bio-fuels such need to be harnessed. Efforts will have the security of food and freshwater supply have as ethanol and biodiesel will account for no objectives of bringing into focus, among already become critical. There is a growing more than a small fraction of fossil fuel use. other issues, the following: concern about the unprecedented damage Some micro-algae are efficient miniature 1. Identification of social and being done to the planet Earth. At the same biochemical factories and also good CO 2 environmental benefits of alternative time, there are many examples at different fixers. Municipal and industrial organic energy among college students; levels of society of actions for positive waste treatment for composting has received 2. Options to upgrade biomass fuels so change. inadequate attention. Recycling, reuse and they can be used for a broader range of No country can be termed a developed reduced energy consumption deserve to be markets and applications (e.g., wood country without adequate power, efficient widely encouraged as also the use of solar pellet fuels) to decision makers; transmission and equitable distribution heating and cooling and electric technologies, 3. Improving efficiency of utilising energy throughout the country. India has progressed energy-efficient design, ventilation and and its conservation to opinion makers; from a meagre 1,362 MW in1947 to about improved insulation of buildings to reduce and 128,000 MW in 2006 but this is not enough the consumption of energy in buildings. The 4. Biomethanation for the disposal of to keep pace with the rising load demand. use of safe industrial and agricultural waste organic residues and waste products Even today, there is a peak power deficit of products and other types of low-energy and of agricultural products and in animal at least 11 per cent and energy shortage of recycled building materials in construction husbandry to research scientists. about 6 per cent. There are issues of quality also should be encouraged. The next few weeks will witness every of power supply (fluctuations and stability) Possibilities and challenges of the college and university organising its cultural that are often critical. coming decade and the roles of the state, festival with opportunities for expressing Emphasis is being placed on alternative civil society and research institutions need and developing the creative potential of and renewable energy sources such as wind refining for a more just and equitable world. the participants. There are competitions energy, biomass, and solar and hydro energy Sensitising the policy makers and developing and exhibitions that demonstrate the rich in order to bridge the demand-supply gap. their capacity for better decision making is variety of forms available. Can the above This has received a major thrust under the crucial. concerns not be integrated in these creative Prime Minister’s National Action Plan for The development and dissemination expressions? Climate Change. Energy conservation and of new and environmentally sound efficiency are crucial in the power sector. technologies, including the reduction of Every unit saved is a unit generated. metal compounds as part of transportation o Anuj Sinha

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Published and Printed by Dr. Subodh Mahanti on behalf of Vigyan Prasar, C-24, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi - 110 016 and Printed at Aravali Printers & Publishers Pvt. Ltd., W-30, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi-110 020. Ph. : 01126388830-32 Editor: Er Anuj Sinha

39 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 Humphry Davy Founder of

Electrochemistry Subodh Mahanti E-mail: [email protected] “I have learned more from my mistakes than from my successes.” Humphry Davy wide coverage in newspapers and magazines. “Language is not only the vehicle of thought; it is a great and efficient instrument in Through his public lectures he popularised thinking.” his experimental discoveries in chemistry, Humphry Davy electrochemistry, agriculture, geology, and catalysis. Davy’s popular lectures helped the Royal Institution become a social and umphry Davy made important Davy invented the Davy lamp (1815), financial success. Hcontributions to the development of which allowed miners to work safely in Davy was an enthusiastic poet and chemistry. To realise the importance of his presence of inflammable gases. Davy had he wrote a number of poems. He had contribution we should understand the state found in 1801 that nitrous oxide had the friendly terms with eminent poets like of chemistry in his time. To do this we quote ability to entirely take away the sensation of William Wordsworth (1770-1850), Samuel here from The History of Science in the pain and thus it was a hint that it could be Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834), and Robert Nineteenth Century by Ray Spangenburg used as anaesthetic in surgery. However, his Southey (1774-1843). Coleridge said that and Diane K Moser: “The year was 1829 suggestion was not taken up for another half if Davy “had not been the first chemist, he (referring to the year in which Davy died), a century. would have been the first poet of his age.” and for chemistry, the century had only just Davy was a great science populariser. Southey declared that “he (Davy) had all the begun, bolstered by the atomic theory of John He joined the newly established Royal elements of a poet; he only wanted the art.” Dalton, the new tool invented by Volta and Institution as a chemist in 1801 where John Ayrton Paris said that Davy’s verses the extraordinary discoveries of new elements, he gave public lectures accompanied by “bear the stamp of lofty genius.” It can be to continue to search out more new elements experimental demonstrations. He conducted said that Davy could have become a noted and to make sense of the vast jungle of poet if had pursued his interest in poetry molecules that form with the element carbon. seriously. However, many point out that Progress in all these fields was soon to come.” his sporadic writings did not show any true We should also remember that in England poetic imagination. when Davy was trying to pursue a career in Humphry Davy was born on 17 science only the Royal Astronomer could be December 1778 at Penzance in Cornwall, described as a professional scientist. UK. His father Robert Davy was a wood- Davy is mostly known today for carver. He was representative of a very old his discovery of metals namely sodium, family—his ancestors could be traced as potassium, calcium, magnesium, barium far back as 1635. Robert Davy took his through electrolysis of their compounds. profession as more of a hobby rather than a He also discovered boron. He established means of earning money. Humphry’s mother the elemental nature of chlorine and iodine. Grace Davy (nee Millet) had been adopted It was Davy who put an end to Lavoisier’s by John Tonkin, an eminent surgeon of theory that oxygen is an essential component Penzance after the untimely death of her of acids. In 1806, he delivered the Bakerine parents. It was Tonkin who first placed Davy Lecture. The lecture, which was titled “On in a preparatory school. Tonkin was very Some Chemical Agencies of Electricity”, was much impressed by the progress made by hailed by Jons Jacob Berzelius as “one of the Humphry Davy the boy and so he persuaded Davy’s father best memoirs which has ever enriched the to send him to a better school. And so, at theory of chemistry.” The Bakerian Lecture experiments in different areas of science and an early age Davy was sent to Penzance is a prize lecture of the Royal Society which had wonderful ability of storytelling. By Grammar School, where he studied under was established by Henry Baker in 1775 his dramatic presentation he could easily Rev. J. C. Coryton. Young Davy displayed an when he left 100 pounds for a spoken lecture captivate his audience. His lectures used to unusual inquisitiveness to acquire knowledge by a Fellow on such part of natural history or be attended by a large number of people. at an early age. He possessed a remarkable experimental philosophy as the Society shall His public scientific lectures used to be memory and was fond of reading books, determine. important social events and they were given especially history books. One of his favourite Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 38 History of Science

chemicals used by Davy. In 1798, Davy joined the Pneumatic Institution at Bristol founded by Dr. Thomas Beddoes. The main objective of the institute was to investigate the medical powers of different gases (or airs). Davy’s role was to conduct different experiments on the gases. While conducting these gas experiments Davy had to subject himself to considerable risks. Inhaling nitric oxide had the danger that it could have combined with common air in the mouth and form nitric acid capable of severely injuring mucous membrane. Describing his experiment Davy’s gravesite in Geneva with carbon monoxide he described that after inhaling the gas he “seemed sinking Statue of Davy in his hometown of Penzance the general introduction of useful mechanics into annihilation.” It took hours before the invention and improvements; and for books was Pilgrim’s Progress, written by John painful symptoms ceased. He produced a teaching by courses of philosophical lectures Bunyan (1628-1688), a Christian writer and large quantity of nitrous oxide or laughing and experiments, the application of science preacher. When he was eight years old, Davy gas. He often demonstrated the effect of the to the common purposes of life”. The used to give lecture standing on a cart in gas publicly. Describing his own experience ‘Society for Bettering the Condition and the market place on the subject of his latest after inhaling the gas he wrote: “My first Improving the Comforts of the Poor’, under reading. His audience consisted of fellow definite sensation was dizziness, such as to the guidance of philanthropist Sir Thomas students and he used to be thrilled by the induce a fear of falling. This was momentary. Bernard and American–born British scientist applause by his companions. When I took the mouthpiece furnishing Benjamin Thompson (Count Rumford) While at the Penzance Grammar the gas from my mouth, I immediately supported the Royal Institution in its initial School Davy developed an interest in laughed. The laugh was involuntary, but years. conducting scientific experiments mainly highly pleasurable, accompanied by a thrill Davy had been interviewed for the encouraged by Robert Dunkin, who was a all through me. And a tingling in my toes post by Joseph Banks, Benjamin Thompson member of Society of Friends (a Christian and fingers, a sensation perfectly new and (Count Rumford) and Henry Cavendish. denomination founded in England about delightful.” In the Pneumatic Institute Davy The resolution of the Royal Institution 1650 by George Fox). Dunkin was an also conducted experiments with voltaic appointing Davy said: “...that Humphry accomplished experimentalist and he himself batteries. Davy be engaged in the service of the Royal had constructed an electrical machine, voltaic Davy joined the Royal Institution in Institution in the capacity of assistant piles, Leyden jars and models for illustrating 1801. The Royal Institution was established lecturer in chemistry, director of the mathematical principles. In 1793, he moved in 1799 by the eminent British scientists chemical laboratory, and assistant editor of to Truro to complete his school education including Henry Cavendish. Its first the journals of the institution, and that he under Rev. Dr. Cardew. Davy learned a lot President was George Finch, the 9th Earl of be allowed to occupy a room in the house, of chemistry from reading books. Winchilsea. The Institution established for and be furnished with coal and candles, and In his childhood Davy largely taught “diffusing the knowledge, and facilitating that he paid a salary of 1001 (pounds) per himself. He once said: “I consider it fortunate annum.” I was left much to myself as a child, and put Davy was a pioneer in the field upon no particular plan of study...What I of electrolysis. He successfully used the am, I made myself.” voltaic pile to prepare many new elements After the death of his father, Davy was by splitting common compounds using apprenticed to John Bingham Borlase, a well- the voltaic pile. He discovered potassium known physician of Penzance. This happened in 1807 by electrolysing caustic potash because of the initiative taken by John (KOH). Potassium happens to be the first Tonkin. In the dispensary of the physician element to be isolated by electrolysis. The Davy served the role of a chemist. He also name “potassium” was also coined by Davy. started conducting experiments in the attic In 1807 he also isolated sodium by passing in Tonkin’s house. His friends used to be an electric current through molten sodium alarmed by his rather dangerous experiments hydroxide. The name “sodium” was also and would often say: “This boy Humphry is given by Davy. In 1808, he isolated calcium, incorrigible. He will blow us all.” His eldest which was also independently isolated by sister would also often complain because her Berzelius and Pontin. Throughout his life dresses used to get damaged by the corrosive The Davy Lamp Davy worked with electrolysis. He went on 37 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 History of Science

to prove that it was identical to carbon. In 1815, Davy invented a lamp for use in deep mines by miners. The lamp later became known as the Davy lamp. The invention was made in response to a letter received from Newcastle miners informing that they faced danger from methane and other inflammable gases which often filled the mines and could easily be sparked off resulting in fires and explosions causing many deaths. The flame in the Davy lamp is enclosed inside a mesh of wire, which acts as flame arrestor. Air can easily pass through the mess to support combustion or any flammable gas to burn inside but the holes of the mesh are so fine that they do Michael Faraday not allow the flames to go out and ignite Joseph Banks to discover magnesium, boron and barium. any flammable gas present. The Davy lamp Fellowship of the Royal Society three times. It was Davy who established the could also crudely detect the presence of any Faraday could become Fellow of the Royal elemental nature of chlorine in 1810. It flammable gas because in the presence of Society only after Davy resigned from the may be noted that chlorine was discovered such gas the flame of the Davy lamp would Presidentship of the Royal Society. in 1774 by the Swedish chemist Carl burn higher with blue tinge. In case the Davy was elected a Fellow of the Wilhelm Scheele, who produced the gas mine air was oxygen-poor, the lamp flame Royal Society of London in 1804 and he would be extinguished. George Stephenson also served as its President (1810-1827). He by reacting manganese dioxide (MnO2) with hydrogen chloride (HCl) solution also had invented a similar lamp in 1816. There was elected a foreign member of the Royal called oxymuriatic acid. Scheele termed the was dispute on the question who invented Swedish Academy of Sciences. Davy was a gas “dephlogisticated marine acid” and he the lamp first. However, the Davy lamp was founding Fellow of the Zoological Society of mistakenly thought that it contained oxygen. simpler and cheaper and it was popular with London. A lunar crater is named after Davy. The name “chlorine” was given by Davy. mine owners. His other practical inventions To honour Davy a plaque was included on He also demonstrated that oxygen could were carbon arc light and cathodic protection the wall of the Royal Panopticon of Science not be obtained from oxymuriatic acid. of the copper hulls of warships. and Art in 1854, the institution which was Davy’s observation was important because Davy made a great contribution to one of the grand social institutions and it disproved Lavoisier’s definition of acids as science by giving an opportunity to Michael architectural splendours of the Victorian compounds of oxygen. Faraday to work in the Royal Institution. As London, was later closed. His hometown Davy damaged his eyesight while we know, Faraday went on to become one of Penzance has a secondary school named experimenting with nitrogen trichloride. the greatest scientists of the world. Towards Humphry Davy School. It may be noted that Pierre Louis Dulong, the end Davy was not very appreciative A pub in his hometown is named who first prepared nitrogen trichloride in of Faraday. Many think that Davy was after Davy, it is called “Sir Humphry Davy”. 1812, also lost two fingers and an eye in two zealous of Faraday’s unprecedented success. Interestingly there are also pubs named after separate accidents resulting from handling Davy opposed Faraday’s nomination to the James Prescott Joule and Isaac Newton. the compound. Davy’s accident proved to be Davy is the subject of a humorous song by a major incident in the history of science as Richard Gendall, each verse of which recalls it induced him to engage Michael Faraday as one of Davy’s major discoveries. The song his assistant. was recorded by Cornish folksinger Brenda In 1813, Davy resigned his Professorship Wootton in 1980. A comedy script about at the Royal Institution and went on a two- the life of Davy was produced by the Truro- year tour of the European continent. He was based production company O-region. The accompanied by his wife, Michael Faraday, comedy script was written by Nicke Darke, and two boxes of apparatus. Irrespective of a Cornish playwright in 2005. Darke died the fact that England was at war with France, before he could complete the work and it Napoleon welcomed Davy’s visit. It is said was completed Carl Grose, a Cornish actor that Davy had remarked: “There is never a and playwright. war among the men of science.” In France Davy died on 29 May 1829. He was he characterised iodine as a true element. given a state funeral. He is buried in the In Italy he undertook some of the earliest Plainpalais Cemetery in Geneva. analyses of the pigments used in ancient paintings and there he also burnt diamond Carl Scheele continued on page 23 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 36 Hetal and Ankur Student innovators par excellence y using agricultural waste and the natural harmful effect on earthworms. ,If Bt crop no use to anyone. On the other hand, the Bbinder derived from spoiled garlic two waste remains in the ground for a long time, binders used in making particle boards are students of Rajkot , Gujarat - Hetal Kanjibhai it affects the fertility of the soil. Hence the harmful with respect to the environment and Vaishnav, Shree S.G. Dholakiya Memorial farmers cannot use Bt crop waste as organic human health. Such binders include phenol High School, and Ankur Kanjibhai Vaishnav, manure. And they are left with no other formaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde etc. of Shree P.V. Modi School, have developed option except burning the crop waste. By using agricultural waste and an eco-friendly particle board that has been The life of garlic is about 6 to 8 natural binder derived from spoiled garlic recognised at the international level. The months. Right from the process of harvesting we have been able to make particle boards two students have won an award at the I- till it reaches the customer nearly about 25% which can be used in furniture applications. SWEEEP, the International The ecofriendly particle boards Sustainable World (Energy, were made by employing both Engineering, and Environment) agricultural waste and spoiled garlic Project Olympiad, for their waste. By doing so, the cutting of project. trees for furniture applications can Er Anuj Sinha, Director, be reduced. Also, the air pollution Vigyan Prasar and Consultant, caused by burning such waste can Department of Science and be reduced. Technology interacted both Indirectly, it would help the students on their project the farmers, who can sell the and story of success; for the agriculture and garlic waste as motivation of students towards another source of income. It would science. also help reduce unemployment VP: Tell us about your in the rural areas by developing project and explain why it is a new technology, if available innovative. commercially. Hence, this project H & A: After harvesting is beneficial to society. the crops the agricultural waste Hetal and Ankur talking with Anuj Sinha at the VP: How did you get the is usually burnt by the farmers. IRIS National Fair 2009 held Ahmadabad idea and who gave you support at Such agricultural waste includes the early stage? wheat husk, cotton straw, groundnut husk, of garlic gets spoiled. This is due to the H & A: We are farmers, so we often etc. This spreads air pollution. There is no transportation and long period of storage in visit our farm and help our family members other use of this type of agricultural waste. marketing yards. All of this garlic waste which in farming. We realised that the amount of Secondly, crops grown from Bt seeds have is generated is simply thrown away and is of agricultural waste generated is much more

IRIS National Fair

Every year Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India, Intel and CII jointly organise a National Science fair namely, IRIS National Fair. Students across the country send synopses (abstracts) of their project. The SRC (Scientific Review Committee) short lists the best among them. Then students are called for presenting their project in the IRIS National Fair. 8 best projects among them are declared as the national winners. The national winners are selected only from senior (class IX to XII) category. About 100 projects were entered in the IRIS national Fair 2009.

Hetal and Ankur receiving an award as they became national winner at IRIS national fair held at Ahmedabad.

35 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 Interview than the actual crop. This waste is burnt off. VP: Has this competition had any So, we wanted to utilise such agricultural I-SWEEEP negative or positive impact on your studies? waste into useful application in day to day H & A: If a student plans his/her life. every day’s work then he/she will not face We also saw the garlic which was any negative impact. He/she should keep the grown in the farm, some of which would track with both the things, i.e., studies and spoil due to improper climatic conditions the project work, with proper planning. and also during the transport and storage. VP: What has been the reaction of your Our grand mother had told us that in olden teachers and parents when you were selected days they used garlic to join the broken glass for representing India at the ISWEEP? of the lantern. They used to rub the garlic on H & A: When our parents and the edges of the glass and then used to light teachers came to know about our selection up the lantern, which would seal the crack to represent India at International level, they on glass due to heat from lantern. were very happy and were very proud of us. We wanted to see if the garlic waste VP: What have you learnt from the has enough adhesion property and whether international exposure? it can be used in binding the agriculture H & A: Going to an international waste for making particle boards and found science fair was a great opportunity for us. that It indeed does! Meeting the world class scientists and having VP: Where did you look for more a viva with them was also a great opportunity information? Was it difficult to find the for us. Our mind started thinking in a current research? scientific manner. By going over there and H & A: We looked in books and by seeing other projects, we came to know surfed the Internet, for more information we about many different problems faced by the also met many professors, etc. But itwas very people and Earth’s environment. difficult for us to find references regarding VP: What is your message for other spoiled garlic, as not much research appears students who may participate in such events to have been done on it. in future? VP: Who was your main support Hetal and Ankur receiving their H & A: We would like to tell every during the process of making the project? award at ISWEEEP-2010 student of India that they must participate H & A: During the process of making in such a great event. But they should not the project, the main support for us was our I-SWEEEP, the International Sustainable only think of winning the awards. Rather father Mr. Kanjibhai Vaishnav and our guide World (Energy, Engineering, and they should participate to step out from Mr. Vaibhav Ramani. Environment) Project Olympiad, is a the bookish knowledge and get to know the VP: Would you like to do more work groundbreaking science fair open to high Creative world. They should not stop once on this project? school students. It is the largest science success is achieved but keep participating in H & A: Yes. We would like to fair event of its kind world-wide. I- such events. commercialise this product, if there is any SWEEEP is organised by the Cosmos VP: Can you recall the question from judges (in Ahmadabad or US) that you found financial aid available. Foundation, with a mission to establish VP: Have you participated in other most searching and what was your reply? college preparatory K-12 schools science competitions and won prizes? H & A: During the judging session, focussing on math, science, engineering, Hetal: I have become national winner some questions asked by judges were and computer technologies. I-SWEEEP at IRIS 2008 and have participated in ISEF beyond our level, as they asked us about works with local, national, and 2009 held at Reno, Nevada in USA. There I the chemistry of the spoiled garlic and the international science fair organisations won four Awards. I had participated in IRIS constituents of our binder. But this is a to bring together the top-ranking in the year 2006 and 2007 also. PhD level work as till now no one has done participants and qualifying projects from Ankur: I have participated in the research on spoiled garlic, and it is a very these competitions. science fair held at my school. There I was complex compound. I-SWEEEP 2010 brought first in all the three divisions of my school. And about the constituents of together over 1,000 brightest science like- The name of the fair was Discovery Science our binder, it was also beyond our level. minded students and their supervisors Fair. Because, finding the constituents of our in Houston, USA. Young scientists Then in the year 2009 we have become binder is like doing a PhD on the binder from 70 countries and 43 U.S. states the national winner in IRIS national science within 4 months! And for this we have displayed 470 science projects about fair. And we were selected for ISWEEEP approached many labs like NCL-Pune, pressing issues of energy, engineering, 2010. At ISWEEEP, we won an honorable Sicart-Baroda, and Saurashtra University and environment. mention award for our project on ecofriendly (Polymer Department)-Rajkot, S.K. particle boards Research and Remedies-Mumbai, Shri Ram

Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 34 Interview

ISEF Letters to the Editor Coach or Player The International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) began in 1950 as a platform to encourage pre-college students to conduct scientific research. Intel ISEF brings together I liked the way you drew parallels between a soccer game and development of resource more than 1,200 students from over 40 nations to compete for over 900 prizes. There materials for science communication is US$ 4 million to be won, including scholarships, tuition grants, internships, scientific (Editorial, Dream2047, August). You have field trips and the grand prize: a trip to attend the Nobel Prize Ceremony in Stockholm, put it very succinctly and lucidly. Thanks Sweden. for the thought-provoking piece. T V Jayan Science Editor, The Telegraph New Delhi Mob 9810410342 *****

Andhra coffee Thank you for the nice article about coffee, our favourite brew, which is very informative and enlightening. While the author discussed about Arabica and Robusta, no mention was made of Peaberry which is considered as a premium variety The author has mentioned that it is a favourite only in Tamil Nadu and South Karnataka. It is a great favourite of Andhrites also. Further, coffee is grown in Andhra Pradesh also, though quantitatively it is only a very small percentage. It has Hetal and Ankur explaining their project to a judge judging session nonetheless won the Flavour of India - the at ISWEEEP-2010 Fine Cup Award in the years 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2009. The author has totally ignored Andhra. Institute-Delhi, and Junagadh Agricultural friendly. Utilisation of agricultural waste for Suryanarayana, Ch V University-Junagadh. But we were not able making particle boards, also helped reduce 203 A, New Bhoiguda, to analyse our binder up to the extent where air pollution by preventing their burning. Secunderabad (AP) we can find its constituents, in the short VP: Do you propose to continue to ***** span of time. It is a very complicated and improve this or leave it for others? What type lengthy process. of support will be required now? In the reply to the above question, we H & A: We want to continue with Corrigendum gave the judges the reason why we were not this project. We have applied for a patent. In the interview with Lalita Balakrishnan able to find the constituents of our binder To start making this product commercially, (Dream 2047, August 2010), the and the chemistry of spoiled garlic. We told we need to make the design of the machine; caption of the photo at bottom on page them that our binder is very sticky and very we need to construct a pilot plant also. For 35 should read, “…..with solar lanterns complex material, so if it is run through this we require the technical and financial developed by different manufacturers HPLC or GCMS column then it can spoil support. and propagated by AIWC.” Instead of the column. VP: How has your academic “….with solar lantern and solar panel, VP: What was in your opinion the performance been affected because of this developed by AIWC”. one most important aspect of your project competition, travelling, etc? In column 3 para 3, on page that got it the award? H & A: There is no significant effect 35, please read “I had joined, already H & A: The binder that we used on our academic performance. existing AIWC Branches in Delhi, for making particle boards is derived from VP: What subjects do you wish to Hyderabad, Bhopal, Haridwar, and at spoiled garlic. Hence, it is eco-friendly and pursue in college and why? (Ankur and all these places I also started BHEL can be used in place of hazardous binders Hetal can have different answers) Ladies Welfare Association and did like phenol formaldehyde, melamine Hetal: I want to do first BSc, then formaldehyde, etc. MSc and then PhD. I want to do my MSc active work” instead of “We lived in Agriculture waste is used in place of and PhD in chemistry. Delhi, Hyderabad, Bhopal, Haridwar wood to make the particle boards, thereby Ankur: I also want to do the same, but and in all these cities I established reducing de-forestation and making it eco- I’d like to do MSc and PhD in physics. AIWC offices”. 33 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 The Time is Ripe he question often asked is: “Are you Ripe for harvest Tgreen and growing or ripe and rotting?” Normally fruits and vegetables are ready Now, thanks to the clues found by Indian for harvest when these have reached ideal scientists, “ripe” and “rotting” may not condition for consumption. This stage is Sukanya Datta necessarily always be clubbed together. Not called ‘harvest maturity’. However, Harvest E-mail: [email protected] for 45 days at least—if it is the tomato we maturity is not quite the same as physiological are talking about. maturity, which is the term for the stage According to scientists at the National when the plant has completed its active such as apple and orange do not exhibit Institute of Plant Genome Research, New vegetative growth and reached the stage of such extensive softening. Obviously, the Delhi, there are two tomato genes that, when seed production. Harvest maturity includes strategy to transport these two types has to silenced or “knocked down”, allow tomatoes the time required to reach the market. Thus be different. to remain ripe (without rotting) for three it takes into account a degree of time lag. Then again, fruits are classified as times as long as other tomatoes. This is Usually, fruits and vegetables are harvested being either of the ‘climacteric’ or the ‘non- indeed great news for cultivators and chefs before these reach the maturity considered climacteric’ type when it comes to ripening. alike. ideal for immediate consumption. l Climacteric fruits can be ripened off the parent plant. The respiration rate Ripe challenge and associated rise of ethylene Farmers know that fruit and production (signal for ripening) vegetables perish quickly. If care gradually reaches a climacteric is not taken during transport, peak at the onset of ripening; they soon spoil and become after which it declines. Tomato unfit for consumption. In India is a climacteric fruit. the post-harvest losses of fruits l Non-climacteric fruits are and vegetables is enormous. not capable of continuing their About 35-40 per cent of the ripening process once they are total produce is lost because it detached from the parent plant. becomes excessively soft. This Also, these fruits produce tiny means that India incurs a loss, quantities of ethylene, and do not only in terms of revenue, but not respond to external ethylene also in terms of health because treatment. Non-climacteric the fruits/vegetables are wasted. fruits show a gradual decline Although ripe fruits taste in their respiration pattern and best, the paradox is that even ethylene production, throughout in the market, most buyers Green and growing the ripening process. would rather buy a semi-ripe fruit Molecular ripening because they know they will not Ripening is often triggered by a research has focussed primarily be eating the fruit right away. They judge signal…usually ethylene. Tomato too on ethylene, but little is known of control that if they buy a semi-ripe one, it would be shows a rapid increase in the synthesis of before ethylene induction, or of common ripe for a feast by the time they get around ethylene at the beginning of the ripening regulatory mechanisms shared by climacteric to consuming it. So the prudent shopper, process. In commercial fruit production, and non-climacteric species knowing fully well that ripeness is the stage artificial ripening is used to control the before a fruit begins to rot, would rather buy rate of ripening, thus enabling transport Really ripe? a semi-ripe fruit instead of an overtly ripe and marketing to be carefully planned. Almost nobody has trouble identifying a ripe one. Ethylene is used commercially for the fruit from an unripe one. The challenge therefore is to correctly artificial ripening of certain fruits. Another Unripe fruits are: judge the exact degree of “ripeness” when commonly used agent for artificial ripening l Green with little/none of the tantalizing fruit should be harvested so that it can tempt is calcium carbide. However, the type of smells associated with the riper version. potential buyers with its ripeness when it fruit under consideration also influences the l Smaller finally reaches the market. It is obvious strategy for that fruit. l More sour/astringent therefore that ripening is a crucial parameter Different fruits ripen at different l Hard when it comes to both buying or selling fresh rates and to varying degrees. Fruits such Ripe fruits are: fruits and vegetables. Any method that can as mango, papaya and banana undergo l Visually striking: mostly red, dark regulate ripeness is a boon to farmers and drastic and extensive softening from “stone (almost black) or yellow. consumers alike. hard” stage to a “soft pulpy” stage. Fruits l Tempting when smelled Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 32 The Time is Ripe

galactosidase, which are low initially during fruit development, significantly increase. Ripening thus is coordinated manifestation of changes in colour, texture, flavour, aroma, and nutritional characteristics that render fruit attractive to those that eat it and thus assist in seed dispersal. Ripeness is followed by ageing or senescence. Then comes breakdown of the fruit…what we call rotting!

Regulating ripeness Will you buy these Hint of ripeness The softening of ripe fruits increases risk l Luscious to look at of damage during shipping and handling. of the strategies to regulate ripening is to l Sweet and juicy. However, it is the softness of the fruit identify and characterise proteins expressed l Soft to touch that directly impacts on palatability and during the process and whose biochemical Ripe fruits become soft because influences consumer acceptability and also, activities can be related to the observed the tissue softens thanks to the increase shelf-life. Thus this is the one criterion that changes. Initially efforts that were targeted at in cell-wall degrading enzymes that act most scientists have sought to regulate. One controlling fruit ripening sought to suppress upon proteins and carbohydrates. Other genes that coded cell-wall degrading proteins. structural alterations involve changes in This is because these proteins play a key role cell wall thickness, permeability of plasma in the softening associated with ripening and membrane, increased water content of cell it is because the fruits are soft that they are wall, decrease in the structural integrity, and squashed easily during transport. increase in intracellular spaces. Carbohydrates play a major role in the During ripening, colour, flavour, ripening process. The major classes of cell wall aroma and texture all change in a coordinated polysaccharides that undergo modifications manner. The change in colour when the fruit during ripening are starch, pectins, cellulose, is ripe happens because previously present and hemicelluloses. Pectins are responsible pigments come to light when chlorophyll for the texture and quality of fruits and is degraded. There is also synthesis and/or it is pectin degradation during ripening accumulation of coloured anthocyanins and that causes softening of the fruits. Pectin- carotenoids such as â-carotene, xanthophyll degrading enzymes are active in fruit-tissue esters, xanthophylls, and lycopene. The softening. Very early on, studies in fruit- increase in flavour and aroma during fruit ripening focussed on these enzymes, which ripening happens because of the production were manipulated in order to suppress cell- of a complex mixture of volatile compounds wall degrading enzymes. However, this met and the degradation of bitter flavanoids, with limited success and scientists turned to tannins, etc. Sweetness increases because of other strategies such as genetically modified increased production of glucose, hydrolysis of tomatoes. polysaccharides (especially starch), decreased acidity, and accumulation of sugars and Genetically modified tomato organic acids. Thus, increased respiration, Ripe and Red The first genetically modified (transgenic) chlorophyll degradation, biosynthesis of tomato that was engineered to stay firm and carotenoids, anthocyanins, essential oils, fresh for longer was the Flavr Savr tomato in and increased concentrations of compounds 1994. This was a genetically altered tomato influencing flavour and aroma mark the developed by Calgene using anti-sense RNA process of ripening. technology to inhibit the expression of a gene A host of enzymes also come into play that normally causes fruit to soften. Broadly during ripening and these bring on many speaking, anti-sense technology produces a of the changes we associate with ripening. molecule that blocks the target gene’s ability Enzymes such as â-hexosaminidase, á- to produce its protein. Unfortunately the mannosidase and á-galactosidase are thought Flavr Savr tomato was not a commercial to play a major role in the softening of the success and was withdrawn from the market fruit during ripening. In ripening tomatoes, in 1997. However, the search for the perfect to give a specific example, the activities tomato that will remain firm, fresh and of the enzymes â-hexosaminidase and á- Rotting on the vine bruise-free went on. 31 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 The Time is Ripe Indian contributions Man) and â-D-N-acetylhexosaminidase actions to be studied. More than a decade ago, Dr. T N Prabha (â-Hex). It has been known for some time The RNAi tomatoes plants grew and her colleagues at the Central Food that N-glycoproteins are common in cell normally and bore typical amounts of fruit. Technology Research Institute (a CSIR walls and free N-glycans are present in the The tomatoes showed normal climacteric laboratory), Mysore, had identified two pericarp of tomatoes at all stages of growth, ripening and colour development while genes that were active in the process of fruit but mostly during the ripening process. attached to the plant. However, these ripening. However, despite at least four Interestingly, blocking of N-glycosylation tomatoes held on to their texture and showed acclaimed research papers (posthumous) delayed ripening. This suggested that N- longer life. The RNAi tomatoes harvested at that were published with Dr. K Srinivasan glycan processing is an important event in the pink stage, retained their texture for 25- and her PhD student B Jagadeesh, which the ripening process. Thus, as the scientists 30 days, whereas the control tomatoes started elaborated how these two genes affected fruit have said, it was tempting to explore the shrinking and losing their texture after 15 ripening, Dr. Prabha did not live to see her possibility that, “genetic manipulation of days. Also, the tomatoes with ‘silenced genes’ ideas come to fruition. She died aged just 55 N-glycan processing can be of strategic (that is those with suppressed expression of in June 2002. importance to enhance fruit shelf life, the two enzymes) were firmer than other However, the without any negative tomatoes. Overall, the scientists reported, recent research paper effect on either “a substantial improvement in the shelf- on tomato ripening appearance or yield.” life” of tomatoes where N-glycan processing that was published by The scientists enzymes are targeted. They also say that á- Prof. Asis Datta and targeted the N- Man and â-Hex activities are high in papaya, his colleagues of the glycan processing banana and mango, which raises the hope National Institute of enzymes á-Man and that this strategy may yield positive results for Plant Genome Research â-Hex. They found these fruits also. The team plans to conduct (NIPGR), Delhi, in the that over-expression larger-scale open field trials, followed by 9 February 2010 issue of á-Man or â-Hex multi-location trials before seeking clearance of the Proceedings of resulted in excessive from Regulatory Authorities for commercial the National Academy fruit softening and the cultivation. The entire process is expected to of Sciences proves that signs of deterioration take two years. the torch of Science is set in early. On the always carried forward, other hand, the Tomato genome studies much like a baton suppression of á-Man With the explosive development of genome relay race. It is fitting and â-Hex enhanced studies, the tomato genome with its 24 tribute indeed to the fruit shelf-life, owing chromosomes is under scrutiny too. The Asis Datta pioneering work that she to the reduced rate of tomato genome is being sequenced part had done that Dr. Prabha has been named as softening. of the International Solanaceae Genome a co-author. Incidentally, Dr. Prabha was a In the experiment, expression of Initiative. The project aims to develop the former student of Prof. Datta. á-Man and â-Hex was silenced by using Family Solanaceae (to which both tomatoes In the experiment that built on the RNA interference (RNAi) technology. This and potatoes belong) as a model for Systems studies of Dr. Prabha, the scientists at is a method of blocking gene function by Biology. Tomato has been selected since it has NIPGR successfully delayed ripening in inserting short sequences of ribonucleic acid the smallest diploid genome in the Family. It tomatoes by 30-45 days. They achieved this (RNA) that match part of the target gene’s encodes approximately 35,000 genes. India by suppressing two enzymes responsible for sequence; thus no proteins are produced. too is part of this Initiative. The sequencing ripening in tomato — the N-glycoprotein The RNAi technique offers specificity and of tomato chromosome 5 is being jointly modifying enzymes, á-mannosidase (á- efficacy in silencing gene(s) allowing its carried out at the University of Delhi, South Campus; National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology; Indian Agriculture Research Institute and the National Centre for Plant Genome Research -- all at Delhi. The aim of tomato genome sequencing is to identify agronomically useful genes. More than 80 genes related to ripening of tomato fruits have been cloned. Scientists know that tomato plants harbouring the ripening-inhibitor (rin) mutation yield fruits that fail to ripen. Thus, the rin mutation can be widely used in tomato hybrid cultivars to yield fruit with a long shelf-life and National Institute of Plant Genome Research acceptable quality. n Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 30 Personality disorders Why Some People Think, Feel, and Act the Way They Do My idea of an agreeable person is a person who agrees with me. Dr Yatish Agarwal Benjamin Disraeli, Lothair e-mail: [email protected]

arps in personality are common and is the disorder. Yet, people who deviate from tried. The idea, equally, is to try and develop Wnobody may quite make the perfect cultural norms are not necessarily dysfunctional, an understanding of the behaviour of people grade, yet some people due to a genetic lineage nor are people who conform to cultural you intermingle with. or harsh environment may develop a character norms necessarily healthy. The truth is, many Let us now look into the common that is at serious odds with the norms of their personality disorders represent extreme variants deviants of personality. culture. These traits might take different forms of behaviour patterns that people usually value and shapes and be recognised by a name, but and encourage. For instance, most people Paranoid personality disorder there is also a school of thought that posits value friendliness but not submissiveness, self- People with a paranoid personality are these personality disorders as a continuum belief but not arrogance, and conscientiousness constantly defensive, secretive, suspicious and between the normal functioning of the mind but not perfectionism. The dividing line may distrustful toward other people. They believe and a formal mental illness. Extremely hard at times be rather hazy. In fact, a behaviour that others are against them and constantly to change, the salvation for a person with that seems deviant to one person may seem look for evidence to support their suspicions. this disorder might lie in trying to mend the normal to another depending on one’s gender, They doubt the trustworthiness and loyalty most dysfunctional aspects of their feelings ethnicity, and cultural background. of acquaintances and friends, persistently bear and behaviour. While psychotherapy and grudges against others, and are reluctant to behaviour therapy is useful in some situations, confide in others because of the fear that the medications can be used to rectify the biological information will be used against them. They functioning of the mind if the disorder is are hostile toward others and react angrily to serious and holds risk to self or others. perceived insults reading hidden meanings Mainly a hypothetical construct, the into gentle remarks or events, perceive attacks term ‘personality’ stands for a pattern of on their reputation where none is intended, thought, feeling, and behaviour that identify and are suspicious about the fidelity of their a person. It is a sum of definite traits that are sex partner. deeply ingrained, enduring, and unique about They may be objective, rational, and a person and distinguish him from the other unemotional, but they are often rigid and people. An upshot of personal drives and cannot accept criticism. Their aggressive influences from the outside world, it reflects suspicious nature usually spurs a hostile predictability about how a person will act or reaction from other people and makes them react under certain circumstances. Usually, the extremely unlikable. They find it difficult to more satisfactory a person’s early development collaborate with others and have few close and experiences, the stronger and more balanced relationships. Due to these handicaps, they is his personality. People who fail to experience Based on the predominant symptoms need to be self-sufficient and autonomous to and integrate satisfactory early experiences tend and their severity, personality disorders have be able to maintain themselves. to have personality structures that are faulty been categorised into several subtypes. The The disorder may surface during the teens and manifest more primitive responses. The current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical with solitariness, poor peer relationships, social flaw may also lie in the genetic background or Manual of Mental Disorders portrays ten anxiety, hypersensitivity and underachievement biological functioning of the brain. personality disorders, while others describe in school. Some 0.5 to 2.5 per cent of people Nobody fits the perfect bill. Most people, twelve. Each of them reflects a developmental are affected by a paranoid personality disorder. if not all, experience at least some difficulties maladaption from an early age, and yet, each is It is more common in males. and problems that result from their personality. distinctly different from the other. The specific point at which those problems If you were to evaluate yourself on the Schizoid personality disorder justify the diagnosis of a personality disorder altar of their characteristics, you night find People with schizoid personality are shy, is difficult to tell, but if it significantly impairs yourself fitting into many of the subtypes! introverted, detached and distant from other social or work functioning, is repetitive and However, do not feel distraught unless you people. Socially withdrawn, they have few inflexible, is stable over time, and is annoying find these traits are pervasive enough to bring close personal relationships, and do not care to others, there clearly is a problem. you into conflict with others and handicap much to be a part of the family. They are Broadly, the farther a person digresses your daily functioning. Just remember, you emotionally cold. Being loners, they prefer from the code of one’s culture the more severe cannot be agreeable to everybody even if you solitary pursuits and remain preoccupied with 29 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 Mediscape mechanical or abstract activities. Bookish, and destructive, he cannot form satisfactory Borderline personality disorder reserved, out of touch with others, they relationships, and may suffer failures in his People with borderline personality suffer are relatively blind to social cues and their personal, work-related and social life. from a chronic feeling of emptiness, and personal lives are usually barren. However, this Many people with antisocial personality make frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined remote exterior may belie the strong emotion are superficially likeable and charming, and abandonment by others. They experience which they may hide in their bosom. To find initially mislead well-meaning people whom inappropriate anger even when there are a vehicle for their private feelings, they may they subsequently disappoint and mortify. unavoidable changes in plans. For example, keep a diary or indulge in daydreaming. They may mistreat their spouses, neglect they may panic or burst into intense fury They seem indifferent to appreciation or abuse their children, and exploit their if somebody important to them is even or criticism by other people and may not react employees. They often engage in impulsive a few minutes late. Even on such minor actively even if circumstances so demand. behaviour and may dismay others by their disappointments, they may develop severe Since they lack social skills and have no desire uncontrolled, destructive outbursts. frustration, anger, and dismay and they may for sex, they also may not marry. Individuals with antisocial personality indulge in suicidal behaviour, self-mutilation, More common in men, a schizoid usually fail to understand that their behaviour and other self-destructive acts. personality usually finds it difficult to operate is wrong because they simply do not have a Individuals with this disorder have a well at work, particularly if a job requires conscience. The fact is, even if guilt, remorse, pattern of unstable but intense relationships. working with other people. But they may do shame, and anxiety make for unpleasant At first they may impress people as stimulating well in vocations that can be done singly or and exciting, and may share the most intimate without intimate social interaction. details about themselves early in a relationship. But they can turn bitter or angry at the slightest Schizotypal personality disorder of reasons, and their relationships tend to be People with schizotypal personality engage in unstable and explosive. bizarre thinking, speech, and behaviour. They People with borderline personalities also are superstitious, believe in clairvoyance, tend to have an unstable self-image or sense telepathy or sixth sense, and may feel that of self. This reflects sudden changes in their they have special powers to sense events career plans, change in values, and change in before they happen and can read the thoughts type of friends. They may also at times sense of others. They tend to use words and phrases such major void in their life that they begin to in unusual ways, and may think they have feel as if they do not exist at all. magical control over other people. They The disorder may also lead to suffer unusual bodily illusions and may feel impulsivity. In addition to self-mutilating acts, that there is another person present, or they they may gamble, spend money irresponsibly, may hear a voice murmur their name. Due abuse substances, binge eat, drive recklessly, to their odd thinking, they may behave in a and engage in unsafe sex. strange manner. For instance, they may walk About two per cent of all people have past a specific object several times to avoid an borderline personality disorder. Out of every imagined harmful outcome. four with this disorder, three are women. People with schizotypal personality Borderline personalities run a high risk of disorder are often also overly suspicious. This depression, bulimia (an emotional disorder makes them uncomfortable in relating to other characterised by an obsessive desire to lose people. They have few or no close friends and feelings, these emotions are crucial to healthy weight, in which bouts of extreme overeating feel anxious in social situations. The disorder social functioning and even physical survival. are followed by fasting or self-induced vomiting affects three per cent of all people. Most Antisocial personalities may take chances that or purging), stress disorders, dissociative look for help due to symptoms of anxiety, other people would shun. They may engage disorders, and drug dependence. About 10 depression, or restlessness. The disorder usually in kleptomania, gambling or physical assaults per cent of people with this disorder commit has a relatively stable course. repeatedly. suicide by the age of 30. The disorder affects about three per cent Antisocial personality disorder of males and one per cent of females. People with Histrionic personality disorder A person with antisocial personality acts in this disorder are at high risk for poor personal People with histrionic personality constantly a way that disregards the feelings and rights life, loss of employment, bankruptcy, injury, strive to be the centre of attention. Often of other people. Lacking in conscience, alcoholism, drug dependence, imprisonment, lively and dramatic, they may initially charm he comes into conflict with the code and and premature and violent death. new acquaintances by their enthusiasm, customs of the community, and still does The disorder runs a chronic course but apparent openness, and overly flirtatious not realise his mistakes. He is chronically may become a little milder as the individual behaviour. They believe in being the life of the in trouble and may not hesitate to use or gets older. Those affected by this disorder were party, being charmers, and do not hesitate in exploit other people for his own gain. He in the past called sociopaths or psychopaths, making up stories or even creating a scene to may lie repeatedly, act impulsively, and get and gave a lot of stuff to writers to weave a draw attention. Their appearance, including into physical fights. Loveless, indifferent novel or a film around them. the apparel and looks, and behaviour is

Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 28 Mediscape seductive. This may easily mislead the people Narcissistic personalities, however, and females. The disorder begins at a young they come in contact with, but it does not have a very fragile self-esteem. They may not age, runs a chronic course, and becomes milder necessarily reflect their romantic interests. show it outwardly, but they are easily stung with age. They usually talk in a dramatic or theatrical by criticism which leaves them emotionally fashion and display exaggerated emotional bruised. In such a situation, they may react Dependent personality disorder reactions. They may embarrass friends and with scorn, rage or counterattack. People with dependent personality have a acquaintances by excessive emotional display, Due to an overwhelming need for severe and disabling emotional dependency such as embracing casual acquaintances with admiration at all times and the insensitivity to on others. They are submissive and prefer excessive passion, sobbing for no real good the sentiments of others, they have few lasting to cling to others for support and advice at reason, or having tantrums. They also suffer relationships. They are also vulnerable to all times. They may experience difficulty in from a high degree of suggestibility and are depression, hypomania (a mild form of mania), taking even simple everyday decisions as to easily influenced by others. and might not achieve much in their work the colour of dress to wear to work, or the Without being aware of it, people because of their poor attitude. The disorder is briefcase they should carry. They need a great with this disorder may seek to control their found in less than one per cent of people. deal of guidance and reassurance, and usually partner through emotional manipulation depend on a parent or spouse to choose the on one level, whereas displaying a marked Avoidant personality disorder kind of job for them, who to befriend, and dependency on them at another level. Their People with avoidant personality suffer from how to lead their life. Since they are overly clamour for constant attention may ruin their social shyness, feelings of inadequacy and dependant, they do not express disagreement personal relationship with friends. They look hypersensitivity to negative evaluation. They with other people and might even agree with for novelty and excitement and are easily are intensely reserved, quiet, inhibited, and things that they feel are grossly wrong. Due frustrated if their actions are not met with withdrawn. They try to be invisible and feel to lack of self-confidence, they have difficulty immediate gratification. in doing things by themselves despite the The disorder is found in about two or fact that they might be quite capable of three per cent of people. Women outnumber functioning adequately. They might go to men, but only because they are more likely to any length to please those whose support be noticed. In the male-dominated milieu, a they yearn for. Even if a task is unpleasant, man with this disorder may just be tolerated necessitates self-sacrifices, or implies verbal, as a macho, while a woman would stand out physical or sexual abuse, they accept it to if she is provocatively dressed or acts in a avoid losing the relationship. They feel seductive fashion. uncomfortable by themselves. If a close relationship comes to an end, such as on the Narcissistic personality disorder death of a caregiver or spouse, they eagerly People with narcissistic personality have a seek out another relationship to fulfil their grandiose sense of self-importance. They seek emotional need of care and support. excessive admiration from others, routinely afraid that no matter what they say, others Due to their self-doubts, pessimism, overestimate their abilities, and boast will reject it, and so they say nothing at all. and constant need for nurturance, they may unabashedly about their deeds. They fantasise They are loath to work with other people avoid positions of responsibility and lag about unlimited success, power, brilliance, and because of an inner fear of being criticised, behind in their professional career. Their social beauty and compare themselves favourably disapproved, or rejected. So deep is their relationships are also limited only to people with the famous and beautiful. They believe fear that they might even reject a promotion on whom they are dependant. The disorder is they are special, unique, and superior to and prefer to remain on a lower rung of fairly common and is found more commonly others and may think they are only meant the official hierarchy. Although capable of in women than men. to associate with the very best and top of the developing a close relationship if assured of range people, places and activities. They may uncritical acceptance, they usually hold back Obsessive-compulsive fish for compliments and are furious when from intimate associations for fear of being personality disorder this does not happen. They tend to develop shamed or ridiculed. People with obsessive-compulsive personality relationships only if the other person seems Avoidant personalities have low self- disorder are preoccupied with details, likely to advance their self-esteem and do not esteem and feel inadequate about themselves. orderliness, perfection, and control. Their hesitate to exploit a relationship. They view themselves as socially inept and attitude is mostly so inflexible that in going They mostly lack concern for others inferior to others. They are usually reluctant to for details, the objective of the activity might and have difficulty in recognising the desires engage in any new activities because they fear be lost. Even though they devote excessive and feelings of others. They do not have an ear it may prove embarrassing. These self-doubts amounts of time to work and productivity, for listening to the concerns and problems of may make them the butt of ridicule by others. their perfectionism might delay the project others and may appear extremely insensitive to These individuals may become socially isolated and interfere enormously with its completion their hurts and emotions. They may be envious and may have little or no social support group timeframe. They also loathe delegating tasks of others or think that others are envious of to bail them out in a moment of crisis. to others unless those people submit to them. They may exhibit snobbish, arrogant The disorder affects 0.5–1.0 per cent of exactly their way of doing things. They are and haughty behaviour. people. It is equally distributed among males generally rigid, formal, stubborn, serious,

27 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 Mediscape and fail to take time for leisure activities and Associations between specific biological factors, and logical argument, to help alter a person’s friendships. They also have a miserly spending including hormones, neurotransmitters and irrational perceptions and assumptions about style towards both self and others and might electrophysiological aberrations on one hand, himself. Aversive behaviour therapy may maintain a standard of living far below what and a personality disorder on the other have also be fruitful, particularly in some of the they can afford, believing that spending must also been identified. For example, people who relatively less serious disorders if practised be checked for future catastrophes. have impulsive traits often have increased levels regularly. It calls for a simple punishment, This personality trait is found in about of testosterone, 17-oestradiol and oestrone. such as disapproval, immediately after a one per cent of people and twice as much in Despite these biological associations, it specific behavioural response. When practised men as women. It differs from a full-blown will be naïve to negate the significance of life regularly, the behaviour pattern is eventually obsessive-compulsive disorder both in severity experience altogether in shaping the personality. inhibited and extinguished. Sending a child and extent. Interplay of all factors may be behind most who has done a wrong on time-out uses disorders. Let us take the two most serious the same concept. Not responding at all Other personality disorders personality disorders before resting the case. to an inappropriate behaviour may work Many psychiatrists use two additional A genetic predisposition to mood disorder along similar lines, where a lack of response diagnoses. One of them relates to people may open up a person to acquire a borderline eventually causes a person to abandon that with depressive personality disorder. They are personality disorder, if he or she experiences type of behaviour. overwhelmed by a sense of chronic pessimism, parental neglect, intense marital conflicts Individual-group therapy has also been gloominess, and cheerlessness. They brood and between parents, or repeated episodes of severe found useful when specific interpersonal are given to worry; are critical and derogatory emotional or sexual abuse. Similarly, a genetic behaviour needs to be improved. This may towards self; and appear negativistic, critical predisposition to alcoholism, impulsiveness work well in the case of schizoid, avoidant, and and judgemental towards others. and violence may lead a person to antisocial histrionic personalities. In contrast, people with passive- personality disorder if he or she has a troubled Some therapists also prefer to use a aggressive personality show a negative, sullen childhood marked by inconsistent parenting, technique called dialectical behaviour therapy and argumentative attitude; are stubborn and and a harsh environment that develops in treating people with borderline personality procrastinating by nature; they passively resist emotional coldness and prizes aggressiveness disorder. Using logical arguments, they help a completing tasks and chores, criticise and scorn and exploitation. person arrive at the truth and develop skills to authority figures, eye others with envy and cope with anger and self-destructive impulses. resentment, and voice exaggerated complaints Treatment Once the risk of suicidal tendencies stands of misfortune. Changing an innate human trait is extremely curbed, the therapist focuses on developing difficult, and the difficulty quotient spirals if personal strength in the individual to learn to What causes the personality the person is not ready for it. Yet, most people accept the disappointments and interpersonal warp? with warped and disorderly personalities often conflicts that are a natural part of life. fail to recognise that it is their personality that Controversies Most of these treatments can be taken There is a growing consensus among has contributed to their social, occupational, by a person as an outpatient, but in more severe and personal problems. They may think they researchers engaged in explorations of the disorders, such as antisocial personality disorder, have no real problems despite a history of failed mind that personality disorders are not just residential treatments have also been tried. The relationships, erratic jobs, and failures in making a product of life experiences, but also hinge focus is on a strict supervision of the person’s good the promise they held. The beginning on inherited genetic traits and biological behaviour and imposing rigid, consistent rules therefore must be made with an attempt to malfunctioning of the brain. For example, the and responsibilities. These programmes appear help the person understand the significance of roots of dependent personality disorder may to help some people, even though it is unclear his or her personality traits. Family members, if the benefit is permanent. be in a genetic anxiety flaw. Overly protective, friends, peer group, and therapists all can play clinging or, contrarily, neglectful parenting a role. Once the realisation dawns, people can and a fearful temperament during childhood try and mend the most dysfunctional aspects Medications may just be the stuff that germinates this flaw of their feelings and behaviour. As the role of biological factors has come into a full-blown personality disorder. While to the fore, physicians have started to use this mix of factors seems to be most plausible, Psychotherapy medications to help control symptoms. in the present molecular era the pendulum The treatment of personality disorders relies Antidepressant medications, low-dose anti- is swinging more and more in favour of the on long-term psychotherapy. The basic psychotic medicines, and mood-stabilising biological perspective. It makes small of the thought is to try and recreate pathologic agents have all been tried successfully to significance of life experience and emphasises patterns of interaction with the world at overcome feelings of anxiety, depression, or genetic and other biological factors. large, examine faulty defence mechanisms severe distortions of thought. In all cases, The biggest endorsement of the genetic at play and finally, if possible, iron them out however, it is important for both physician basis of personality disorders has come from through a controlled therapeutic relationship. and patient to have reasonable expectations behavioural studies carried on identical twins A variety of approaches continue to be in use as to the possible benefit of medication. raised in different homes and cultural settings. and the choice of treatment is guided by the While beneficial responses may be subtle and The same faults in personality were detected nature of the disorder. observable only over time, it has to be borne in a large number of identical twins even Therapists sometimes use cognitive and in mind that long-term medication also though they were reared in different homes. behavioural techniques, such as role-playing carries a risk of side effects.

Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 26 Editorial Technology Solutions to Energy Issues – Dissemination strategies

he system of water, energy, environment Suitable opportunities already exist for Tand agriculture comprise the four adopting environment-friendly technologies major components of the Earth system in the area of energy, transportation, water E-mail: [email protected] concerned with life support. Technology conservation and use, agriculture and industry. fuels and good practices in the use of energy, (and science) cuts across the four systems. Many of the eco-friendly technologies can deserve to be popularised, promoted and An integrated multi-level system is needed be adopted in a decentralised manner. Bio- encouraged. How can you lead campaigns to address the problem of global change with fuels potentially supply some 30 per cent of that help society make better choices? its demographic, environmental, climatic, global demand in an environment-friendly Existing mass media including biological, technological, economical, manner without significantly affecting food television, radio and print offer many social, and health components. Natural and production. While oil will not disappear opportunities. Personal interaction through human-engineered resource systems, such as in the near future and even after the recent lecture demonstrations, dialogue and debates environmental security, energy security, and surge in its prices, farm-grown bio-fuels such need to be harnessed. Efforts will have the security of food and freshwater supply have as ethanol and biodiesel will account for no objectives of bringing into focus, among already become critical. There is a growing more than a small fraction of fossil fuel use. other issues, the following: concern about the unprecedented damage Some micro-algae are efficient miniature 1. Identification of social and being done to the planet Earth. At the same biochemical factories and also good CO 2 environmental benefits of alternative time, there are many examples at different fixers. Municipal and industrial organic energy among college students; levels of society of actions for positive waste treatment for composting has received 2. Options to upgrade biomass fuels so change. inadequate attention. Recycling, reuse and they can be used for a broader range of No country can be termed a developed reduced energy consumption deserve to be markets and applications (e.g., wood country without adequate power, efficient widely encouraged as also the use of solar pellet fuels) to decision makers; transmission and equitable distribution heating and cooling and electric technologies, 3. Improving efficiency of utilising energy throughout the country. India has progressed energy-efficient design, ventilation and and its conservation to opinion makers; from a meagre 1,362 MW in1947 to about improved insulation of buildings to reduce and 128,000 MW in 2006 but this is not enough the consumption of energy in buildings. The 4. Biomethanation for the disposal of to keep pace with the rising load demand. use of safe industrial and agricultural waste organic residues and waste products Even today, there is a peak power deficit of products and other types of low-energy and of agricultural products and in animal at least 11 per cent and energy shortage of recycled building materials in construction husbandry to research scientists. about 6 per cent. There are issues of quality also should be encouraged. The next few weeks will witness every of power supply (fluctuations and stability) Possibilities and challenges of the college and university organising its cultural that are often critical. coming decade and the roles of the state, festival with opportunities for expressing Emphasis is being placed on alternative civil society and research institutions need and developing the creative potential of and renewable energy sources such as wind refining for a more just and equitable world. the participants. There are competitions energy, biomass, and solar and hydro energy Sensitising the policy makers and developing and exhibitions that demonstrate the rich in order to bridge the demand-supply gap. their capacity for better decision making is variety of forms available. Can the above This has received a major thrust under the crucial. concerns not be integrated in these creative Prime Minister’s National Action Plan for The development and dissemination expressions? Climate Change. Energy conservation and of new and environmentally sound efficiency are crucial in the power sector. technologies, including the reduction of Every unit saved is a unit generated. metal compounds as part of transportation 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.

Published and Printed by Dr. Subodh Mahanti on behalf of Vigyan Prasar, C-24, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi - 110 016 and Printed at Aravali Printers & Publishers Pvt. Ltd., W-30, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi-110 020. Ph. : 01126388830-32 Editor: Er Anuj Sinha

39 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 Editorial Technology Solutions to Energy Issues – Dissemination strategies

he system of water, energy, environment Suitable opportunities already exist for Tand agriculture comprise the four adopting environment-friendly technologies major components of the Earth system in the area of energy, transportation, water E-mail: [email protected] concerned with life support. Technology conservation and use, agriculture and industry. fuels and good practices in the use of energy, (and science) cuts across the four systems. Many of the eco-friendly technologies can deserve to be popularised, promoted and An integrated multi-level system is needed be adopted in a decentralised manner. Bio- encouraged. How can you lead campaigns to address the problem of global change with fuels potentially supply some 30 per cent of that help society make better choices? its demographic, environmental, climatic, global demand in an environment-friendly Existing mass media including biological, technological, economical, manner without significantly affecting food television, radio and print offer many social, and health components. Natural and production. While oil will not disappear opportunities. Personal interaction through human-engineered resource systems, such as in the near future and even after the recent lecture demonstrations, dialogue and debates environmental security, energy security, and surge in its prices, farm-grown bio-fuels such need to be harnessed. Efforts will have the security of food and freshwater supply have as ethanol and biodiesel will account for no objectives of bringing into focus, among already become critical. There is a growing more than a small fraction of fossil fuel use. other issues, the following: concern about the unprecedented damage Some micro-algae are efficient miniature 1. Identification of social and being done to the planet Earth. At the same biochemical factories and also good CO 2 environmental benefits of alternative time, there are many examples at different fixers. Municipal and industrial organic energy among college students; levels of society of actions for positive waste treatment for composting has received 2. Options to upgrade biomass fuels so change. inadequate attention. Recycling, reuse and they can be used for a broader range of No country can be termed a developed reduced energy consumption deserve to be markets and applications (e.g., wood country without adequate power, efficient widely encouraged as also the use of solar pellet fuels) to decision makers; transmission and equitable distribution heating and cooling and electric technologies, 3. Improving efficiency of utilising energy throughout the country. India has progressed energy-efficient design, ventilation and and its conservation to opinion makers; from a meagre 1,362 MW in1947 to about improved insulation of buildings to reduce and 128,000 MW in 2006 but this is not enough the consumption of energy in buildings. The 4. Biomethanation for the disposal of to keep pace with the rising load demand. use of safe industrial and agricultural waste organic residues and waste products Even today, there is a peak power deficit of products and other types of low-energy and of agricultural products and in animal at least 11 per cent and energy shortage of recycled building materials in construction husbandry to research scientists. about 6 per cent. There are issues of quality also should be encouraged. The next few weeks will witness every of power supply (fluctuations and stability) Possibilities and challenges of the college and university organising its cultural that are often critical. coming decade and the roles of the state, festival with opportunities for expressing Emphasis is being placed on alternative civil society and research institutions need and developing the creative potential of and renewable energy sources such as wind refining for a more just and equitable world. the participants. There are competitions energy, biomass, and solar and hydro energy Sensitising the policy makers and developing and exhibitions that demonstrate the rich in order to bridge the demand-supply gap. their capacity for better decision making is variety of forms available. Can the above This has received a major thrust under the crucial. concerns not be integrated in these creative Prime Minister’s National Action Plan for The development and dissemination expressions? Climate Change. Energy conservation and of new and environmentally sound efficiency are crucial in the power sector. technologies, including the reduction of Every unit saved is a unit generated. metal compounds as part of transportation 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.

Published and Printed by Dr. Subodh Mahanti on behalf of Vigyan Prasar, C-24, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi - 110 016 and Printed at Aravali Printers & Publishers Pvt. Ltd., W-30, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi-110 020. Ph. : 01126388830-32 Editor: Er Anuj Sinha

39 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 Humphry Davy Founder of

Electrochemistry Subodh Mahanti E-mail: [email protected] “I have learned more from my mistakes than from my successes.” Humphry Davy wide coverage in newspapers and magazines. “Language is not only the vehicle of thought; it is a great and efficient instrument in Through his public lectures he popularised thinking.” his experimental discoveries in chemistry, Humphry Davy electrochemistry, agriculture, geology, and catalysis. Davy’s popular lectures helped the Royal Institution become a social and umphry Davy made important Davy invented the Davy lamp (1815), financial success. Hcontributions to the development of which allowed miners to work safely in Davy was an enthusiastic poet and chemistry. To realise the importance of his presence of inflammable gases. Davy had he wrote a number of poems. He had contribution we should understand the state found in 1801 that nitrous oxide had the friendly terms with eminent poets like of chemistry in his time. To do this we quote ability to entirely take away the sensation of William Wordsworth (1770-1850), Samuel here from The History of Science in the pain and thus it was a hint that it could be Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834), and Robert Nineteenth Century by Ray Spangenburg used as anaesthetic in surgery. However, his Southey (1774-1843). Coleridge said that and Diane K Moser: “The year was 1829 suggestion was not taken up for another half if Davy “had not been the first chemist, he (referring to the year in which Davy died), a century. would have been the first poet of his age.” and for chemistry, the century had only just Davy was a great science populariser. Southey declared that “he (Davy) had all the begun, bolstered by the atomic theory of John He joined the newly established Royal elements of a poet; he only wanted the art.” Dalton, the new tool invented by Volta and Institution as a chemist in 1801 where John Ayrton Paris said that Davy’s verses the extraordinary discoveries of new elements, he gave public lectures accompanied by “bear the stamp of lofty genius.” It can be to continue to search out more new elements experimental demonstrations. He conducted said that Davy could have become a noted and to make sense of the vast jungle of poet if had pursued his interest in poetry molecules that form with the element carbon. seriously. However, many point out that Progress in all these fields was soon to come.” his sporadic writings did not show any true We should also remember that in England poetic imagination. when Davy was trying to pursue a career in Humphry Davy was born on 17 science only the Royal Astronomer could be December 1778 at Penzance in Cornwall, described as a professional scientist. UK. His father Robert Davy was a wood- Davy is mostly known today for carver. He was representative of a very old his discovery of metals namely sodium, family—his ancestors could be traced as potassium, calcium, magnesium, barium far back as 1635. Robert Davy took his through electrolysis of their compounds. profession as more of a hobby rather than a He also discovered boron. He established means of earning money. Humphry’s mother the elemental nature of chlorine and iodine. Grace Davy (nee Millet) had been adopted It was Davy who put an end to Lavoisier’s by John Tonkin, an eminent surgeon of theory that oxygen is an essential component Penzance after the untimely death of her of acids. In 1806, he delivered the Bakerine parents. It was Tonkin who first placed Davy Lecture. The lecture, which was titled “On in a preparatory school. Tonkin was very Some Chemical Agencies of Electricity”, was much impressed by the progress made by hailed by Jons Jacob Berzelius as “one of the Humphry Davy the boy and so he persuaded Davy’s father best memoirs which has ever enriched the to send him to a better school. And so, at theory of chemistry.” The Bakerian Lecture experiments in different areas of science and an early age Davy was sent to Penzance is a prize lecture of the Royal Society which had wonderful ability of storytelling. By Grammar School, where he studied under was established by Henry Baker in 1775 his dramatic presentation he could easily Rev. J. C. Coryton. Young Davy displayed an when he left 100 pounds for a spoken lecture captivate his audience. His lectures used to unusual inquisitiveness to acquire knowledge by a Fellow on such part of natural history or be attended by a large number of people. at an early age. He possessed a remarkable experimental philosophy as the Society shall His public scientific lectures used to be memory and was fond of reading books, determine. important social events and they were given especially history books. One of his favourite Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 38 History of Science

chemicals used by Davy. In 1798, Davy joined the Pneumatic Institution at Bristol founded by Dr. Thomas Beddoes. The main objective of the institute was to investigate the medical powers of different gases (or airs). Davy’s role was to conduct different experiments on the gases. While conducting these gas experiments Davy had to subject himself to considerable risks. Inhaling nitric oxide had the danger that it could have combined with common air in the mouth and form nitric acid capable of severely injuring mucous membrane. Describing his experiment Davy’s gravesite in Geneva with carbon monoxide he described that after inhaling the gas he “seemed sinking Statue of Davy in his hometown of Penzance the general introduction of useful mechanics into annihilation.” It took hours before the invention and improvements; and for books was Pilgrim’s Progress, written by John painful symptoms ceased. He produced a teaching by courses of philosophical lectures Bunyan (1628-1688), a Christian writer and large quantity of nitrous oxide or laughing and experiments, the application of science preacher. When he was eight years old, Davy gas. He often demonstrated the effect of the to the common purposes of life”. The used to give lecture standing on a cart in gas publicly. Describing his own experience ‘Society for Bettering the Condition and the market place on the subject of his latest after inhaling the gas he wrote: “My first Improving the Comforts of the Poor’, under reading. His audience consisted of fellow definite sensation was dizziness, such as to the guidance of philanthropist Sir Thomas students and he used to be thrilled by the induce a fear of falling. This was momentary. Bernard and American–born British scientist applause by his companions. When I took the mouthpiece furnishing Benjamin Thompson (Count Rumford) While at the Penzance Grammar the gas from my mouth, I immediately supported the Royal Institution in its initial School Davy developed an interest in laughed. The laugh was involuntary, but years. conducting scientific experiments mainly highly pleasurable, accompanied by a thrill Davy had been interviewed for the encouraged by Robert Dunkin, who was a all through me. And a tingling in my toes post by Joseph Banks, Benjamin Thompson member of Society of Friends (a Christian and fingers, a sensation perfectly new and (Count Rumford) and Henry Cavendish. denomination founded in England about delightful.” In the Pneumatic Institute Davy The resolution of the Royal Institution 1650 by George Fox). Dunkin was an also conducted experiments with voltaic appointing Davy said: “...that Humphry accomplished experimentalist and he himself batteries. Davy be engaged in the service of the Royal had constructed an electrical machine, voltaic Davy joined the Royal Institution in Institution in the capacity of assistant piles, Leyden jars and models for illustrating 1801. The Royal Institution was established lecturer in chemistry, director of the mathematical principles. In 1793, he moved in 1799 by the eminent British scientists chemical laboratory, and assistant editor of to Truro to complete his school education including Henry Cavendish. Its first the journals of the institution, and that he under Rev. Dr. Cardew. Davy learned a lot President was George Finch, the 9th Earl of be allowed to occupy a room in the house, of chemistry from reading books. Winchilsea. The Institution established for and be furnished with coal and candles, and In his childhood Davy largely taught “diffusing the knowledge, and facilitating that he paid a salary of 1001 (pounds) per himself. He once said: “I consider it fortunate annum.” I was left much to myself as a child, and put Davy was a pioneer in the field upon no particular plan of study...What I of electrolysis. He successfully used the am, I made myself.” voltaic pile to prepare many new elements After the death of his father, Davy was by splitting common compounds using apprenticed to John Bingham Borlase, a well- the voltaic pile. He discovered potassium known physician of Penzance. This happened in 1807 by electrolysing caustic potash because of the initiative taken by John (KOH). Potassium happens to be the first Tonkin. In the dispensary of the physician element to be isolated by electrolysis. The Davy served the role of a chemist. He also name “potassium” was also coined by Davy. started conducting experiments in the attic In 1807 he also isolated sodium by passing in Tonkin’s house. His friends used to be an electric current through molten sodium alarmed by his rather dangerous experiments hydroxide. The name “sodium” was also and would often say: “This boy Humphry is given by Davy. In 1808, he isolated calcium, incorrigible. He will blow us all.” His eldest which was also independently isolated by sister would also often complain because her Berzelius and Pontin. Throughout his life dresses used to get damaged by the corrosive The Davy Lamp Davy worked with electrolysis. He went on 37 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 History of Science

to prove that it was identical to carbon. In 1815, Davy invented a lamp for use in deep mines by miners. The lamp later became known as the Davy lamp. The invention was made in response to a letter received from Newcastle miners informing that they faced danger from methane and other inflammable gases which often filled the mines and could easily be sparked off resulting in fires and explosions causing many deaths. The flame in the Davy lamp is enclosed inside a mesh of wire, which acts as flame arrestor. Air can easily pass through the mess to support combustion or any flammable gas to burn inside but the holes of the mesh are so fine that they do Michael Faraday not allow the flames to go out and ignite Joseph Banks to discover magnesium, boron and barium. any flammable gas present. The Davy lamp Fellowship of the Royal Society three times. It was Davy who established the could also crudely detect the presence of any Faraday could become Fellow of the Royal elemental nature of chlorine in 1810. It flammable gas because in the presence of Society only after Davy resigned from the may be noted that chlorine was discovered such gas the flame of the Davy lamp would Presidentship of the Royal Society. in 1774 by the Swedish chemist Carl burn higher with blue tinge. In case the Davy was elected a Fellow of the Wilhelm Scheele, who produced the gas mine air was oxygen-poor, the lamp flame Royal Society of London in 1804 and he would be extinguished. George Stephenson also served as its President (1810-1827). He by reacting manganese dioxide (MnO2) with hydrogen chloride (HCl) solution also had invented a similar lamp in 1816. There was elected a foreign member of the Royal called oxymuriatic acid. Scheele termed the was dispute on the question who invented Swedish Academy of Sciences. Davy was a gas “dephlogisticated marine acid” and he the lamp first. However, the Davy lamp was founding Fellow of the Zoological Society of mistakenly thought that it contained oxygen. simpler and cheaper and it was popular with London. A lunar crater is named after Davy. The name “chlorine” was given by Davy. mine owners. His other practical inventions To honour Davy a plaque was included on He also demonstrated that oxygen could were carbon arc light and cathodic protection the wall of the Royal Panopticon of Science not be obtained from oxymuriatic acid. of the copper hulls of warships. and Art in 1854, the institution which was Davy’s observation was important because Davy made a great contribution to one of the grand social institutions and it disproved Lavoisier’s definition of acids as science by giving an opportunity to Michael architectural splendours of the Victorian compounds of oxygen. Faraday to work in the Royal Institution. As London, was later closed. His hometown Davy damaged his eyesight while we know, Faraday went on to become one of Penzance has a secondary school named experimenting with nitrogen trichloride. the greatest scientists of the world. Towards Humphry Davy School. It may be noted that Pierre Louis Dulong, the end Davy was not very appreciative A pub in his hometown is named who first prepared nitrogen trichloride in of Faraday. Many think that Davy was after Davy, it is called “Sir Humphry Davy”. 1812, also lost two fingers and an eye in two zealous of Faraday’s unprecedented success. Interestingly there are also pubs named after separate accidents resulting from handling Davy opposed Faraday’s nomination to the James Prescott Joule and Isaac Newton. the compound. Davy’s accident proved to be Davy is the subject of a humorous song by a major incident in the history of science as Richard Gendall, each verse of which recalls it induced him to engage Michael Faraday as one of Davy’s major discoveries. The song his assistant. was recorded by Cornish folksinger Brenda In 1813, Davy resigned his Professorship Wootton in 1980. A comedy script about at the Royal Institution and went on a two- the life of Davy was produced by the Truro- year tour of the European continent. He was based production company O-region. The accompanied by his wife, Michael Faraday, comedy script was written by Nicke Darke, and two boxes of apparatus. Irrespective of a Cornish playwright in 2005. Darke died the fact that England was at war with France, before he could complete the work and it Napoleon welcomed Davy’s visit. It is said was completed Carl Grose, a Cornish actor that Davy had remarked: “There is never a and playwright. war among the men of science.” In France Davy died on 29 May 1829. He was he characterised iodine as a true element. given a state funeral. He is buried in the In Italy he undertook some of the earliest Plainpalais Cemetery in Geneva. analyses of the pigments used in ancient paintings and there he also burnt diamond Carl Scheele continued on page 23 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 36 Hetal and Ankur Student innovators par excellence y using agricultural waste and the natural harmful effect on earthworms. ,If Bt crop no use to anyone. On the other hand, the Bbinder derived from spoiled garlic two waste remains in the ground for a long time, binders used in making particle boards are students of Rajkot , Gujarat - Hetal Kanjibhai it affects the fertility of the soil. Hence the harmful with respect to the environment and Vaishnav, Shree S.G. Dholakiya Memorial farmers cannot use Bt crop waste as organic human health. Such binders include phenol High School, and Ankur Kanjibhai Vaishnav, manure. And they are left with no other formaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde etc. of Shree P.V. Modi School, have developed option except burning the crop waste. By using agricultural waste and an eco-friendly particle board that has been The life of garlic is about 6 to 8 natural binder derived from spoiled garlic recognised at the international level. The months. Right from the process of harvesting we have been able to make particle boards two students have won an award at the I- till it reaches the customer nearly about 25% which can be used in furniture applications. SWEEEP, the International The ecofriendly particle boards Sustainable World (Energy, were made by employing both Engineering, and Environment) agricultural waste and spoiled garlic Project Olympiad, for their waste. By doing so, the cutting of project. trees for furniture applications can Er Anuj Sinha, Director, be reduced. Also, the air pollution Vigyan Prasar and Consultant, caused by burning such waste can Department of Science and be reduced. Technology interacted both Indirectly, it would help the students on their project the farmers, who can sell the and story of success; for the agriculture and garlic waste as motivation of students towards another source of income. It would science. also help reduce unemployment VP: Tell us about your in the rural areas by developing project and explain why it is a new technology, if available innovative. commercially. Hence, this project H & A: After harvesting is beneficial to society. the crops the agricultural waste Hetal and Ankur talking with Anuj Sinha at the VP: How did you get the is usually burnt by the farmers. IRIS National Fair 2009 held Ahmadabad idea and who gave you support at Such agricultural waste includes the early stage? wheat husk, cotton straw, groundnut husk, of garlic gets spoiled. This is due to the H & A: We are farmers, so we often etc. This spreads air pollution. There is no transportation and long period of storage in visit our farm and help our family members other use of this type of agricultural waste. marketing yards. All of this garlic waste which in farming. We realised that the amount of Secondly, crops grown from Bt seeds have is generated is simply thrown away and is of agricultural waste generated is much more

IRIS National Fair

Every year Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India, Intel and CII jointly organise a National Science fair namely, IRIS National Fair. Students across the country send synopses (abstracts) of their project. The SRC (Scientific Review Committee) short lists the best among them. Then students are called for presenting their project in the IRIS National Fair. 8 best projects among them are declared as the national winners. The national winners are selected only from senior (class IX to XII) category. About 100 projects were entered in the IRIS national Fair 2009.

Hetal and Ankur receiving an award as they became national winner at IRIS national fair held at Ahmedabad.

35 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 Interview than the actual crop. This waste is burnt off. VP: Has this competition had any So, we wanted to utilise such agricultural I-SWEEEP negative or positive impact on your studies? waste into useful application in day to day H & A: If a student plans his/her life. every day’s work then he/she will not face We also saw the garlic which was any negative impact. He/she should keep the grown in the farm, some of which would track with both the things, i.e., studies and spoil due to improper climatic conditions the project work, with proper planning. and also during the transport and storage. VP: What has been the reaction of your Our grand mother had told us that in olden teachers and parents when you were selected days they used garlic to join the broken glass for representing India at the ISWEEP? of the lantern. They used to rub the garlic on H & A: When our parents and the edges of the glass and then used to light teachers came to know about our selection up the lantern, which would seal the crack to represent India at International level, they on glass due to heat from lantern. were very happy and were very proud of us. We wanted to see if the garlic waste VP: What have you learnt from the has enough adhesion property and whether international exposure? it can be used in binding the agriculture H & A: Going to an international waste for making particle boards and found science fair was a great opportunity for us. that It indeed does! Meeting the world class scientists and having VP: Where did you look for more a viva with them was also a great opportunity information? Was it difficult to find the for us. Our mind started thinking in a current research? scientific manner. By going over there and H & A: We looked in books and by seeing other projects, we came to know surfed the Internet, for more information we about many different problems faced by the also met many professors, etc. But itwas very people and Earth’s environment. difficult for us to find references regarding VP: What is your message for other spoiled garlic, as not much research appears students who may participate in such events to have been done on it. in future? VP: Who was your main support Hetal and Ankur receiving their H & A: We would like to tell every during the process of making the project? award at ISWEEEP-2010 student of India that they must participate H & A: During the process of making in such a great event. But they should not the project, the main support for us was our I-SWEEEP, the International Sustainable only think of winning the awards. Rather father Mr. Kanjibhai Vaishnav and our guide World (Energy, Engineering, and they should participate to step out from Mr. Vaibhav Ramani. Environment) Project Olympiad, is a the bookish knowledge and get to know the VP: Would you like to do more work groundbreaking science fair open to high Creative world. They should not stop once on this project? school students. It is the largest science success is achieved but keep participating in H & A: Yes. We would like to fair event of its kind world-wide. I- such events. commercialise this product, if there is any SWEEEP is organised by the Cosmos VP: Can you recall the question from judges (in Ahmadabad or US) that you found financial aid available. Foundation, with a mission to establish VP: Have you participated in other most searching and what was your reply? college preparatory K-12 schools science competitions and won prizes? H & A: During the judging session, focussing on math, science, engineering, Hetal: I have become national winner some questions asked by judges were and computer technologies. I-SWEEEP at IRIS 2008 and have participated in ISEF beyond our level, as they asked us about works with local, national, and 2009 held at Reno, Nevada in USA. There I the chemistry of the spoiled garlic and the international science fair organisations won four Awards. I had participated in IRIS constituents of our binder. But this is a to bring together the top-ranking in the year 2006 and 2007 also. PhD level work as till now no one has done participants and qualifying projects from Ankur: I have participated in the research on spoiled garlic, and it is a very these competitions. science fair held at my school. There I was complex compound. I-SWEEEP 2010 brought first in all the three divisions of my school. And about the constituents of together over 1,000 brightest science like- The name of the fair was Discovery Science our binder, it was also beyond our level. minded students and their supervisors Fair. Because, finding the constituents of our in Houston, USA. Young scientists Then in the year 2009 we have become binder is like doing a PhD on the binder from 70 countries and 43 U.S. states the national winner in IRIS national science within 4 months! And for this we have displayed 470 science projects about fair. And we were selected for ISWEEEP approached many labs like NCL-Pune, pressing issues of energy, engineering, 2010. At ISWEEEP, we won an honorable Sicart-Baroda, and Saurashtra University and environment. mention award for our project on ecofriendly (Polymer Department)-Rajkot, S.K. particle boards Research and Remedies-Mumbai, Shri Ram

Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 34 Interview

ISEF Letters to the Editor Coach or Player The International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) began in 1950 as a platform to encourage pre-college students to conduct scientific research. Intel ISEF brings together I liked the way you drew parallels between a soccer game and development of resource more than 1,200 students from over 40 nations to compete for over 900 prizes. There materials for science communication is US$ 4 million to be won, including scholarships, tuition grants, internships, scientific (Editorial, Dream2047, August). You have field trips and the grand prize: a trip to attend the Nobel Prize Ceremony in Stockholm, put it very succinctly and lucidly. Thanks Sweden. for the thought-provoking piece. T V Jayan Science Editor, The Telegraph New Delhi Mob 9810410342 *****

Andhra coffee Thank you for the nice article about coffee, our favourite brew, which is very informative and enlightening. While the author discussed about Arabica and Robusta, no mention was made of Peaberry which is considered as a premium variety The author has mentioned that it is a favourite only in Tamil Nadu and South Karnataka. It is a great favourite of Andhrites also. Further, coffee is grown in Andhra Pradesh also, though quantitatively it is only a very small percentage. It has Hetal and Ankur explaining their project to a judge judging session nonetheless won the Flavour of India - the at ISWEEEP-2010 Fine Cup Award in the years 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2009. The author has totally ignored Andhra. Institute-Delhi, and Junagadh Agricultural friendly. Utilisation of agricultural waste for Suryanarayana, Ch V University-Junagadh. But we were not able making particle boards, also helped reduce 203 A, New Bhoiguda, to analyse our binder up to the extent where air pollution by preventing their burning. Secunderabad (AP) we can find its constituents, in the short VP: Do you propose to continue to ***** span of time. It is a very complicated and improve this or leave it for others? What type lengthy process. of support will be required now? In the reply to the above question, we H & A: We want to continue with Corrigendum gave the judges the reason why we were not this project. We have applied for a patent. In the interview with Lalita Balakrishnan able to find the constituents of our binder To start making this product commercially, (Dream 2047, August 2010), the and the chemistry of spoiled garlic. We told we need to make the design of the machine; caption of the photo at bottom on page them that our binder is very sticky and very we need to construct a pilot plant also. For 35 should read, “…..with solar lanterns complex material, so if it is run through this we require the technical and financial developed by different manufacturers HPLC or GCMS column then it can spoil support. and propagated by AIWC.” Instead of the column. VP: How has your academic “….with solar lantern and solar panel, VP: What was in your opinion the performance been affected because of this developed by AIWC”. one most important aspect of your project competition, travelling, etc? In column 3 para 3, on page that got it the award? H & A: There is no significant effect 35, please read “I had joined, already H & A: The binder that we used on our academic performance. existing AIWC Branches in Delhi, for making particle boards is derived from VP: What subjects do you wish to Hyderabad, Bhopal, Haridwar, and at spoiled garlic. Hence, it is eco-friendly and pursue in college and why? (Ankur and all these places I also started BHEL can be used in place of hazardous binders Hetal can have different answers) Ladies Welfare Association and did like phenol formaldehyde, melamine Hetal: I want to do first BSc, then formaldehyde, etc. MSc and then PhD. I want to do my MSc active work” instead of “We lived in Agriculture waste is used in place of and PhD in chemistry. Delhi, Hyderabad, Bhopal, Haridwar wood to make the particle boards, thereby Ankur: I also want to do the same, but and in all these cities I established reducing de-forestation and making it eco- I’d like to do MSc and PhD in physics. AIWC offices”. 33 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 The Time is Ripe he question often asked is: “Are you Ripe for harvest Tgreen and growing or ripe and rotting?” Normally fruits and vegetables are ready Now, thanks to the clues found by Indian for harvest when these have reached ideal scientists, “ripe” and “rotting” may not condition for consumption. This stage is Sukanya Datta necessarily always be clubbed together. Not called ‘harvest maturity’. However, Harvest E-mail: [email protected] for 45 days at least—if it is the tomato we maturity is not quite the same as physiological are talking about. maturity, which is the term for the stage According to scientists at the National when the plant has completed its active such as apple and orange do not exhibit Institute of Plant Genome Research, New vegetative growth and reached the stage of such extensive softening. Obviously, the Delhi, there are two tomato genes that, when seed production. Harvest maturity includes strategy to transport these two types has to silenced or “knocked down”, allow tomatoes the time required to reach the market. Thus be different. to remain ripe (without rotting) for three it takes into account a degree of time lag. Then again, fruits are classified as times as long as other tomatoes. This is Usually, fruits and vegetables are harvested being either of the ‘climacteric’ or the ‘non- indeed great news for cultivators and chefs before these reach the maturity considered climacteric’ type when it comes to ripening. alike. ideal for immediate consumption. l Climacteric fruits can be ripened off the parent plant. The respiration rate Ripe challenge and associated rise of ethylene Farmers know that fruit and production (signal for ripening) vegetables perish quickly. If care gradually reaches a climacteric is not taken during transport, peak at the onset of ripening; they soon spoil and become after which it declines. Tomato unfit for consumption. In India is a climacteric fruit. the post-harvest losses of fruits l Non-climacteric fruits are and vegetables is enormous. not capable of continuing their About 35-40 per cent of the ripening process once they are total produce is lost because it detached from the parent plant. becomes excessively soft. This Also, these fruits produce tiny means that India incurs a loss, quantities of ethylene, and do not only in terms of revenue, but not respond to external ethylene also in terms of health because treatment. Non-climacteric the fruits/vegetables are wasted. fruits show a gradual decline Although ripe fruits taste in their respiration pattern and best, the paradox is that even ethylene production, throughout in the market, most buyers Green and growing the ripening process. would rather buy a semi-ripe fruit Molecular ripening because they know they will not Ripening is often triggered by a research has focussed primarily be eating the fruit right away. They judge signal…usually ethylene. Tomato too on ethylene, but little is known of control that if they buy a semi-ripe one, it would be shows a rapid increase in the synthesis of before ethylene induction, or of common ripe for a feast by the time they get around ethylene at the beginning of the ripening regulatory mechanisms shared by climacteric to consuming it. So the prudent shopper, process. In commercial fruit production, and non-climacteric species knowing fully well that ripeness is the stage artificial ripening is used to control the before a fruit begins to rot, would rather buy rate of ripening, thus enabling transport Really ripe? a semi-ripe fruit instead of an overtly ripe and marketing to be carefully planned. Almost nobody has trouble identifying a ripe one. Ethylene is used commercially for the fruit from an unripe one. The challenge therefore is to correctly artificial ripening of certain fruits. Another Unripe fruits are: judge the exact degree of “ripeness” when commonly used agent for artificial ripening l Green with little/none of the tantalizing fruit should be harvested so that it can tempt is calcium carbide. However, the type of smells associated with the riper version. potential buyers with its ripeness when it fruit under consideration also influences the l Smaller finally reaches the market. It is obvious strategy for that fruit. l More sour/astringent therefore that ripening is a crucial parameter Different fruits ripen at different l Hard when it comes to both buying or selling fresh rates and to varying degrees. Fruits such Ripe fruits are: fruits and vegetables. Any method that can as mango, papaya and banana undergo l Visually striking: mostly red, dark regulate ripeness is a boon to farmers and drastic and extensive softening from “stone (almost black) or yellow. consumers alike. hard” stage to a “soft pulpy” stage. Fruits l Tempting when smelled Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 32 The Time is Ripe

galactosidase, which are low initially during fruit development, significantly increase. Ripening thus is coordinated manifestation of changes in colour, texture, flavour, aroma, and nutritional characteristics that render fruit attractive to those that eat it and thus assist in seed dispersal. Ripeness is followed by ageing or senescence. Then comes breakdown of the fruit…what we call rotting!

Regulating ripeness Will you buy these Hint of ripeness The softening of ripe fruits increases risk l Luscious to look at of damage during shipping and handling. of the strategies to regulate ripening is to l Sweet and juicy. However, it is the softness of the fruit identify and characterise proteins expressed l Soft to touch that directly impacts on palatability and during the process and whose biochemical Ripe fruits become soft because influences consumer acceptability and also, activities can be related to the observed the tissue softens thanks to the increase shelf-life. Thus this is the one criterion that changes. Initially efforts that were targeted at in cell-wall degrading enzymes that act most scientists have sought to regulate. One controlling fruit ripening sought to suppress upon proteins and carbohydrates. Other genes that coded cell-wall degrading proteins. structural alterations involve changes in This is because these proteins play a key role cell wall thickness, permeability of plasma in the softening associated with ripening and membrane, increased water content of cell it is because the fruits are soft that they are wall, decrease in the structural integrity, and squashed easily during transport. increase in intracellular spaces. Carbohydrates play a major role in the During ripening, colour, flavour, ripening process. The major classes of cell wall aroma and texture all change in a coordinated polysaccharides that undergo modifications manner. The change in colour when the fruit during ripening are starch, pectins, cellulose, is ripe happens because previously present and hemicelluloses. Pectins are responsible pigments come to light when chlorophyll for the texture and quality of fruits and is degraded. There is also synthesis and/or it is pectin degradation during ripening accumulation of coloured anthocyanins and that causes softening of the fruits. Pectin- carotenoids such as â-carotene, xanthophyll degrading enzymes are active in fruit-tissue esters, xanthophylls, and lycopene. The softening. Very early on, studies in fruit- increase in flavour and aroma during fruit ripening focussed on these enzymes, which ripening happens because of the production were manipulated in order to suppress cell- of a complex mixture of volatile compounds wall degrading enzymes. However, this met and the degradation of bitter flavanoids, with limited success and scientists turned to tannins, etc. Sweetness increases because of other strategies such as genetically modified increased production of glucose, hydrolysis of tomatoes. polysaccharides (especially starch), decreased acidity, and accumulation of sugars and Genetically modified tomato organic acids. Thus, increased respiration, Ripe and Red The first genetically modified (transgenic) chlorophyll degradation, biosynthesis of tomato that was engineered to stay firm and carotenoids, anthocyanins, essential oils, fresh for longer was the Flavr Savr tomato in and increased concentrations of compounds 1994. This was a genetically altered tomato influencing flavour and aroma mark the developed by Calgene using anti-sense RNA process of ripening. technology to inhibit the expression of a gene A host of enzymes also come into play that normally causes fruit to soften. Broadly during ripening and these bring on many speaking, anti-sense technology produces a of the changes we associate with ripening. molecule that blocks the target gene’s ability Enzymes such as â-hexosaminidase, á- to produce its protein. Unfortunately the mannosidase and á-galactosidase are thought Flavr Savr tomato was not a commercial to play a major role in the softening of the success and was withdrawn from the market fruit during ripening. In ripening tomatoes, in 1997. However, the search for the perfect to give a specific example, the activities tomato that will remain firm, fresh and of the enzymes â-hexosaminidase and á- Rotting on the vine bruise-free went on. 31 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 The Time is Ripe Indian contributions Man) and â-D-N-acetylhexosaminidase actions to be studied. More than a decade ago, Dr. T N Prabha (â-Hex). It has been known for some time The RNAi tomatoes plants grew and her colleagues at the Central Food that N-glycoproteins are common in cell normally and bore typical amounts of fruit. Technology Research Institute (a CSIR walls and free N-glycans are present in the The tomatoes showed normal climacteric laboratory), Mysore, had identified two pericarp of tomatoes at all stages of growth, ripening and colour development while genes that were active in the process of fruit but mostly during the ripening process. attached to the plant. However, these ripening. However, despite at least four Interestingly, blocking of N-glycosylation tomatoes held on to their texture and showed acclaimed research papers (posthumous) delayed ripening. This suggested that N- longer life. The RNAi tomatoes harvested at that were published with Dr. K Srinivasan glycan processing is an important event in the pink stage, retained their texture for 25- and her PhD student B Jagadeesh, which the ripening process. Thus, as the scientists 30 days, whereas the control tomatoes started elaborated how these two genes affected fruit have said, it was tempting to explore the shrinking and losing their texture after 15 ripening, Dr. Prabha did not live to see her possibility that, “genetic manipulation of days. Also, the tomatoes with ‘silenced genes’ ideas come to fruition. She died aged just 55 N-glycan processing can be of strategic (that is those with suppressed expression of in June 2002. importance to enhance fruit shelf life, the two enzymes) were firmer than other However, the without any negative tomatoes. Overall, the scientists reported, recent research paper effect on either “a substantial improvement in the shelf- on tomato ripening appearance or yield.” life” of tomatoes where N-glycan processing that was published by The scientists enzymes are targeted. They also say that á- Prof. Asis Datta and targeted the N- Man and â-Hex activities are high in papaya, his colleagues of the glycan processing banana and mango, which raises the hope National Institute of enzymes á-Man and that this strategy may yield positive results for Plant Genome Research â-Hex. They found these fruits also. The team plans to conduct (NIPGR), Delhi, in the that over-expression larger-scale open field trials, followed by 9 February 2010 issue of á-Man or â-Hex multi-location trials before seeking clearance of the Proceedings of resulted in excessive from Regulatory Authorities for commercial the National Academy fruit softening and the cultivation. The entire process is expected to of Sciences proves that signs of deterioration take two years. the torch of Science is set in early. On the always carried forward, other hand, the Tomato genome studies much like a baton suppression of á-Man With the explosive development of genome relay race. It is fitting and â-Hex enhanced studies, the tomato genome with its 24 tribute indeed to the fruit shelf-life, owing chromosomes is under scrutiny too. The Asis Datta pioneering work that she to the reduced rate of tomato genome is being sequenced part had done that Dr. Prabha has been named as softening. of the International Solanaceae Genome a co-author. Incidentally, Dr. Prabha was a In the experiment, expression of Initiative. The project aims to develop the former student of Prof. Datta. á-Man and â-Hex was silenced by using Family Solanaceae (to which both tomatoes In the experiment that built on the RNA interference (RNAi) technology. This and potatoes belong) as a model for Systems studies of Dr. Prabha, the scientists at is a method of blocking gene function by Biology. Tomato has been selected since it has NIPGR successfully delayed ripening in inserting short sequences of ribonucleic acid the smallest diploid genome in the Family. It tomatoes by 30-45 days. They achieved this (RNA) that match part of the target gene’s encodes approximately 35,000 genes. India by suppressing two enzymes responsible for sequence; thus no proteins are produced. too is part of this Initiative. The sequencing ripening in tomato — the N-glycoprotein The RNAi technique offers specificity and of tomato chromosome 5 is being jointly modifying enzymes, á-mannosidase (á- efficacy in silencing gene(s) allowing its carried out at the University of Delhi, South Campus; National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology; Indian Agriculture Research Institute and the National Centre for Plant Genome Research -- all at Delhi. The aim of tomato genome sequencing is to identify agronomically useful genes. More than 80 genes related to ripening of tomato fruits have been cloned. Scientists know that tomato plants harbouring the ripening-inhibitor (rin) mutation yield fruits that fail to ripen. Thus, the rin mutation can be widely used in tomato hybrid cultivars to yield fruit with a long shelf-life and National Institute of Plant Genome Research acceptable quality. n Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 30 Personality disorders Why Some People Think, Feel, and Act the Way They Do My idea of an agreeable person is a person who agrees with me. Dr Yatish Agarwal Benjamin Disraeli, Lothair e-mail: [email protected]

arps in personality are common and is the disorder. Yet, people who deviate from tried. The idea, equally, is to try and develop Wnobody may quite make the perfect cultural norms are not necessarily dysfunctional, an understanding of the behaviour of people grade, yet some people due to a genetic lineage nor are people who conform to cultural you intermingle with. or harsh environment may develop a character norms necessarily healthy. The truth is, many Let us now look into the common that is at serious odds with the norms of their personality disorders represent extreme variants deviants of personality. culture. These traits might take different forms of behaviour patterns that people usually value and shapes and be recognised by a name, but and encourage. For instance, most people Paranoid personality disorder there is also a school of thought that posits value friendliness but not submissiveness, self- People with a paranoid personality are these personality disorders as a continuum belief but not arrogance, and conscientiousness constantly defensive, secretive, suspicious and between the normal functioning of the mind but not perfectionism. The dividing line may distrustful toward other people. They believe and a formal mental illness. Extremely hard at times be rather hazy. In fact, a behaviour that others are against them and constantly to change, the salvation for a person with that seems deviant to one person may seem look for evidence to support their suspicions. this disorder might lie in trying to mend the normal to another depending on one’s gender, They doubt the trustworthiness and loyalty most dysfunctional aspects of their feelings ethnicity, and cultural background. of acquaintances and friends, persistently bear and behaviour. While psychotherapy and grudges against others, and are reluctant to behaviour therapy is useful in some situations, confide in others because of the fear that the medications can be used to rectify the biological information will be used against them. They functioning of the mind if the disorder is are hostile toward others and react angrily to serious and holds risk to self or others. perceived insults reading hidden meanings Mainly a hypothetical construct, the into gentle remarks or events, perceive attacks term ‘personality’ stands for a pattern of on their reputation where none is intended, thought, feeling, and behaviour that identify and are suspicious about the fidelity of their a person. It is a sum of definite traits that are sex partner. deeply ingrained, enduring, and unique about They may be objective, rational, and a person and distinguish him from the other unemotional, but they are often rigid and people. An upshot of personal drives and cannot accept criticism. Their aggressive influences from the outside world, it reflects suspicious nature usually spurs a hostile predictability about how a person will act or reaction from other people and makes them react under certain circumstances. Usually, the extremely unlikable. They find it difficult to more satisfactory a person’s early development collaborate with others and have few close and experiences, the stronger and more balanced relationships. Due to these handicaps, they is his personality. People who fail to experience Based on the predominant symptoms need to be self-sufficient and autonomous to and integrate satisfactory early experiences tend and their severity, personality disorders have be able to maintain themselves. to have personality structures that are faulty been categorised into several subtypes. The The disorder may surface during the teens and manifest more primitive responses. The current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical with solitariness, poor peer relationships, social flaw may also lie in the genetic background or Manual of Mental Disorders portrays ten anxiety, hypersensitivity and underachievement biological functioning of the brain. personality disorders, while others describe in school. Some 0.5 to 2.5 per cent of people Nobody fits the perfect bill. Most people, twelve. Each of them reflects a developmental are affected by a paranoid personality disorder. if not all, experience at least some difficulties maladaption from an early age, and yet, each is It is more common in males. and problems that result from their personality. distinctly different from the other. The specific point at which those problems If you were to evaluate yourself on the Schizoid personality disorder justify the diagnosis of a personality disorder altar of their characteristics, you night find People with schizoid personality are shy, is difficult to tell, but if it significantly impairs yourself fitting into many of the subtypes! introverted, detached and distant from other social or work functioning, is repetitive and However, do not feel distraught unless you people. Socially withdrawn, they have few inflexible, is stable over time, and is annoying find these traits are pervasive enough to bring close personal relationships, and do not care to others, there clearly is a problem. you into conflict with others and handicap much to be a part of the family. They are Broadly, the farther a person digresses your daily functioning. Just remember, you emotionally cold. Being loners, they prefer from the code of one’s culture the more severe cannot be agreeable to everybody even if you solitary pursuits and remain preoccupied with 29 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 Mediscape mechanical or abstract activities. Bookish, and destructive, he cannot form satisfactory Borderline personality disorder reserved, out of touch with others, they relationships, and may suffer failures in his People with borderline personality suffer are relatively blind to social cues and their personal, work-related and social life. from a chronic feeling of emptiness, and personal lives are usually barren. However, this Many people with antisocial personality make frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined remote exterior may belie the strong emotion are superficially likeable and charming, and abandonment by others. They experience which they may hide in their bosom. To find initially mislead well-meaning people whom inappropriate anger even when there are a vehicle for their private feelings, they may they subsequently disappoint and mortify. unavoidable changes in plans. For example, keep a diary or indulge in daydreaming. They may mistreat their spouses, neglect they may panic or burst into intense fury They seem indifferent to appreciation or abuse their children, and exploit their if somebody important to them is even or criticism by other people and may not react employees. They often engage in impulsive a few minutes late. Even on such minor actively even if circumstances so demand. behaviour and may dismay others by their disappointments, they may develop severe Since they lack social skills and have no desire uncontrolled, destructive outbursts. frustration, anger, and dismay and they may for sex, they also may not marry. Individuals with antisocial personality indulge in suicidal behaviour, self-mutilation, More common in men, a schizoid usually fail to understand that their behaviour and other self-destructive acts. personality usually finds it difficult to operate is wrong because they simply do not have a Individuals with this disorder have a well at work, particularly if a job requires conscience. The fact is, even if guilt, remorse, pattern of unstable but intense relationships. working with other people. But they may do shame, and anxiety make for unpleasant At first they may impress people as stimulating well in vocations that can be done singly or and exciting, and may share the most intimate without intimate social interaction. details about themselves early in a relationship. But they can turn bitter or angry at the slightest Schizotypal personality disorder of reasons, and their relationships tend to be People with schizotypal personality engage in unstable and explosive. bizarre thinking, speech, and behaviour. They People with borderline personalities also are superstitious, believe in clairvoyance, tend to have an unstable self-image or sense telepathy or sixth sense, and may feel that of self. This reflects sudden changes in their they have special powers to sense events career plans, change in values, and change in before they happen and can read the thoughts type of friends. They may also at times sense of others. They tend to use words and phrases such major void in their life that they begin to in unusual ways, and may think they have feel as if they do not exist at all. magical control over other people. They The disorder may also lead to suffer unusual bodily illusions and may feel impulsivity. In addition to self-mutilating acts, that there is another person present, or they they may gamble, spend money irresponsibly, may hear a voice murmur their name. Due abuse substances, binge eat, drive recklessly, to their odd thinking, they may behave in a and engage in unsafe sex. strange manner. For instance, they may walk About two per cent of all people have past a specific object several times to avoid an borderline personality disorder. Out of every imagined harmful outcome. four with this disorder, three are women. People with schizotypal personality Borderline personalities run a high risk of disorder are often also overly suspicious. This depression, bulimia (an emotional disorder makes them uncomfortable in relating to other characterised by an obsessive desire to lose people. They have few or no close friends and feelings, these emotions are crucial to healthy weight, in which bouts of extreme overeating feel anxious in social situations. The disorder social functioning and even physical survival. are followed by fasting or self-induced vomiting affects three per cent of all people. Most Antisocial personalities may take chances that or purging), stress disorders, dissociative look for help due to symptoms of anxiety, other people would shun. They may engage disorders, and drug dependence. About 10 depression, or restlessness. The disorder usually in kleptomania, gambling or physical assaults per cent of people with this disorder commit has a relatively stable course. repeatedly. suicide by the age of 30. The disorder affects about three per cent Antisocial personality disorder of males and one per cent of females. People with Histrionic personality disorder A person with antisocial personality acts in this disorder are at high risk for poor personal People with histrionic personality constantly a way that disregards the feelings and rights life, loss of employment, bankruptcy, injury, strive to be the centre of attention. Often of other people. Lacking in conscience, alcoholism, drug dependence, imprisonment, lively and dramatic, they may initially charm he comes into conflict with the code and and premature and violent death. new acquaintances by their enthusiasm, customs of the community, and still does The disorder runs a chronic course but apparent openness, and overly flirtatious not realise his mistakes. He is chronically may become a little milder as the individual behaviour. They believe in being the life of the in trouble and may not hesitate to use or gets older. Those affected by this disorder were party, being charmers, and do not hesitate in exploit other people for his own gain. He in the past called sociopaths or psychopaths, making up stories or even creating a scene to may lie repeatedly, act impulsively, and get and gave a lot of stuff to writers to weave a draw attention. Their appearance, including into physical fights. Loveless, indifferent novel or a film around them. the apparel and looks, and behaviour is

Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 28 Mediscape seductive. This may easily mislead the people Narcissistic personalities, however, and females. The disorder begins at a young they come in contact with, but it does not have a very fragile self-esteem. They may not age, runs a chronic course, and becomes milder necessarily reflect their romantic interests. show it outwardly, but they are easily stung with age. They usually talk in a dramatic or theatrical by criticism which leaves them emotionally fashion and display exaggerated emotional bruised. In such a situation, they may react Dependent personality disorder reactions. They may embarrass friends and with scorn, rage or counterattack. People with dependent personality have a acquaintances by excessive emotional display, Due to an overwhelming need for severe and disabling emotional dependency such as embracing casual acquaintances with admiration at all times and the insensitivity to on others. They are submissive and prefer excessive passion, sobbing for no real good the sentiments of others, they have few lasting to cling to others for support and advice at reason, or having tantrums. They also suffer relationships. They are also vulnerable to all times. They may experience difficulty in from a high degree of suggestibility and are depression, hypomania (a mild form of mania), taking even simple everyday decisions as to easily influenced by others. and might not achieve much in their work the colour of dress to wear to work, or the Without being aware of it, people because of their poor attitude. The disorder is briefcase they should carry. They need a great with this disorder may seek to control their found in less than one per cent of people. deal of guidance and reassurance, and usually partner through emotional manipulation depend on a parent or spouse to choose the on one level, whereas displaying a marked Avoidant personality disorder kind of job for them, who to befriend, and dependency on them at another level. Their People with avoidant personality suffer from how to lead their life. Since they are overly clamour for constant attention may ruin their social shyness, feelings of inadequacy and dependant, they do not express disagreement personal relationship with friends. They look hypersensitivity to negative evaluation. They with other people and might even agree with for novelty and excitement and are easily are intensely reserved, quiet, inhibited, and things that they feel are grossly wrong. Due frustrated if their actions are not met with withdrawn. They try to be invisible and feel to lack of self-confidence, they have difficulty immediate gratification. in doing things by themselves despite the The disorder is found in about two or fact that they might be quite capable of three per cent of people. Women outnumber functioning adequately. They might go to men, but only because they are more likely to any length to please those whose support be noticed. In the male-dominated milieu, a they yearn for. Even if a task is unpleasant, man with this disorder may just be tolerated necessitates self-sacrifices, or implies verbal, as a macho, while a woman would stand out physical or sexual abuse, they accept it to if she is provocatively dressed or acts in a avoid losing the relationship. They feel seductive fashion. uncomfortable by themselves. If a close relationship comes to an end, such as on the Narcissistic personality disorder death of a caregiver or spouse, they eagerly People with narcissistic personality have a seek out another relationship to fulfil their grandiose sense of self-importance. They seek emotional need of care and support. excessive admiration from others, routinely afraid that no matter what they say, others Due to their self-doubts, pessimism, overestimate their abilities, and boast will reject it, and so they say nothing at all. and constant need for nurturance, they may unabashedly about their deeds. They fantasise They are loath to work with other people avoid positions of responsibility and lag about unlimited success, power, brilliance, and because of an inner fear of being criticised, behind in their professional career. Their social beauty and compare themselves favourably disapproved, or rejected. So deep is their relationships are also limited only to people with the famous and beautiful. They believe fear that they might even reject a promotion on whom they are dependant. The disorder is they are special, unique, and superior to and prefer to remain on a lower rung of fairly common and is found more commonly others and may think they are only meant the official hierarchy. Although capable of in women than men. to associate with the very best and top of the developing a close relationship if assured of range people, places and activities. They may uncritical acceptance, they usually hold back Obsessive-compulsive fish for compliments and are furious when from intimate associations for fear of being personality disorder this does not happen. They tend to develop shamed or ridiculed. People with obsessive-compulsive personality relationships only if the other person seems Avoidant personalities have low self- disorder are preoccupied with details, likely to advance their self-esteem and do not esteem and feel inadequate about themselves. orderliness, perfection, and control. Their hesitate to exploit a relationship. They view themselves as socially inept and attitude is mostly so inflexible that in going They mostly lack concern for others inferior to others. They are usually reluctant to for details, the objective of the activity might and have difficulty in recognising the desires engage in any new activities because they fear be lost. Even though they devote excessive and feelings of others. They do not have an ear it may prove embarrassing. These self-doubts amounts of time to work and productivity, for listening to the concerns and problems of may make them the butt of ridicule by others. their perfectionism might delay the project others and may appear extremely insensitive to These individuals may become socially isolated and interfere enormously with its completion their hurts and emotions. They may be envious and may have little or no social support group timeframe. They also loathe delegating tasks of others or think that others are envious of to bail them out in a moment of crisis. to others unless those people submit to them. They may exhibit snobbish, arrogant The disorder affects 0.5–1.0 per cent of exactly their way of doing things. They are and haughty behaviour. people. It is equally distributed among males generally rigid, formal, stubborn, serious,

27 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 Mediscape and fail to take time for leisure activities and Associations between specific biological factors, and logical argument, to help alter a person’s friendships. They also have a miserly spending including hormones, neurotransmitters and irrational perceptions and assumptions about style towards both self and others and might electrophysiological aberrations on one hand, himself. Aversive behaviour therapy may maintain a standard of living far below what and a personality disorder on the other have also be fruitful, particularly in some of the they can afford, believing that spending must also been identified. For example, people who relatively less serious disorders if practised be checked for future catastrophes. have impulsive traits often have increased levels regularly. It calls for a simple punishment, This personality trait is found in about of testosterone, 17-oestradiol and oestrone. such as disapproval, immediately after a one per cent of people and twice as much in Despite these biological associations, it specific behavioural response. When practised men as women. It differs from a full-blown will be naïve to negate the significance of life regularly, the behaviour pattern is eventually obsessive-compulsive disorder both in severity experience altogether in shaping the personality. inhibited and extinguished. Sending a child and extent. Interplay of all factors may be behind most who has done a wrong on time-out uses disorders. Let us take the two most serious the same concept. Not responding at all Other personality disorders personality disorders before resting the case. to an inappropriate behaviour may work Many psychiatrists use two additional A genetic predisposition to mood disorder along similar lines, where a lack of response diagnoses. One of them relates to people may open up a person to acquire a borderline eventually causes a person to abandon that with depressive personality disorder. They are personality disorder, if he or she experiences type of behaviour. overwhelmed by a sense of chronic pessimism, parental neglect, intense marital conflicts Individual-group therapy has also been gloominess, and cheerlessness. They brood and between parents, or repeated episodes of severe found useful when specific interpersonal are given to worry; are critical and derogatory emotional or sexual abuse. Similarly, a genetic behaviour needs to be improved. This may towards self; and appear negativistic, critical predisposition to alcoholism, impulsiveness work well in the case of schizoid, avoidant, and and judgemental towards others. and violence may lead a person to antisocial histrionic personalities. In contrast, people with passive- personality disorder if he or she has a troubled Some therapists also prefer to use a aggressive personality show a negative, sullen childhood marked by inconsistent parenting, technique called dialectical behaviour therapy and argumentative attitude; are stubborn and and a harsh environment that develops in treating people with borderline personality procrastinating by nature; they passively resist emotional coldness and prizes aggressiveness disorder. Using logical arguments, they help a completing tasks and chores, criticise and scorn and exploitation. person arrive at the truth and develop skills to authority figures, eye others with envy and cope with anger and self-destructive impulses. resentment, and voice exaggerated complaints Treatment Once the risk of suicidal tendencies stands of misfortune. Changing an innate human trait is extremely curbed, the therapist focuses on developing difficult, and the difficulty quotient spirals if personal strength in the individual to learn to What causes the personality the person is not ready for it. Yet, most people accept the disappointments and interpersonal warp? with warped and disorderly personalities often conflicts that are a natural part of life. fail to recognise that it is their personality that Controversies Most of these treatments can be taken There is a growing consensus among has contributed to their social, occupational, by a person as an outpatient, but in more severe and personal problems. They may think they researchers engaged in explorations of the disorders, such as antisocial personality disorder, have no real problems despite a history of failed mind that personality disorders are not just residential treatments have also been tried. The relationships, erratic jobs, and failures in making a product of life experiences, but also hinge focus is on a strict supervision of the person’s good the promise they held. The beginning on inherited genetic traits and biological behaviour and imposing rigid, consistent rules therefore must be made with an attempt to malfunctioning of the brain. For example, the and responsibilities. These programmes appear help the person understand the significance of roots of dependent personality disorder may to help some people, even though it is unclear his or her personality traits. Family members, if the benefit is permanent. be in a genetic anxiety flaw. Overly protective, friends, peer group, and therapists all can play clinging or, contrarily, neglectful parenting a role. Once the realisation dawns, people can and a fearful temperament during childhood try and mend the most dysfunctional aspects Medications may just be the stuff that germinates this flaw of their feelings and behaviour. As the role of biological factors has come into a full-blown personality disorder. While to the fore, physicians have started to use this mix of factors seems to be most plausible, Psychotherapy medications to help control symptoms. in the present molecular era the pendulum The treatment of personality disorders relies Antidepressant medications, low-dose anti- is swinging more and more in favour of the on long-term psychotherapy. The basic psychotic medicines, and mood-stabilising biological perspective. It makes small of the thought is to try and recreate pathologic agents have all been tried successfully to significance of life experience and emphasises patterns of interaction with the world at overcome feelings of anxiety, depression, or genetic and other biological factors. large, examine faulty defence mechanisms severe distortions of thought. In all cases, The biggest endorsement of the genetic at play and finally, if possible, iron them out however, it is important for both physician basis of personality disorders has come from through a controlled therapeutic relationship. and patient to have reasonable expectations behavioural studies carried on identical twins A variety of approaches continue to be in use as to the possible benefit of medication. raised in different homes and cultural settings. and the choice of treatment is guided by the While beneficial responses may be subtle and The same faults in personality were detected nature of the disorder. observable only over time, it has to be borne in a large number of identical twins even Therapists sometimes use cognitive and in mind that long-term medication also though they were reared in different homes. behavioural techniques, such as role-playing carries a risk of side effects.

Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 26 Editorial Technology Solutions to Energy Issues – Dissemination strategies

he system of water, energy, environment Suitable opportunities already exist for Tand agriculture comprise the four adopting environment-friendly technologies major components of the Earth system in the area of energy, transportation, water E-mail: [email protected] concerned with life support. Technology conservation and use, agriculture and industry. fuels and good practices in the use of energy, (and science) cuts across the four systems. Many of the eco-friendly technologies can deserve to be popularised, promoted and An integrated multi-level system is needed be adopted in a decentralised manner. Bio- encouraged. How can you lead campaigns to address the problem of global change with fuels potentially supply some 30 per cent of that help society make better choices? its demographic, environmental, climatic, global demand in an environment-friendly Existing mass media including biological, technological, economical, manner without significantly affecting food television, radio and print offer many social, and health components. Natural and production. While oil will not disappear opportunities. Personal interaction through human-engineered resource systems, such as in the near future and even after the recent lecture demonstrations, dialogue and debates environmental security, energy security, and surge in its prices, farm-grown bio-fuels such need to be harnessed. Efforts will have the security of food and freshwater supply have as ethanol and biodiesel will account for no objectives of bringing into focus, among already become critical. There is a growing more than a small fraction of fossil fuel use. other issues, the following: concern about the unprecedented damage Some micro-algae are efficient miniature 1. Identification of social and being done to the planet Earth. At the same biochemical factories and also good CO 2 environmental benefits of alternative time, there are many examples at different fixers. Municipal and industrial organic energy among college students; levels of society of actions for positive waste treatment for composting has received 2. Options to upgrade biomass fuels so change. inadequate attention. Recycling, reuse and they can be used for a broader range of No country can be termed a developed reduced energy consumption deserve to be markets and applications (e.g., wood country without adequate power, efficient widely encouraged as also the use of solar pellet fuels) to decision makers; transmission and equitable distribution heating and cooling and electric technologies, 3. Improving efficiency of utilising energy throughout the country. India has progressed energy-efficient design, ventilation and and its conservation to opinion makers; from a meagre 1,362 MW in1947 to about improved insulation of buildings to reduce and 128,000 MW in 2006 but this is not enough the consumption of energy in buildings. The 4. Biomethanation for the disposal of to keep pace with the rising load demand. use of safe industrial and agricultural waste organic residues and waste products Even today, there is a peak power deficit of products and other types of low-energy and of agricultural products and in animal at least 11 per cent and energy shortage of recycled building materials in construction husbandry to research scientists. about 6 per cent. There are issues of quality also should be encouraged. The next few weeks will witness every of power supply (fluctuations and stability) Possibilities and challenges of the college and university organising its cultural that are often critical. coming decade and the roles of the state, festival with opportunities for expressing Emphasis is being placed on alternative civil society and research institutions need and developing the creative potential of and renewable energy sources such as wind refining for a more just and equitable world. the participants. There are competitions energy, biomass, and solar and hydro energy Sensitising the policy makers and developing and exhibitions that demonstrate the rich in order to bridge the demand-supply gap. their capacity for better decision making is variety of forms available. Can the above This has received a major thrust under the crucial. concerns not be integrated in these creative Prime Minister’s National Action Plan for The development and dissemination expressions? Climate Change. Energy conservation and of new and environmentally sound efficiency are crucial in the power sector. technologies, including the reduction of Every unit saved is a unit generated. metal compounds as part of transportation 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.

Published and Printed by Dr. Subodh Mahanti on behalf of Vigyan Prasar, C-24, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi - 110 016 and Printed at Aravali Printers & Publishers Pvt. Ltd., W-30, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi-110 020. Ph. : 01126388830-32 Editor: Er Anuj Sinha

39 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 Humphry Davy Founder of

Electrochemistry Subodh Mahanti E-mail: [email protected] “I have learned more from my mistakes than from my successes.” Humphry Davy wide coverage in newspapers and magazines. “Language is not only the vehicle of thought; it is a great and efficient instrument in Through his public lectures he popularised thinking.” his experimental discoveries in chemistry, Humphry Davy electrochemistry, agriculture, geology, and catalysis. Davy’s popular lectures helped the Royal Institution become a social and umphry Davy made important Davy invented the Davy lamp (1815), financial success. Hcontributions to the development of which allowed miners to work safely in Davy was an enthusiastic poet and chemistry. To realise the importance of his presence of inflammable gases. Davy had he wrote a number of poems. He had contribution we should understand the state found in 1801 that nitrous oxide had the friendly terms with eminent poets like of chemistry in his time. To do this we quote ability to entirely take away the sensation of William Wordsworth (1770-1850), Samuel here from The History of Science in the pain and thus it was a hint that it could be Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834), and Robert Nineteenth Century by Ray Spangenburg used as anaesthetic in surgery. However, his Southey (1774-1843). Coleridge said that and Diane K Moser: “The year was 1829 suggestion was not taken up for another half if Davy “had not been the first chemist, he (referring to the year in which Davy died), a century. would have been the first poet of his age.” and for chemistry, the century had only just Davy was a great science populariser. Southey declared that “he (Davy) had all the begun, bolstered by the atomic theory of John He joined the newly established Royal elements of a poet; he only wanted the art.” Dalton, the new tool invented by Volta and Institution as a chemist in 1801 where John Ayrton Paris said that Davy’s verses the extraordinary discoveries of new elements, he gave public lectures accompanied by “bear the stamp of lofty genius.” It can be to continue to search out more new elements experimental demonstrations. He conducted said that Davy could have become a noted and to make sense of the vast jungle of poet if had pursued his interest in poetry molecules that form with the element carbon. seriously. However, many point out that Progress in all these fields was soon to come.” his sporadic writings did not show any true We should also remember that in England poetic imagination. when Davy was trying to pursue a career in Humphry Davy was born on 17 science only the Royal Astronomer could be December 1778 at Penzance in Cornwall, described as a professional scientist. UK. His father Robert Davy was a wood- Davy is mostly known today for carver. He was representative of a very old his discovery of metals namely sodium, family—his ancestors could be traced as potassium, calcium, magnesium, barium far back as 1635. Robert Davy took his through electrolysis of their compounds. profession as more of a hobby rather than a He also discovered boron. He established means of earning money. Humphry’s mother the elemental nature of chlorine and iodine. Grace Davy (nee Millet) had been adopted It was Davy who put an end to Lavoisier’s by John Tonkin, an eminent surgeon of theory that oxygen is an essential component Penzance after the untimely death of her of acids. In 1806, he delivered the Bakerine parents. It was Tonkin who first placed Davy Lecture. The lecture, which was titled “On in a preparatory school. Tonkin was very Some Chemical Agencies of Electricity”, was much impressed by the progress made by hailed by Jons Jacob Berzelius as “one of the Humphry Davy the boy and so he persuaded Davy’s father best memoirs which has ever enriched the to send him to a better school. And so, at theory of chemistry.” The Bakerian Lecture experiments in different areas of science and an early age Davy was sent to Penzance is a prize lecture of the Royal Society which had wonderful ability of storytelling. By Grammar School, where he studied under was established by Henry Baker in 1775 his dramatic presentation he could easily Rev. J. C. Coryton. Young Davy displayed an when he left 100 pounds for a spoken lecture captivate his audience. His lectures used to unusual inquisitiveness to acquire knowledge by a Fellow on such part of natural history or be attended by a large number of people. at an early age. He possessed a remarkable experimental philosophy as the Society shall His public scientific lectures used to be memory and was fond of reading books, determine. important social events and they were given especially history books. One of his favourite Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 38 Humphry Davy Founder of

Electrochemistry Subodh Mahanti E-mail: [email protected] “I have learned more from my mistakes than from my successes.” Humphry Davy wide coverage in newspapers and magazines. “Language is not only the vehicle of thought; it is a great and efficient instrument in Through his public lectures he popularised thinking.” his experimental discoveries in chemistry, Humphry Davy electrochemistry, agriculture, geology, and catalysis. Davy’s popular lectures helped the Royal Institution become a social and umphry Davy made important Davy invented the Davy lamp (1815), financial success. Hcontributions to the development of which allowed miners to work safely in Davy was an enthusiastic poet and chemistry. To realise the importance of his presence of inflammable gases. Davy had he wrote a number of poems. He had contribution we should understand the state found in 1801 that nitrous oxide had the friendly terms with eminent poets like of chemistry in his time. To do this we quote ability to entirely take away the sensation of William Wordsworth (1770-1850), Samuel here from The History of Science in the pain and thus it was a hint that it could be Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834), and Robert Nineteenth Century by Ray Spangenburg used as anaesthetic in surgery. However, his Southey (1774-1843). Coleridge said that and Diane K Moser: “The year was 1829 suggestion was not taken up for another half if Davy “had not been the first chemist, he (referring to the year in which Davy died), a century. would have been the first poet of his age.” and for chemistry, the century had only just Davy was a great science populariser. Southey declared that “he (Davy) had all the begun, bolstered by the atomic theory of John He joined the newly established Royal elements of a poet; he only wanted the art.” Dalton, the new tool invented by Volta and Institution as a chemist in 1801 where John Ayrton Paris said that Davy’s verses the extraordinary discoveries of new elements, he gave public lectures accompanied by “bear the stamp of lofty genius.” It can be to continue to search out more new elements experimental demonstrations. He conducted said that Davy could have become a noted and to make sense of the vast jungle of poet if had pursued his interest in poetry molecules that form with the element carbon. seriously. However, many point out that Progress in all these fields was soon to come.” his sporadic writings did not show any true We should also remember that in England poetic imagination. when Davy was trying to pursue a career in Humphry Davy was born on 17 science only the Royal Astronomer could be December 1778 at Penzance in Cornwall, described as a professional scientist. UK. His father Robert Davy was a wood- Davy is mostly known today for carver. He was representative of a very old his discovery of metals namely sodium, family—his ancestors could be traced as potassium, calcium, magnesium, barium far back as 1635. Robert Davy took his through electrolysis of their compounds. profession as more of a hobby rather than a He also discovered boron. He established means of earning money. Humphry’s mother the elemental nature of chlorine and iodine. Grace Davy (nee Millet) had been adopted It was Davy who put an end to Lavoisier’s by John Tonkin, an eminent surgeon of theory that oxygen is an essential component Penzance after the untimely death of her of acids. In 1806, he delivered the Bakerine parents. It was Tonkin who first placed Davy Lecture. The lecture, which was titled “On in a preparatory school. Tonkin was very Some Chemical Agencies of Electricity”, was much impressed by the progress made by hailed by Jons Jacob Berzelius as “one of the Humphry Davy the boy and so he persuaded Davy’s father best memoirs which has ever enriched the to send him to a better school. And so, at theory of chemistry.” The Bakerian Lecture experiments in different areas of science and an early age Davy was sent to Penzance is a prize lecture of the Royal Society which had wonderful ability of storytelling. By Grammar School, where he studied under was established by Henry Baker in 1775 his dramatic presentation he could easily Rev. J. C. Coryton. Young Davy displayed an when he left 100 pounds for a spoken lecture captivate his audience. His lectures used to unusual inquisitiveness to acquire knowledge by a Fellow on such part of natural history or be attended by a large number of people. at an early age. He possessed a remarkable experimental philosophy as the Society shall His public scientific lectures used to be memory and was fond of reading books, determine. important social events and they were given especially history books. One of his favourite Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 38 History of Science

chemicals used by Davy. In 1798, Davy joined the Pneumatic Institution at Bristol founded by Dr. Thomas Beddoes. The main objective of the institute was to investigate the medical powers of different gases (or airs). Davy’s role was to conduct different experiments on the gases. While conducting these gas experiments Davy had to subject himself to considerable risks. Inhaling nitric oxide had the danger that it could have combined with common air in the mouth and form nitric acid capable of severely injuring mucous membrane. Describing his experiment Davy’s gravesite in Geneva with carbon monoxide he described that after inhaling the gas he “seemed sinking Statue of Davy in his hometown of Penzance the general introduction of useful mechanics into annihilation.” It took hours before the invention and improvements; and for books was Pilgrim’s Progress, written by John painful symptoms ceased. He produced a teaching by courses of philosophical lectures Bunyan (1628-1688), a Christian writer and large quantity of nitrous oxide or laughing and experiments, the application of science preacher. When he was eight years old, Davy gas. He often demonstrated the effect of the to the common purposes of life”. The used to give lecture standing on a cart in gas publicly. Describing his own experience ‘Society for Bettering the Condition and the market place on the subject of his latest after inhaling the gas he wrote: “My first Improving the Comforts of the Poor’, under reading. His audience consisted of fellow definite sensation was dizziness, such as to the guidance of philanthropist Sir Thomas students and he used to be thrilled by the induce a fear of falling. This was momentary. Bernard and American–born British scientist applause by his companions. When I took the mouthpiece furnishing Benjamin Thompson (Count Rumford) While at the Penzance Grammar the gas from my mouth, I immediately supported the Royal Institution in its initial School Davy developed an interest in laughed. The laugh was involuntary, but years. conducting scientific experiments mainly highly pleasurable, accompanied by a thrill Davy had been interviewed for the encouraged by Robert Dunkin, who was a all through me. And a tingling in my toes post by Joseph Banks, Benjamin Thompson member of Society of Friends (a Christian and fingers, a sensation perfectly new and (Count Rumford) and Henry Cavendish. denomination founded in England about delightful.” In the Pneumatic Institute Davy The resolution of the Royal Institution 1650 by George Fox). Dunkin was an also conducted experiments with voltaic appointing Davy said: “...that Humphry accomplished experimentalist and he himself batteries. Davy be engaged in the service of the Royal had constructed an electrical machine, voltaic Davy joined the Royal Institution in Institution in the capacity of assistant piles, Leyden jars and models for illustrating 1801. The Royal Institution was established lecturer in chemistry, director of the mathematical principles. In 1793, he moved in 1799 by the eminent British scientists chemical laboratory, and assistant editor of to Truro to complete his school education including Henry Cavendish. Its first the journals of the institution, and that he under Rev. Dr. Cardew. Davy learned a lot President was George Finch, the 9th Earl of be allowed to occupy a room in the house, of chemistry from reading books. Winchilsea. The Institution established for and be furnished with coal and candles, and In his childhood Davy largely taught “diffusing the knowledge, and facilitating that he paid a salary of 1001 (pounds) per himself. He once said: “I consider it fortunate annum.” I was left much to myself as a child, and put Davy was a pioneer in the field upon no particular plan of study...What I of electrolysis. He successfully used the am, I made myself.” voltaic pile to prepare many new elements After the death of his father, Davy was by splitting common compounds using apprenticed to John Bingham Borlase, a well- the voltaic pile. He discovered potassium known physician of Penzance. This happened in 1807 by electrolysing caustic potash because of the initiative taken by John (KOH). Potassium happens to be the first Tonkin. In the dispensary of the physician element to be isolated by electrolysis. The Davy served the role of a chemist. He also name “potassium” was also coined by Davy. started conducting experiments in the attic In 1807 he also isolated sodium by passing in Tonkin’s house. His friends used to be an electric current through molten sodium alarmed by his rather dangerous experiments hydroxide. The name “sodium” was also and would often say: “This boy Humphry is given by Davy. In 1808, he isolated calcium, incorrigible. He will blow us all.” His eldest which was also independently isolated by sister would also often complain because her Berzelius and Pontin. Throughout his life dresses used to get damaged by the corrosive The Davy Lamp Davy worked with electrolysis. He went on 37 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 History of Science

to prove that it was identical to carbon. In 1815, Davy invented a lamp for use in deep mines by miners. The lamp later became known as the Davy lamp. The invention was made in response to a letter received from Newcastle miners informing that they faced danger from methane and other inflammable gases which often filled the mines and could easily be sparked off resulting in fires and explosions causing many deaths. The flame in the Davy lamp is enclosed inside a mesh of wire, which acts as flame arrestor. Air can easily pass through the mess to support combustion or any flammable gas to burn inside but the holes of the mesh are so fine that they do Michael Faraday not allow the flames to go out and ignite Joseph Banks to discover magnesium, boron and barium. any flammable gas present. The Davy lamp Fellowship of the Royal Society three times. It was Davy who established the could also crudely detect the presence of any Faraday could become Fellow of the Royal elemental nature of chlorine in 1810. It flammable gas because in the presence of Society only after Davy resigned from the may be noted that chlorine was discovered such gas the flame of the Davy lamp would Presidentship of the Royal Society. in 1774 by the Swedish chemist Carl burn higher with blue tinge. In case the Davy was elected a Fellow of the Wilhelm Scheele, who produced the gas mine air was oxygen-poor, the lamp flame Royal Society of London in 1804 and he would be extinguished. George Stephenson also served as its President (1810-1827). He by reacting manganese dioxide (MnO2) with hydrogen chloride (HCl) solution also had invented a similar lamp in 1816. There was elected a foreign member of the Royal called oxymuriatic acid. Scheele termed the was dispute on the question who invented Swedish Academy of Sciences. Davy was a gas “dephlogisticated marine acid” and he the lamp first. However, the Davy lamp was founding Fellow of the Zoological Society of mistakenly thought that it contained oxygen. simpler and cheaper and it was popular with London. A lunar crater is named after Davy. The name “chlorine” was given by Davy. mine owners. His other practical inventions To honour Davy a plaque was included on He also demonstrated that oxygen could were carbon arc light and cathodic protection the wall of the Royal Panopticon of Science not be obtained from oxymuriatic acid. of the copper hulls of warships. and Art in 1854, the institution which was Davy’s observation was important because Davy made a great contribution to one of the grand social institutions and it disproved Lavoisier’s definition of acids as science by giving an opportunity to Michael architectural splendours of the Victorian compounds of oxygen. Faraday to work in the Royal Institution. As London, was later closed. His hometown Davy damaged his eyesight while we know, Faraday went on to become one of Penzance has a secondary school named experimenting with nitrogen trichloride. the greatest scientists of the world. Towards Humphry Davy School. It may be noted that Pierre Louis Dulong, the end Davy was not very appreciative A pub in his hometown is named who first prepared nitrogen trichloride in of Faraday. Many think that Davy was after Davy, it is called “Sir Humphry Davy”. 1812, also lost two fingers and an eye in two zealous of Faraday’s unprecedented success. Interestingly there are also pubs named after separate accidents resulting from handling Davy opposed Faraday’s nomination to the James Prescott Joule and Isaac Newton. the compound. Davy’s accident proved to be Davy is the subject of a humorous song by a major incident in the history of science as Richard Gendall, each verse of which recalls it induced him to engage Michael Faraday as one of Davy’s major discoveries. The song his assistant. was recorded by Cornish folksinger Brenda In 1813, Davy resigned his Professorship Wootton in 1980. A comedy script about at the Royal Institution and went on a two- the life of Davy was produced by the Truro- year tour of the European continent. He was based production company O-region. The accompanied by his wife, Michael Faraday, comedy script was written by Nicke Darke, and two boxes of apparatus. Irrespective of a Cornish playwright in 2005. Darke died the fact that England was at war with France, before he could complete the work and it Napoleon welcomed Davy’s visit. It is said was completed Carl Grose, a Cornish actor that Davy had remarked: “There is never a and playwright. war among the men of science.” In France Davy died on 29 May 1829. He was he characterised iodine as a true element. given a state funeral. He is buried in the In Italy he undertook some of the earliest Plainpalais Cemetery in Geneva. analyses of the pigments used in ancient paintings and there he also burnt diamond Carl Scheele continued on page 23 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 36 Hetal and Ankur Student innovators par excellence y using agricultural waste and the natural harmful effect on earthworms. ,If Bt crop no use to anyone. On the other hand, the Bbinder derived from spoiled garlic two waste remains in the ground for a long time, binders used in making particle boards are students of Rajkot , Gujarat - Hetal Kanjibhai it affects the fertility of the soil. Hence the harmful with respect to the environment and Vaishnav, Shree S.G. Dholakiya Memorial farmers cannot use Bt crop waste as organic human health. Such binders include phenol High School, and Ankur Kanjibhai Vaishnav, manure. And they are left with no other formaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde etc. of Shree P.V. Modi School, have developed option except burning the crop waste. By using agricultural waste and an eco-friendly particle board that has been The life of garlic is about 6 to 8 natural binder derived from spoiled garlic recognised at the international level. The months. Right from the process of harvesting we have been able to make particle boards two students have won an award at the I- till it reaches the customer nearly about 25% which can be used in furniture applications. SWEEEP, the International The ecofriendly particle boards Sustainable World (Energy, were made by employing both Engineering, and Environment) agricultural waste and spoiled garlic Project Olympiad, for their waste. By doing so, the cutting of project. trees for furniture applications can Er Anuj Sinha, Director, be reduced. Also, the air pollution Vigyan Prasar and Consultant, caused by burning such waste can Department of Science and be reduced. Technology interacted both Indirectly, it would help the students on their project the farmers, who can sell the and story of success; for the agriculture and garlic waste as motivation of students towards another source of income. It would science. also help reduce unemployment VP: Tell us about your in the rural areas by developing project and explain why it is a new technology, if available innovative. commercially. Hence, this project H & A: After harvesting is beneficial to society. the crops the agricultural waste Hetal and Ankur talking with Anuj Sinha at the VP: How did you get the is usually burnt by the farmers. IRIS National Fair 2009 held Ahmadabad idea and who gave you support at Such agricultural waste includes the early stage? wheat husk, cotton straw, groundnut husk, of garlic gets spoiled. This is due to the H & A: We are farmers, so we often etc. This spreads air pollution. There is no transportation and long period of storage in visit our farm and help our family members other use of this type of agricultural waste. marketing yards. All of this garlic waste which in farming. We realised that the amount of Secondly, crops grown from Bt seeds have is generated is simply thrown away and is of agricultural waste generated is much more

IRIS National Fair

Every year Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India, Intel and CII jointly organise a National Science fair namely, IRIS National Fair. Students across the country send synopses (abstracts) of their project. The SRC (Scientific Review Committee) short lists the best among them. Then students are called for presenting their project in the IRIS National Fair. 8 best projects among them are declared as the national winners. The national winners are selected only from senior (class IX to XII) category. About 100 projects were entered in the IRIS national Fair 2009.

Hetal and Ankur receiving an award as they became national winner at IRIS national fair held at Ahmedabad.

35 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 Interview than the actual crop. This waste is burnt off. VP: Has this competition had any So, we wanted to utilise such agricultural I-SWEEEP negative or positive impact on your studies? waste into useful application in day to day H & A: If a student plans his/her life. every day’s work then he/she will not face We also saw the garlic which was any negative impact. He/she should keep the grown in the farm, some of which would track with both the things, i.e., studies and spoil due to improper climatic conditions the project work, with proper planning. and also during the transport and storage. VP: What has been the reaction of your Our grand mother had told us that in olden teachers and parents when you were selected days they used garlic to join the broken glass for representing India at the ISWEEP? of the lantern. They used to rub the garlic on H & A: When our parents and the edges of the glass and then used to light teachers came to know about our selection up the lantern, which would seal the crack to represent India at International level, they on glass due to heat from lantern. were very happy and were very proud of us. We wanted to see if the garlic waste VP: What have you learnt from the has enough adhesion property and whether international exposure? it can be used in binding the agriculture H & A: Going to an international waste for making particle boards and found science fair was a great opportunity for us. that It indeed does! Meeting the world class scientists and having VP: Where did you look for more a viva with them was also a great opportunity information? Was it difficult to find the for us. Our mind started thinking in a current research? scientific manner. By going over there and H & A: We looked in books and by seeing other projects, we came to know surfed the Internet, for more information we about many different problems faced by the also met many professors, etc. But itwas very people and Earth’s environment. difficult for us to find references regarding VP: What is your message for other spoiled garlic, as not much research appears students who may participate in such events to have been done on it. in future? VP: Who was your main support Hetal and Ankur receiving their H & A: We would like to tell every during the process of making the project? award at ISWEEEP-2010 student of India that they must participate H & A: During the process of making in such a great event. But they should not the project, the main support for us was our I-SWEEEP, the International Sustainable only think of winning the awards. Rather father Mr. Kanjibhai Vaishnav and our guide World (Energy, Engineering, and they should participate to step out from Mr. Vaibhav Ramani. Environment) Project Olympiad, is a the bookish knowledge and get to know the VP: Would you like to do more work groundbreaking science fair open to high Creative world. They should not stop once on this project? school students. It is the largest science success is achieved but keep participating in H & A: Yes. We would like to fair event of its kind world-wide. I- such events. commercialise this product, if there is any SWEEEP is organised by the Cosmos VP: Can you recall the question from judges (in Ahmadabad or US) that you found financial aid available. Foundation, with a mission to establish VP: Have you participated in other most searching and what was your reply? college preparatory K-12 schools science competitions and won prizes? H & A: During the judging session, focussing on math, science, engineering, Hetal: I have become national winner some questions asked by judges were and computer technologies. I-SWEEEP at IRIS 2008 and have participated in ISEF beyond our level, as they asked us about works with local, national, and 2009 held at Reno, Nevada in USA. There I the chemistry of the spoiled garlic and the international science fair organisations won four Awards. I had participated in IRIS constituents of our binder. But this is a to bring together the top-ranking in the year 2006 and 2007 also. PhD level work as till now no one has done participants and qualifying projects from Ankur: I have participated in the research on spoiled garlic, and it is a very these competitions. science fair held at my school. There I was complex compound. I-SWEEEP 2010 brought first in all the three divisions of my school. And about the constituents of together over 1,000 brightest science like- The name of the fair was Discovery Science our binder, it was also beyond our level. minded students and their supervisors Fair. Because, finding the constituents of our in Houston, USA. Young scientists Then in the year 2009 we have become binder is like doing a PhD on the binder from 70 countries and 43 U.S. states the national winner in IRIS national science within 4 months! And for this we have displayed 470 science projects about fair. And we were selected for ISWEEEP approached many labs like NCL-Pune, pressing issues of energy, engineering, 2010. At ISWEEEP, we won an honorable Sicart-Baroda, and Saurashtra University and environment. mention award for our project on ecofriendly (Polymer Department)-Rajkot, S.K. particle boards Research and Remedies-Mumbai, Shri Ram

Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 34 Interview

ISEF Letters to the Editor Coach or Player The International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) began in 1950 as a platform to encourage pre-college students to conduct scientific research. Intel ISEF brings together I liked the way you drew parallels between a soccer game and development of resource more than 1,200 students from over 40 nations to compete for over 900 prizes. There materials for science communication is US$ 4 million to be won, including scholarships, tuition grants, internships, scientific (Editorial, Dream2047, August). You have field trips and the grand prize: a trip to attend the Nobel Prize Ceremony in Stockholm, put it very succinctly and lucidly. Thanks Sweden. for the thought-provoking piece. T V Jayan Science Editor, The Telegraph New Delhi Mob 9810410342 *****

Andhra coffee Thank you for the nice article about coffee, our favourite brew, which is very informative and enlightening. While the author discussed about Arabica and Robusta, no mention was made of Peaberry which is considered as a premium variety The author has mentioned that it is a favourite only in Tamil Nadu and South Karnataka. It is a great favourite of Andhrites also. Further, coffee is grown in Andhra Pradesh also, though quantitatively it is only a very small percentage. It has Hetal and Ankur explaining their project to a judge judging session nonetheless won the Flavour of India - the at ISWEEEP-2010 Fine Cup Award in the years 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2009. The author has totally ignored Andhra. Institute-Delhi, and Junagadh Agricultural friendly. Utilisation of agricultural waste for Suryanarayana, Ch V University-Junagadh. But we were not able making particle boards, also helped reduce 203 A, New Bhoiguda, to analyse our binder up to the extent where air pollution by preventing their burning. Secunderabad (AP) we can find its constituents, in the short VP: Do you propose to continue to ***** span of time. It is a very complicated and improve this or leave it for others? What type lengthy process. of support will be required now? In the reply to the above question, we H & A: We want to continue with Corrigendum gave the judges the reason why we were not this project. We have applied for a patent. In the interview with Lalita Balakrishnan able to find the constituents of our binder To start making this product commercially, (Dream 2047, August 2010), the and the chemistry of spoiled garlic. We told we need to make the design of the machine; caption of the photo at bottom on page them that our binder is very sticky and very we need to construct a pilot plant also. For 35 should read, “…..with solar lanterns complex material, so if it is run through this we require the technical and financial developed by different manufacturers HPLC or GCMS column then it can spoil support. and propagated by AIWC.” Instead of the column. VP: How has your academic “….with solar lantern and solar panel, VP: What was in your opinion the performance been affected because of this developed by AIWC”. one most important aspect of your project competition, travelling, etc? In column 3 para 3, on page that got it the award? H & A: There is no significant effect 35, please read “I had joined, already H & A: The binder that we used on our academic performance. existing AIWC Branches in Delhi, for making particle boards is derived from VP: What subjects do you wish to Hyderabad, Bhopal, Haridwar, and at spoiled garlic. Hence, it is eco-friendly and pursue in college and why? (Ankur and all these places I also started BHEL can be used in place of hazardous binders Hetal can have different answers) Ladies Welfare Association and did like phenol formaldehyde, melamine Hetal: I want to do first BSc, then formaldehyde, etc. MSc and then PhD. I want to do my MSc active work” instead of “We lived in Agriculture waste is used in place of and PhD in chemistry. Delhi, Hyderabad, Bhopal, Haridwar wood to make the particle boards, thereby Ankur: I also want to do the same, but and in all these cities I established reducing de-forestation and making it eco- I’d like to do MSc and PhD in physics. AIWC offices”. 33 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 The Time is Ripe he question often asked is: “Are you Ripe for harvest Tgreen and growing or ripe and rotting?” Normally fruits and vegetables are ready Now, thanks to the clues found by Indian for harvest when these have reached ideal scientists, “ripe” and “rotting” may not condition for consumption. This stage is Sukanya Datta necessarily always be clubbed together. Not called ‘harvest maturity’. However, Harvest E-mail: [email protected] for 45 days at least—if it is the tomato we maturity is not quite the same as physiological are talking about. maturity, which is the term for the stage According to scientists at the National when the plant has completed its active such as apple and orange do not exhibit Institute of Plant Genome Research, New vegetative growth and reached the stage of such extensive softening. Obviously, the Delhi, there are two tomato genes that, when seed production. Harvest maturity includes strategy to transport these two types has to silenced or “knocked down”, allow tomatoes the time required to reach the market. Thus be different. to remain ripe (without rotting) for three it takes into account a degree of time lag. Then again, fruits are classified as times as long as other tomatoes. This is Usually, fruits and vegetables are harvested being either of the ‘climacteric’ or the ‘non- indeed great news for cultivators and chefs before these reach the maturity considered climacteric’ type when it comes to ripening. alike. ideal for immediate consumption. l Climacteric fruits can be ripened off the parent plant. The respiration rate Ripe challenge and associated rise of ethylene Farmers know that fruit and production (signal for ripening) vegetables perish quickly. If care gradually reaches a climacteric is not taken during transport, peak at the onset of ripening; they soon spoil and become after which it declines. Tomato unfit for consumption. In India is a climacteric fruit. the post-harvest losses of fruits l Non-climacteric fruits are and vegetables is enormous. not capable of continuing their About 35-40 per cent of the ripening process once they are total produce is lost because it detached from the parent plant. becomes excessively soft. This Also, these fruits produce tiny means that India incurs a loss, quantities of ethylene, and do not only in terms of revenue, but not respond to external ethylene also in terms of health because treatment. Non-climacteric the fruits/vegetables are wasted. fruits show a gradual decline Although ripe fruits taste in their respiration pattern and best, the paradox is that even ethylene production, throughout in the market, most buyers Green and growing the ripening process. would rather buy a semi-ripe fruit Molecular ripening because they know they will not Ripening is often triggered by a research has focussed primarily be eating the fruit right away. They judge signal…usually ethylene. Tomato too on ethylene, but little is known of control that if they buy a semi-ripe one, it would be shows a rapid increase in the synthesis of before ethylene induction, or of common ripe for a feast by the time they get around ethylene at the beginning of the ripening regulatory mechanisms shared by climacteric to consuming it. So the prudent shopper, process. In commercial fruit production, and non-climacteric species knowing fully well that ripeness is the stage artificial ripening is used to control the before a fruit begins to rot, would rather buy rate of ripening, thus enabling transport Really ripe? a semi-ripe fruit instead of an overtly ripe and marketing to be carefully planned. Almost nobody has trouble identifying a ripe one. Ethylene is used commercially for the fruit from an unripe one. The challenge therefore is to correctly artificial ripening of certain fruits. Another Unripe fruits are: judge the exact degree of “ripeness” when commonly used agent for artificial ripening l Green with little/none of the tantalizing fruit should be harvested so that it can tempt is calcium carbide. However, the type of smells associated with the riper version. potential buyers with its ripeness when it fruit under consideration also influences the l Smaller finally reaches the market. It is obvious strategy for that fruit. l More sour/astringent therefore that ripening is a crucial parameter Different fruits ripen at different l Hard when it comes to both buying or selling fresh rates and to varying degrees. Fruits such Ripe fruits are: fruits and vegetables. Any method that can as mango, papaya and banana undergo l Visually striking: mostly red, dark regulate ripeness is a boon to farmers and drastic and extensive softening from “stone (almost black) or yellow. consumers alike. hard” stage to a “soft pulpy” stage. Fruits l Tempting when smelled Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 32 The Time is Ripe

galactosidase, which are low initially during fruit development, significantly increase. Ripening thus is coordinated manifestation of changes in colour, texture, flavour, aroma, and nutritional characteristics that render fruit attractive to those that eat it and thus assist in seed dispersal. Ripeness is followed by ageing or senescence. Then comes breakdown of the fruit…what we call rotting!

Regulating ripeness Will you buy these Hint of ripeness The softening of ripe fruits increases risk l Luscious to look at of damage during shipping and handling. of the strategies to regulate ripening is to l Sweet and juicy. However, it is the softness of the fruit identify and characterise proteins expressed l Soft to touch that directly impacts on palatability and during the process and whose biochemical Ripe fruits become soft because influences consumer acceptability and also, activities can be related to the observed the tissue softens thanks to the increase shelf-life. Thus this is the one criterion that changes. Initially efforts that were targeted at in cell-wall degrading enzymes that act most scientists have sought to regulate. One controlling fruit ripening sought to suppress upon proteins and carbohydrates. Other genes that coded cell-wall degrading proteins. structural alterations involve changes in This is because these proteins play a key role cell wall thickness, permeability of plasma in the softening associated with ripening and membrane, increased water content of cell it is because the fruits are soft that they are wall, decrease in the structural integrity, and squashed easily during transport. increase in intracellular spaces. Carbohydrates play a major role in the During ripening, colour, flavour, ripening process. The major classes of cell wall aroma and texture all change in a coordinated polysaccharides that undergo modifications manner. The change in colour when the fruit during ripening are starch, pectins, cellulose, is ripe happens because previously present and hemicelluloses. Pectins are responsible pigments come to light when chlorophyll for the texture and quality of fruits and is degraded. There is also synthesis and/or it is pectin degradation during ripening accumulation of coloured anthocyanins and that causes softening of the fruits. Pectin- carotenoids such as â-carotene, xanthophyll degrading enzymes are active in fruit-tissue esters, xanthophylls, and lycopene. The softening. Very early on, studies in fruit- increase in flavour and aroma during fruit ripening focussed on these enzymes, which ripening happens because of the production were manipulated in order to suppress cell- of a complex mixture of volatile compounds wall degrading enzymes. However, this met and the degradation of bitter flavanoids, with limited success and scientists turned to tannins, etc. Sweetness increases because of other strategies such as genetically modified increased production of glucose, hydrolysis of tomatoes. polysaccharides (especially starch), decreased acidity, and accumulation of sugars and Genetically modified tomato organic acids. Thus, increased respiration, Ripe and Red The first genetically modified (transgenic) chlorophyll degradation, biosynthesis of tomato that was engineered to stay firm and carotenoids, anthocyanins, essential oils, fresh for longer was the Flavr Savr tomato in and increased concentrations of compounds 1994. This was a genetically altered tomato influencing flavour and aroma mark the developed by Calgene using anti-sense RNA process of ripening. technology to inhibit the expression of a gene A host of enzymes also come into play that normally causes fruit to soften. Broadly during ripening and these bring on many speaking, anti-sense technology produces a of the changes we associate with ripening. molecule that blocks the target gene’s ability Enzymes such as â-hexosaminidase, á- to produce its protein. Unfortunately the mannosidase and á-galactosidase are thought Flavr Savr tomato was not a commercial to play a major role in the softening of the success and was withdrawn from the market fruit during ripening. In ripening tomatoes, in 1997. However, the search for the perfect to give a specific example, the activities tomato that will remain firm, fresh and of the enzymes â-hexosaminidase and á- Rotting on the vine bruise-free went on. 31 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 The Time is Ripe Indian contributions Man) and â-D-N-acetylhexosaminidase actions to be studied. More than a decade ago, Dr. T N Prabha (â-Hex). It has been known for some time The RNAi tomatoes plants grew and her colleagues at the Central Food that N-glycoproteins are common in cell normally and bore typical amounts of fruit. Technology Research Institute (a CSIR walls and free N-glycans are present in the The tomatoes showed normal climacteric laboratory), Mysore, had identified two pericarp of tomatoes at all stages of growth, ripening and colour development while genes that were active in the process of fruit but mostly during the ripening process. attached to the plant. However, these ripening. However, despite at least four Interestingly, blocking of N-glycosylation tomatoes held on to their texture and showed acclaimed research papers (posthumous) delayed ripening. This suggested that N- longer life. The RNAi tomatoes harvested at that were published with Dr. K Srinivasan glycan processing is an important event in the pink stage, retained their texture for 25- and her PhD student B Jagadeesh, which the ripening process. Thus, as the scientists 30 days, whereas the control tomatoes started elaborated how these two genes affected fruit have said, it was tempting to explore the shrinking and losing their texture after 15 ripening, Dr. Prabha did not live to see her possibility that, “genetic manipulation of days. Also, the tomatoes with ‘silenced genes’ ideas come to fruition. She died aged just 55 N-glycan processing can be of strategic (that is those with suppressed expression of in June 2002. importance to enhance fruit shelf life, the two enzymes) were firmer than other However, the without any negative tomatoes. Overall, the scientists reported, recent research paper effect on either “a substantial improvement in the shelf- on tomato ripening appearance or yield.” life” of tomatoes where N-glycan processing that was published by The scientists enzymes are targeted. They also say that á- Prof. Asis Datta and targeted the N- Man and â-Hex activities are high in papaya, his colleagues of the glycan processing banana and mango, which raises the hope National Institute of enzymes á-Man and that this strategy may yield positive results for Plant Genome Research â-Hex. They found these fruits also. The team plans to conduct (NIPGR), Delhi, in the that over-expression larger-scale open field trials, followed by 9 February 2010 issue of á-Man or â-Hex multi-location trials before seeking clearance of the Proceedings of resulted in excessive from Regulatory Authorities for commercial the National Academy fruit softening and the cultivation. The entire process is expected to of Sciences proves that signs of deterioration take two years. the torch of Science is set in early. On the always carried forward, other hand, the Tomato genome studies much like a baton suppression of á-Man With the explosive development of genome relay race. It is fitting and â-Hex enhanced studies, the tomato genome with its 24 tribute indeed to the fruit shelf-life, owing chromosomes is under scrutiny too. The Asis Datta pioneering work that she to the reduced rate of tomato genome is being sequenced part had done that Dr. Prabha has been named as softening. of the International Solanaceae Genome a co-author. Incidentally, Dr. Prabha was a In the experiment, expression of Initiative. The project aims to develop the former student of Prof. Datta. á-Man and â-Hex was silenced by using Family Solanaceae (to which both tomatoes In the experiment that built on the RNA interference (RNAi) technology. This and potatoes belong) as a model for Systems studies of Dr. Prabha, the scientists at is a method of blocking gene function by Biology. Tomato has been selected since it has NIPGR successfully delayed ripening in inserting short sequences of ribonucleic acid the smallest diploid genome in the Family. It tomatoes by 30-45 days. They achieved this (RNA) that match part of the target gene’s encodes approximately 35,000 genes. India by suppressing two enzymes responsible for sequence; thus no proteins are produced. too is part of this Initiative. The sequencing ripening in tomato — the N-glycoprotein The RNAi technique offers specificity and of tomato chromosome 5 is being jointly modifying enzymes, á-mannosidase (á- efficacy in silencing gene(s) allowing its carried out at the University of Delhi, South Campus; National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology; Indian Agriculture Research Institute and the National Centre for Plant Genome Research -- all at Delhi. The aim of tomato genome sequencing is to identify agronomically useful genes. More than 80 genes related to ripening of tomato fruits have been cloned. Scientists know that tomato plants harbouring the ripening-inhibitor (rin) mutation yield fruits that fail to ripen. Thus, the rin mutation can be widely used in tomato hybrid cultivars to yield fruit with a long shelf-life and National Institute of Plant Genome Research acceptable quality. n Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 30 Personality disorders Why Some People Think, Feel, and Act the Way They Do My idea of an agreeable person is a person who agrees with me. Dr Yatish Agarwal Benjamin Disraeli, Lothair e-mail: [email protected]

arps in personality are common and is the disorder. Yet, people who deviate from tried. The idea, equally, is to try and develop Wnobody may quite make the perfect cultural norms are not necessarily dysfunctional, an understanding of the behaviour of people grade, yet some people due to a genetic lineage nor are people who conform to cultural you intermingle with. or harsh environment may develop a character norms necessarily healthy. The truth is, many Let us now look into the common that is at serious odds with the norms of their personality disorders represent extreme variants deviants of personality. culture. These traits might take different forms of behaviour patterns that people usually value and shapes and be recognised by a name, but and encourage. For instance, most people Paranoid personality disorder there is also a school of thought that posits value friendliness but not submissiveness, self- People with a paranoid personality are these personality disorders as a continuum belief but not arrogance, and conscientiousness constantly defensive, secretive, suspicious and between the normal functioning of the mind but not perfectionism. The dividing line may distrustful toward other people. They believe and a formal mental illness. Extremely hard at times be rather hazy. In fact, a behaviour that others are against them and constantly to change, the salvation for a person with that seems deviant to one person may seem look for evidence to support their suspicions. this disorder might lie in trying to mend the normal to another depending on one’s gender, They doubt the trustworthiness and loyalty most dysfunctional aspects of their feelings ethnicity, and cultural background. of acquaintances and friends, persistently bear and behaviour. While psychotherapy and grudges against others, and are reluctant to behaviour therapy is useful in some situations, confide in others because of the fear that the medications can be used to rectify the biological information will be used against them. They functioning of the mind if the disorder is are hostile toward others and react angrily to serious and holds risk to self or others. perceived insults reading hidden meanings Mainly a hypothetical construct, the into gentle remarks or events, perceive attacks term ‘personality’ stands for a pattern of on their reputation where none is intended, thought, feeling, and behaviour that identify and are suspicious about the fidelity of their a person. It is a sum of definite traits that are sex partner. deeply ingrained, enduring, and unique about They may be objective, rational, and a person and distinguish him from the other unemotional, but they are often rigid and people. An upshot of personal drives and cannot accept criticism. Their aggressive influences from the outside world, it reflects suspicious nature usually spurs a hostile predictability about how a person will act or reaction from other people and makes them react under certain circumstances. Usually, the extremely unlikable. They find it difficult to more satisfactory a person’s early development collaborate with others and have few close and experiences, the stronger and more balanced relationships. Due to these handicaps, they is his personality. People who fail to experience Based on the predominant symptoms need to be self-sufficient and autonomous to and integrate satisfactory early experiences tend and their severity, personality disorders have be able to maintain themselves. to have personality structures that are faulty been categorised into several subtypes. The The disorder may surface during the teens and manifest more primitive responses. The current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical with solitariness, poor peer relationships, social flaw may also lie in the genetic background or Manual of Mental Disorders portrays ten anxiety, hypersensitivity and underachievement biological functioning of the brain. personality disorders, while others describe in school. Some 0.5 to 2.5 per cent of people Nobody fits the perfect bill. Most people, twelve. Each of them reflects a developmental are affected by a paranoid personality disorder. if not all, experience at least some difficulties maladaption from an early age, and yet, each is It is more common in males. and problems that result from their personality. distinctly different from the other. The specific point at which those problems If you were to evaluate yourself on the Schizoid personality disorder justify the diagnosis of a personality disorder altar of their characteristics, you night find People with schizoid personality are shy, is difficult to tell, but if it significantly impairs yourself fitting into many of the subtypes! introverted, detached and distant from other social or work functioning, is repetitive and However, do not feel distraught unless you people. Socially withdrawn, they have few inflexible, is stable over time, and is annoying find these traits are pervasive enough to bring close personal relationships, and do not care to others, there clearly is a problem. you into conflict with others and handicap much to be a part of the family. They are Broadly, the farther a person digresses your daily functioning. Just remember, you emotionally cold. Being loners, they prefer from the code of one’s culture the more severe cannot be agreeable to everybody even if you solitary pursuits and remain preoccupied with 29 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 Mediscape mechanical or abstract activities. Bookish, and destructive, he cannot form satisfactory Borderline personality disorder reserved, out of touch with others, they relationships, and may suffer failures in his People with borderline personality suffer are relatively blind to social cues and their personal, work-related and social life. from a chronic feeling of emptiness, and personal lives are usually barren. However, this Many people with antisocial personality make frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined remote exterior may belie the strong emotion are superficially likeable and charming, and abandonment by others. They experience which they may hide in their bosom. To find initially mislead well-meaning people whom inappropriate anger even when there are a vehicle for their private feelings, they may they subsequently disappoint and mortify. unavoidable changes in plans. For example, keep a diary or indulge in daydreaming. They may mistreat their spouses, neglect they may panic or burst into intense fury They seem indifferent to appreciation or abuse their children, and exploit their if somebody important to them is even or criticism by other people and may not react employees. They often engage in impulsive a few minutes late. Even on such minor actively even if circumstances so demand. behaviour and may dismay others by their disappointments, they may develop severe Since they lack social skills and have no desire uncontrolled, destructive outbursts. frustration, anger, and dismay and they may for sex, they also may not marry. Individuals with antisocial personality indulge in suicidal behaviour, self-mutilation, More common in men, a schizoid usually fail to understand that their behaviour and other self-destructive acts. personality usually finds it difficult to operate is wrong because they simply do not have a Individuals with this disorder have a well at work, particularly if a job requires conscience. The fact is, even if guilt, remorse, pattern of unstable but intense relationships. working with other people. But they may do shame, and anxiety make for unpleasant At first they may impress people as stimulating well in vocations that can be done singly or and exciting, and may share the most intimate without intimate social interaction. details about themselves early in a relationship. But they can turn bitter or angry at the slightest Schizotypal personality disorder of reasons, and their relationships tend to be People with schizotypal personality engage in unstable and explosive. bizarre thinking, speech, and behaviour. They People with borderline personalities also are superstitious, believe in clairvoyance, tend to have an unstable self-image or sense telepathy or sixth sense, and may feel that of self. This reflects sudden changes in their they have special powers to sense events career plans, change in values, and change in before they happen and can read the thoughts type of friends. They may also at times sense of others. They tend to use words and phrases such major void in their life that they begin to in unusual ways, and may think they have feel as if they do not exist at all. magical control over other people. They The disorder may also lead to suffer unusual bodily illusions and may feel impulsivity. In addition to self-mutilating acts, that there is another person present, or they they may gamble, spend money irresponsibly, may hear a voice murmur their name. Due abuse substances, binge eat, drive recklessly, to their odd thinking, they may behave in a and engage in unsafe sex. strange manner. For instance, they may walk About two per cent of all people have past a specific object several times to avoid an borderline personality disorder. Out of every imagined harmful outcome. four with this disorder, three are women. People with schizotypal personality Borderline personalities run a high risk of disorder are often also overly suspicious. This depression, bulimia (an emotional disorder makes them uncomfortable in relating to other characterised by an obsessive desire to lose people. They have few or no close friends and feelings, these emotions are crucial to healthy weight, in which bouts of extreme overeating feel anxious in social situations. The disorder social functioning and even physical survival. are followed by fasting or self-induced vomiting affects three per cent of all people. Most Antisocial personalities may take chances that or purging), stress disorders, dissociative look for help due to symptoms of anxiety, other people would shun. They may engage disorders, and drug dependence. About 10 depression, or restlessness. The disorder usually in kleptomania, gambling or physical assaults per cent of people with this disorder commit has a relatively stable course. repeatedly. suicide by the age of 30. The disorder affects about three per cent Antisocial personality disorder of males and one per cent of females. People with Histrionic personality disorder A person with antisocial personality acts in this disorder are at high risk for poor personal People with histrionic personality constantly a way that disregards the feelings and rights life, loss of employment, bankruptcy, injury, strive to be the centre of attention. Often of other people. Lacking in conscience, alcoholism, drug dependence, imprisonment, lively and dramatic, they may initially charm he comes into conflict with the code and and premature and violent death. new acquaintances by their enthusiasm, customs of the community, and still does The disorder runs a chronic course but apparent openness, and overly flirtatious not realise his mistakes. He is chronically may become a little milder as the individual behaviour. They believe in being the life of the in trouble and may not hesitate to use or gets older. Those affected by this disorder were party, being charmers, and do not hesitate in exploit other people for his own gain. He in the past called sociopaths or psychopaths, making up stories or even creating a scene to may lie repeatedly, act impulsively, and get and gave a lot of stuff to writers to weave a draw attention. Their appearance, including into physical fights. Loveless, indifferent novel or a film around them. the apparel and looks, and behaviour is

Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 28 Mediscape seductive. This may easily mislead the people Narcissistic personalities, however, and females. The disorder begins at a young they come in contact with, but it does not have a very fragile self-esteem. They may not age, runs a chronic course, and becomes milder necessarily reflect their romantic interests. show it outwardly, but they are easily stung with age. They usually talk in a dramatic or theatrical by criticism which leaves them emotionally fashion and display exaggerated emotional bruised. In such a situation, they may react Dependent personality disorder reactions. They may embarrass friends and with scorn, rage or counterattack. People with dependent personality have a acquaintances by excessive emotional display, Due to an overwhelming need for severe and disabling emotional dependency such as embracing casual acquaintances with admiration at all times and the insensitivity to on others. They are submissive and prefer excessive passion, sobbing for no real good the sentiments of others, they have few lasting to cling to others for support and advice at reason, or having tantrums. They also suffer relationships. They are also vulnerable to all times. They may experience difficulty in from a high degree of suggestibility and are depression, hypomania (a mild form of mania), taking even simple everyday decisions as to easily influenced by others. and might not achieve much in their work the colour of dress to wear to work, or the Without being aware of it, people because of their poor attitude. The disorder is briefcase they should carry. They need a great with this disorder may seek to control their found in less than one per cent of people. deal of guidance and reassurance, and usually partner through emotional manipulation depend on a parent or spouse to choose the on one level, whereas displaying a marked Avoidant personality disorder kind of job for them, who to befriend, and dependency on them at another level. Their People with avoidant personality suffer from how to lead their life. Since they are overly clamour for constant attention may ruin their social shyness, feelings of inadequacy and dependant, they do not express disagreement personal relationship with friends. They look hypersensitivity to negative evaluation. They with other people and might even agree with for novelty and excitement and are easily are intensely reserved, quiet, inhibited, and things that they feel are grossly wrong. Due frustrated if their actions are not met with withdrawn. They try to be invisible and feel to lack of self-confidence, they have difficulty immediate gratification. in doing things by themselves despite the The disorder is found in about two or fact that they might be quite capable of three per cent of people. Women outnumber functioning adequately. They might go to men, but only because they are more likely to any length to please those whose support be noticed. In the male-dominated milieu, a they yearn for. Even if a task is unpleasant, man with this disorder may just be tolerated necessitates self-sacrifices, or implies verbal, as a macho, while a woman would stand out physical or sexual abuse, they accept it to if she is provocatively dressed or acts in a avoid losing the relationship. They feel seductive fashion. uncomfortable by themselves. If a close relationship comes to an end, such as on the Narcissistic personality disorder death of a caregiver or spouse, they eagerly People with narcissistic personality have a seek out another relationship to fulfil their grandiose sense of self-importance. They seek emotional need of care and support. excessive admiration from others, routinely afraid that no matter what they say, others Due to their self-doubts, pessimism, overestimate their abilities, and boast will reject it, and so they say nothing at all. and constant need for nurturance, they may unabashedly about their deeds. They fantasise They are loath to work with other people avoid positions of responsibility and lag about unlimited success, power, brilliance, and because of an inner fear of being criticised, behind in their professional career. Their social beauty and compare themselves favourably disapproved, or rejected. So deep is their relationships are also limited only to people with the famous and beautiful. They believe fear that they might even reject a promotion on whom they are dependant. The disorder is they are special, unique, and superior to and prefer to remain on a lower rung of fairly common and is found more commonly others and may think they are only meant the official hierarchy. Although capable of in women than men. to associate with the very best and top of the developing a close relationship if assured of range people, places and activities. They may uncritical acceptance, they usually hold back Obsessive-compulsive fish for compliments and are furious when from intimate associations for fear of being personality disorder this does not happen. They tend to develop shamed or ridiculed. People with obsessive-compulsive personality relationships only if the other person seems Avoidant personalities have low self- disorder are preoccupied with details, likely to advance their self-esteem and do not esteem and feel inadequate about themselves. orderliness, perfection, and control. Their hesitate to exploit a relationship. They view themselves as socially inept and attitude is mostly so inflexible that in going They mostly lack concern for others inferior to others. They are usually reluctant to for details, the objective of the activity might and have difficulty in recognising the desires engage in any new activities because they fear be lost. Even though they devote excessive and feelings of others. They do not have an ear it may prove embarrassing. These self-doubts amounts of time to work and productivity, for listening to the concerns and problems of may make them the butt of ridicule by others. their perfectionism might delay the project others and may appear extremely insensitive to These individuals may become socially isolated and interfere enormously with its completion their hurts and emotions. They may be envious and may have little or no social support group timeframe. They also loathe delegating tasks of others or think that others are envious of to bail them out in a moment of crisis. to others unless those people submit to them. They may exhibit snobbish, arrogant The disorder affects 0.5–1.0 per cent of exactly their way of doing things. They are and haughty behaviour. people. It is equally distributed among males generally rigid, formal, stubborn, serious,

27 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 Mediscape and fail to take time for leisure activities and Associations between specific biological factors, and logical argument, to help alter a person’s friendships. They also have a miserly spending including hormones, neurotransmitters and irrational perceptions and assumptions about style towards both self and others and might electrophysiological aberrations on one hand, himself. Aversive behaviour therapy may maintain a standard of living far below what and a personality disorder on the other have also be fruitful, particularly in some of the they can afford, believing that spending must also been identified. For example, people who relatively less serious disorders if practised be checked for future catastrophes. have impulsive traits often have increased levels regularly. It calls for a simple punishment, This personality trait is found in about of testosterone, 17-oestradiol and oestrone. such as disapproval, immediately after a one per cent of people and twice as much in Despite these biological associations, it specific behavioural response. When practised men as women. It differs from a full-blown will be naïve to negate the significance of life regularly, the behaviour pattern is eventually obsessive-compulsive disorder both in severity experience altogether in shaping the personality. inhibited and extinguished. Sending a child and extent. Interplay of all factors may be behind most who has done a wrong on time-out uses disorders. Let us take the two most serious the same concept. Not responding at all Other personality disorders personality disorders before resting the case. to an inappropriate behaviour may work Many psychiatrists use two additional A genetic predisposition to mood disorder along similar lines, where a lack of response diagnoses. One of them relates to people may open up a person to acquire a borderline eventually causes a person to abandon that with depressive personality disorder. They are personality disorder, if he or she experiences type of behaviour. overwhelmed by a sense of chronic pessimism, parental neglect, intense marital conflicts Individual-group therapy has also been gloominess, and cheerlessness. They brood and between parents, or repeated episodes of severe found useful when specific interpersonal are given to worry; are critical and derogatory emotional or sexual abuse. Similarly, a genetic behaviour needs to be improved. This may towards self; and appear negativistic, critical predisposition to alcoholism, impulsiveness work well in the case of schizoid, avoidant, and and judgemental towards others. and violence may lead a person to antisocial histrionic personalities. In contrast, people with passive- personality disorder if he or she has a troubled Some therapists also prefer to use a aggressive personality show a negative, sullen childhood marked by inconsistent parenting, technique called dialectical behaviour therapy and argumentative attitude; are stubborn and and a harsh environment that develops in treating people with borderline personality procrastinating by nature; they passively resist emotional coldness and prizes aggressiveness disorder. Using logical arguments, they help a completing tasks and chores, criticise and scorn and exploitation. person arrive at the truth and develop skills to authority figures, eye others with envy and cope with anger and self-destructive impulses. resentment, and voice exaggerated complaints Treatment Once the risk of suicidal tendencies stands of misfortune. Changing an innate human trait is extremely curbed, the therapist focuses on developing difficult, and the difficulty quotient spirals if personal strength in the individual to learn to What causes the personality the person is not ready for it. Yet, most people accept the disappointments and interpersonal warp? with warped and disorderly personalities often conflicts that are a natural part of life. fail to recognise that it is their personality that Controversies Most of these treatments can be taken There is a growing consensus among has contributed to their social, occupational, by a person as an outpatient, but in more severe and personal problems. They may think they researchers engaged in explorations of the disorders, such as antisocial personality disorder, have no real problems despite a history of failed mind that personality disorders are not just residential treatments have also been tried. The relationships, erratic jobs, and failures in making a product of life experiences, but also hinge focus is on a strict supervision of the person’s good the promise they held. The beginning on inherited genetic traits and biological behaviour and imposing rigid, consistent rules therefore must be made with an attempt to malfunctioning of the brain. For example, the and responsibilities. These programmes appear help the person understand the significance of roots of dependent personality disorder may to help some people, even though it is unclear his or her personality traits. Family members, if the benefit is permanent. be in a genetic anxiety flaw. Overly protective, friends, peer group, and therapists all can play clinging or, contrarily, neglectful parenting a role. Once the realisation dawns, people can and a fearful temperament during childhood try and mend the most dysfunctional aspects Medications may just be the stuff that germinates this flaw of their feelings and behaviour. As the role of biological factors has come into a full-blown personality disorder. While to the fore, physicians have started to use this mix of factors seems to be most plausible, Psychotherapy medications to help control symptoms. in the present molecular era the pendulum The treatment of personality disorders relies Antidepressant medications, low-dose anti- is swinging more and more in favour of the on long-term psychotherapy. The basic psychotic medicines, and mood-stabilising biological perspective. It makes small of the thought is to try and recreate pathologic agents have all been tried successfully to significance of life experience and emphasises patterns of interaction with the world at overcome feelings of anxiety, depression, or genetic and other biological factors. large, examine faulty defence mechanisms severe distortions of thought. In all cases, The biggest endorsement of the genetic at play and finally, if possible, iron them out however, it is important for both physician basis of personality disorders has come from through a controlled therapeutic relationship. and patient to have reasonable expectations behavioural studies carried on identical twins A variety of approaches continue to be in use as to the possible benefit of medication. raised in different homes and cultural settings. and the choice of treatment is guided by the While beneficial responses may be subtle and The same faults in personality were detected nature of the disorder. observable only over time, it has to be borne in a large number of identical twins even Therapists sometimes use cognitive and in mind that long-term medication also though they were reared in different homes. behavioural techniques, such as role-playing carries a risk of side effects.

Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 26 Recent Developments in Science and Technology

Pulsar discovered through stars that emit lighthouse-like beams of radio grid computing waves that can sweep past the Earth as often as The combined effort of more than 250,000 716 times per second. They were discovered Biman Basu ordinary citizens from around the world has in 1967 by Jocelyn Bell and Antony Hewish e-mail: [email protected] recently led to the discovery of a new pulsar in the constellation of Vulpecula. Pulsars through grid computing. Grid computing is that have orbiting companions are called consider it especially interesting since it is applying the resources of many computers binary pulsars. They have been used to verify likely a recycled pulsar that lost its companion. in a network to a single problem at The new discovery is an example the same time – usually to a scientific of how programs downloaded to or technical problem that requires a home and office computers can help great number of computer processing analyse mountains of data. It is an cycles or access to large amounts exciting development that highlights of data. Grid computing requires the importance of citizen science the use of software that can divide and demonstrates the capability of and distribute pieces of a program “consumer” computational power to as many as several thousand for realising discoveries in astronomy computers. A well-known example and other data-driven science. of grid computing in the public domain is the ongoing SETI (Search The Moon is shrinking for Extraterrestrial Intelligence)@ Recent analysis of images received Home project in which thousands from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance of people are sharing the unused Orbiter (LRO) have brought to light processor cycles of their PCs in the A newfound pulsar, the dense remnant of an exploded star, was numerous surface structures called vast search for signs of “rational” discovered via the volunteer computing project Einstein@Home. ‘lobate scarps’ that scientists believe signals from outer space. Einstein@ It is depicted here in an artist’s illustration. (Credit: F. Mokler) reflect significant contraction in Home is another such project which the Moon’s recent geological past. has recently led to the discovery of a new Einstein’s theory of general relativity to very In other words, it means that our Moon pulsar by the combined efforts of more high precision. is shrinking, although the shrinkage is not than 250,000 ordinary citizens from 192 The new pulsar – called PSR much. Through analysis of the interaction different countries including India, who lent J2007+2722 – was discovered on the basis of the scarps with other nearby surface time on their PCs for the project. This is of the processed data on 11 July 2010. It features of known age, including craters, the first deep-space discovery by an entirely rotates 41 times per second and is located in the researchers infer that the Moon has voluntary effort (Science Express, 12 August the constellation Vulpecula, approximately contracted radially by about 100 metres in 2010). The citizens’ PCs were used to 17,000 light years from Earth. Unlike most the past 1 billion years (Science, 20 August process and analyse signals received from pulsars that spin as quickly and steadily, PSR 2010). space at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto J2007+2722 sits alone in space, and has Lobate scarps are created when land Rico, which has the largest single-dish radio no orbiting companion star. Astronomers on one side of a geologic fault line is thrust telescope on Earth. upward, creating a slanting wall that can be Einstein@Home is a volunteer several metres high and several kilometres distributed computing project. Members long. Based on their generally crisp of the public “sign up” their home or office appearance and lack of superposed large- computers, which automatically download diameter impact craters, lobate scarps are “workunits” from the servers, carry out considered among the youngest landforms analyses when idle, and return results. These on the Moon. These structures have been are automatically validated by comparison observed on the surface of the Moon before, with results for the same workunit, produced from images taken by the panoramic cameras by a different volunteer’s host computers. aboard the Apollo 15, 16 and 17 missions. For the present discovery about 100,000 But these earlier missions were confined to different computers downloads were the equatorial zone of the Moon’s surface. processed each week. The Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico has Using the LRO camera it has been possible Pulsars are rapidly spinning neutron the largest single-dish radio telescope on Earth. to acquire comprehensive images of the lunar 25 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 New Horizons

Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile and archival data from the Hubble Space Telescope to closely study two relatively young star clusters. The other cluster was NGC 3603, a cosmic factory lying about 22,000 light years away, where stars form out of extended clouds of gas and dust. From the study of the near-infrared image of the R136 cluster, the astronomers could reveal unique details of its stellar content. They found three of the brightest stars, each weighing more than 150 times the mass of the Sun at birth. R136a1 was the most massive of them. The team also found several stars with surface temperatures over 40,000 degrees, more than seven times Over recent geologic time, as the lunar interior cooled and contracted the entire Moon shrank hotter than our Sun, and a few tens of times by about 100 m. As a result its brittle crust ruptured and thrust faults formed distinctive larger and several million times brighter. landforms known as lobate scarps. (Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University/Smithsonian) Comparisons with models imply that several of these stars were born with masses in excess surface at higher latitudes, which reveal a of 150 solar masses. large number of lobate scarps present. After Monster of a star discovered Astronomers have discovered the most According to the researchers, not only poring over images from LRO, a team led by massive stars to date, one that was more than is R136a1 the most massive ever found, it’s Thomas Watters of Smithsonian Institution, 300 times the mass of the Sun at birth. At also the brightest, almost 10 million times Washington DC, USA, has identified 14 new present the star has a mass about 265 times more luminous than the Sun. Giant stars scarps in addition to the three dozen already that of the Sun. Until now, experts had produce powerful out flows that make them known, most of them at latitudes greater accepted that stars could be a maximum of shrink as they give up some of their contents than 60°. The lobate scarps discovered by 150 times the mass of the Sun. The monster to space. R136a1 also loses mass quite LRO escaped notice until now because they star – known as R136a1 – was discovered in rapidly and according to the researchers, it are only a kilometre or two long and just a a star cluster designated R136, a cluster of has already lost around a fifth of its mass, or few metres high, making them completely young, massive and hot stars, located in the more than 50 solar masses, since its birth just invisible to amateur telescopes and even Tarantula Nebula, in the Large Magellanic over a million years ago (Monthly Notices of to previous lunar-orbiting craft. Most Cloud, one of our neighbouring galaxies the Royal Astronomical Society, 26 July 2010 likely, they are the outcome of the gradual lying at a distance of 165,000 light years, by | doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.17167). contraction of the lunar interior as it cooled, a team of astronomers led by Paul Crowther According to the astronomers, stars a process that apparently did not end when of the University of Sheffield, UK. The team between about 8 and 150 solar masses explode the last maria filled with lava some 3 billion used the European Southern Observatory’s at the end of their short lives as supernovas, years ago. leaving behind exotic remnants known as These observations point to the fact either neutron stars (pulsars) or black holes. that at one time the Moon must have been The new findings raise the prospect of the really hot, as it accreted by picking up the existence of exceptionally bright supernovas white-hot pieces after something enormous that totally blow themselves apart, leaving collided early on with Earth and led to its no remnant and dispersing up to ten solar formation. Some researchers think the Moon masses of iron into their surroundings. did undergo substantial contraction early on, The newly discovered massive stars but those early surface scars have been erased also may shed light on the universe's first over time. The recently discovered lobate stars – objects whose masses are estimated scarps were probably formed later. to have ranged from 300 to 1,000 times The new finding also changes the the mass of the Sun. The earliest stars are existing view on lunar geology. It was believed This image provided by the European thought to have formed 100 million years earlier that the Moon is geologically dead – Southern Observatory shows a new near- after the Big Bang – the enormous release that everything of geologic significance that infrared image of the R136 cluster. At of energy that researchers say gave rise to the happened to the Moon happened billions birth, the three brightest stars in the universe some 13.6 billion years ago. of years ago, but the new results suggest image each weighed more than 150 times this is not the case. The Moon may still be the mass of the Sun. The most massive Earliest tool makers geologically and tectonically active and still star, known as R136a1, is located at the Tool making was once considered to be the contracting today. centre of the image. (Credit: ESO/AP) hallmark of modern humans Homo sapiens. Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 24 New Horizons

But recent finding of fossil bones that bear human family made and wielded these older evidence of butchery marks made by stone tools was unclear, mainly because no human implements indicate that tool making was remains were found in direct association practised by human ancestors nearly one with the tools and animal bones. The earliest million years earlier than previous evidence example of a clear association between suggested, and long before Homo sapiens humans and tools till date was 2.3 million appeared. Fossilised bones of two animals years old, and the human remains belonged show clear evidence of early humans using to an early Homo species. The recent finding stone tools to remove scraps of flesh from changes the whole scenario. the carcasses of large mammals. These However, it is known that Lucy bones were found at Dikika in Ethiopia in had a brain and body barely larger than a a region where the sediments are at least 3.2 chimpanzee’s. So, if the animals had been million years old (Nature, 12 August 2010 indeed butchered by Lucy’s species it would | doi:10.1038/nature09248). The discovery Fossilised bones discovered at Dikika in mean that our ancestors began using sharp was made by a team of palaeoanthropologists Ethiopia show cut marks (arrows) indicating stones to carve meat long before they had led by Shannon P. McPherron of Max Planck that stone tools were used by human developed big brains or specialised hands, Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, ancestors as early as to butcher animals. once thought to be absolutely essential for Leipzig, Germany. The location and age of tool use. the butchered bones from Dikika clearly Till now it was believed that the Homo Many scientists are surprised that indicate that these ancient butchers were not habilis, which lived from approximately 2.3 human ancestors were using tools more members of our own genus, Homo, but the to 1.4 million years ago and fossils of which than 3 million years ago, because there is more primitive Australopithecus, specifically were first discovered at Olduvai Gorge in scant evidence of this behaviour until now. A. afarensis, since no other hominin lived Tanzania, was the earliest to use stone tools. However, McPherron et al. note that early in this part of Africa at this time. These In fact, in 1964 Kenyan paleoanthropologist tool use was probably infrequent and did not fossils provide the first direct evidence that Louis Leakey and his colleagues named the result in the large accumulations of artefacts this species, which includes such famous earliest Homo species, H. habilis (‘handy and bones and that is why not many such individuals as Lucy and Selam (dubbed as man’), for its association with stone tools. artefacts have been found. According to “Lucy’s daughter”) used stone tools. What is Later evidence of stone tool use was found the researchers, there is the potential for interesting is that the species to which the between 2.5 million and 2.6 million years discovering more evidence of this behaviour celebrated Lucy fossil belongs. ago. But exactly which member of the not only at Dikika but also elsewhere.

(continued from page 36) Humphry Davy: Founder of Electrochemistry human existence is intellectual achievement 4. A Dictionary of Scientists, Oxford: and that to intellectually penetrate the secrets Oxford University Press, 1999. of God’s universe is the highest achievement 5. The Cambridge Dictionary of Scientists of all...Davy wrote poetry all of his life (2nd Edition), Cambridge: Cambridge and in his last years he wrote two highly University Press, 2004. imaginative prose works which debated 6. Chambers Biographical Dictionary, chemical, zoological, physiological, and New York: Chambers Harrap Publishers geological issues in the search for answers to Ltd., 1997. theological and metaphysical questions.” 7. Available sources on the Internet.

(The article is a popular presentation References of the important points of the life and work 1. Dutta, N. C., The Story of Chemistry, of Humphrey Davy available in the existing Hyderabad: Universities Press (India) literature. The idea is to inspire the younger Private Limited, 2005. generation to know more about Humphrey 2. Spangenburg, Ray and Diane K. Moser, Davy. The author has given the sources Benjamin Thompson (Count Rumford) The History of Science in the Nineteenth consulted for writing this article. However, In her dissertation, Humphry Davy: Century, Hyderabad: Universities Press the sources on the Internet are numerous A Case Study in Science and Romanticism, (India) Limited, 1999. and so they have not been individually listed. Julianne Tuttle wrote: “Davy’s science 3. Heilbron, J. L. (Ed.), The Oxford The author is grateful to all those authors was motivated by questions about life, Companion to the History of Modern whose works have contributed to writing matter, God, thought, and immortality. He Science, Oxford: Oxford University this article.) adamantly believed that the highest end of Press, 2003. n 23 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 Sky Map for October 2010 North Moon-Last Quarter New Moon

01 and 30 October 07 October West East

Moon-First Quarter Full Moon

South 15 October 23 October

The sky map is prepared for viewers in Nagpur (21.090 N, 79.090 E). It includes constellations and bright stars. For viewers south of Nagpur, constellations of the southern sky will appear higher up in the sky , and those of the northern sky will appear nearer the northen horizon. Similarly, for viewer north of Nagpur, constellations of northern sky will appear higher up in the sky, and those of the southern sky will appear nearer the southern horizon. The map can be used at 10 PM on 1 October, at 9 PM on 15 October and at 8 PM on 31 October.

Tips to use sky map: Visibility of Planets! (IST) Sky Event Date IST Event (1) Choose a place away from Rising Setting In the Zodiac 01 09:48 Saturn Conjunction city lights/street lights. Mercury 06:03 17:47 Virgo-Libra 01 18:56 Venus-Mars (2) Hold the sky-map Venus 07:43 18:32 Libra-Virgo overhead with North in Mars 08:18 19:24 Libra-Scorpius 07 00:11 Moon Perigee the direction of Polaris. Jupiter 16:26 04:23 Pisces-Aquarius 17 11:05 Mercury Superior Conjunction Saturn 05:18 17:15 Virgo 19 04:48 Moon Apogee (3) Use a pencil torch for Uranus 16:30 04:32 Pisces reading the sky map. 22 02:20 Orionid Shower Neptune 14:50 02:15 Capricornus 29 11:33 Venus Inferior Conjunction (4) Try to identify constellation !Time shown is subject to vary (± 1 hr) from place as shown in the map one to place. Arvind C. Ranade by one. *Not naked eye object E-mail : [email protected] Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1 22 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: “Can mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and dengue be eradicated, given the public apathy to sanitation and cleanliness?” 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 October 2010” 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 July 2010 Topic: “Considering the vastness of our country and its large population, are we using the potential of satellite television in education adequately?”

Mehraj Ahmed Dar, availability of electricity, especially in the rural areas. Even where Department of Actuarial & Financial Mathematics, it is available, the failure rate is high or voltage is very low. The Islamic University of Science & Technology, alternative solution to this problem may be solar energy or generator Awantipora , Kashmir, J&K-192122. set. This is an economical issue. In educational field, satellite television has been an The second reason is our attitude. Although satellite attractive option for enthusiastic learning in India. television is used in extensively for entertainment, there is little The country’s national television Doordarshan has effort to use satellite television in education. travelled through different educational television projects, thereby ***** nurturing its huge audience  primary, secondary and university Debapriyo Pal level students. Besides, it has reached the remotest possible areas. Class-IX, School-Netaji Vidyapith Like developed countries that are taking full advantage of State-Tripura satellite television in education, India should give more thrust to District-North Tripura reach new heights. The currently available stuff is not adequate Television constitutes an important medium widely enough to meet the growing needs. It should be more focussed used to disseminate information to its viewers. It has at and new innovations brought in. Experts from corporate and the unique feature of combining audio and visual educational sectors should be invited in this endeavour to bring technologies, and thus considered to be more effective than audio about a revolution in satellite television in education. media. In India, since the inception of TV network, television has been perceived as an efficient force of education and development. ***** K. Samantaray, With its large audience it has attracted educators as being an efficient C/o Sushant Kumar Pany. tool for imparting education to primary, secondary and university B/59 Bhagirathi Vihar ( Nuapokhari ) level students. The IGNOU-Doordarshan telecast programmes, Gudianali , Dhenkanal-759001 (Orissa) designed mainly for distance learners started in May 1991. Initially Email:- [email protected] they were telecast on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 6.30 to The use of satellite television in education is really 7.00 AM through the national network of Doordarshan with the revolutionary. Fortunately India has indigenous aim of providing tele-counselling to students of open universities technology to provide satellite network. India has in remote areas. Another educational channel is Gyan darshan. But using satellite television in education for more than 20 years. Now most TV channels in our country provide only entertainment. So the question is, whether we are using this facility adequately? In considering the vastness of our country and its large population, we my opinion the answer is NO. We are not using the potential of can say that we are not using the potential of satellite television in satellite television in education adequately. education adequately. One of the main factors responsible for this is the non- *****

21 Dream 2047, October 2010, Vol. 13 No. 1