FM Radio and Super hetrodyne Tuner..Edwin Armstrong

Edwin Howard Armstrong was one of great engineers of the 20th century, he was born in 1890, in New York City, and died in 1954, also in New York City. Edwin Armstrong was only eleven when Marconi made the first trans-Atlantic radio transmission. Enthralled, the young Armstrong began studying radio and building homemade wireless equipment, including a 125 foot antenna in his parent's backyard.

FM Radio 1933

Edwin Armstrong is most commonly known for inventing frequency-modulated or FM radio in 1933. Frequency modulation or FM improved the audio signal of radio by controlling the noise static caused by electrical equipment and the earth's atmosphere. Edwin Armstrong received U.S. patent 1,342,885 for a "Method of Receiving High-Frequency Oscillations Radio" for his FM rechnology. However, Edwin Armstrong should be known for inventing three key innovations: regeneration, superheterodyning, and frequency modulation. Every radio or television set today makes use of one or more of Edwin Armstrong's inventions.

Regeneration Amplification 1913

In 1913, Edwin Armstrong invented the regenerative or feedback circuit. Regeneration amplification worked by feeding the received radio signal through a radio tube 20,000 times per second, that increased the power of the received radio signal and allowed radio broadcasts to have a greater range.

Superhetrodyne Tuner

Edwin Armstrong invented the superhetrodyne tuner that allowed radios to tune into different radio stations.

Sune K. Bergström

Bengt I. Samuelsson

John R. Vane

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1982 was awarded jointly to Sune K. Bergström, Bengt I. Samuelsson and John R. Vane "for their discoveries concerning prostaglandins and related biologically active substances".

See More About:

• charles kettering
• ignition
• car
• spark plug
• electricity

Charles Kettering (1876-1958)
Charles Kettering was the inventor of the first electrical starter motor ignition system.
"The world hates change, but it is the only thing that has brought progress." - Charles Kettering The first electrical ignition system or electric starter motor for cars was invented by GM engineers Clyde Coleman and Charles Kettering. The self starting ignition was first installed in a Cadillac on February 17, 1911. The invention of the electric starter motor by Charles Kettering eliminated the need for hand cranking. United States Patent #1,150,523, was issued to Charles Kettering of Dayton, Ohio in 1915.  Charles Kettering became the founder of Delco (Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company). He also went on to invent: other automotive lighting and ignition systems, lacquer finishes for cars, antilock fuels, leaded gasoline, and an electric cash register.

Barbara McClintock

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1983 was awarded to Barbara McClintock "for her discovery of mobile genetic elements".

Marconi and the Radio.

Guglielmo Marconi inside the station at St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, after receiving the first transatlantic wireless signal. Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian inventor, proved the feasibility of radio communication. He sent and received his first radio signal in Italy in 1895. By 1899 he flashed the first wireless signal across the English Channel and two years later received the letter "S", telegraphed from England to Newfoundland. This was the first successful transatlantic radiotelegraph message in 1902.

Nobel Prize in Medicine 1984

Niels K. Jerne

Georges J.F. Köhler

César Milstein

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1984 was awarded jointly to Niels K. Jerne, Georges J.F. Köhler and César Milstein "for theories concerning the specificity in development and control of the immune system and the discovery of the principle for production of monoclonal antibodies".

10 Amazing facts about Animals and Insects.

Ambulances...History of

Ambulance History

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During the Crusades of the 11th Century, the Knights of St John received instruction in first-aid treatment from Arab and Greek doctors. The Knights of St John then acted as the first emergency workers, treating soldiers on both sides of the war of the battlefield and bringing in the wounded to nearby tents for further treatment. The concept of ambulance service started in Europe with the Knights of St John, at the same time it had also become common practice for small rewards to be paid to soldiers who carried the wounded bodies of other soldiers in for medical treatment.
The Surgeon-in-Chief of the French Grand Army, "Baron Dominiquie Larrey" created the first official army medical corp. in 1792. Trained attendants with equipment moved out from the field hospitals to give first-aid to the wounded on the battlefield and/or carried them back by stretcher, hand-carts and wagons to the field hospitals.
Motorized ambulance vehicles have been in use since the beginning of the 20th century. In the 1950s the United States pioneered helicopter-ambulances during the Korean War. In 1968, St Vincent's Hospital in New York City started the first mobile coronary care unit.

Galileo Galiliei...Invention of the thermoneter

What is a Thermometer?
Thermometers measure temperature, by using materials that change in some way when they are heated or cooled. In a mercury or alcohol thermometer the liquid expands as it is heated and contracts when it is cooled, so the length of the liquid column is longer or shorter depending on the temperature. Modern thermometers are calibrated in standard temperature units such as Fahrenheit or Celsius.

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Early History
The first thermometers were called thermoscopes and while several inventors invented a version of the thermoscope at the same time, Italian inventor Santorio Santorio was the first inventor to put a numerical scale on the instrument. Galileo Galilei invented a rudimentary water thermometer in 1593 which, for the first time, allowed temperature variations to be measured. In 1714, Gabriel Fahrenheit invented the first mercury thermometer, the modern thermometer. Thermometer
At the start of the seventeenth century there was no way to quantify heat.
Santorio Santorio
Santorio invented several instruments, a wind gauge, a water current meter, the "pulsilogium," and a thermoscope, a precursor to the thermometer. Santorio was the first to apply a numerical scale to his thermoscope, which later evolved into the thermometer.

Dieting; Have a good breakfast

Heart Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Food is our fuel. The breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We can fuel our body with healthy food to give a rejuvenating start to our day. Many scientific studies have proved beyond doubt that a healthy breakfast is the key to good health. Good breakfast boosts our energy, increases the attention span and provides enough calories to start our day successfully. If we skip breakfast we can experience short attention span, low blood sugar, low productivity at work, and lack of alertness and all these things further deteriorate our overall quality of life.
Still most of us skip breakfast. Sometimes we think that skipping breakfast will help in reducing weight. But the truth is exactly the opposite. If we eat a nutritious and balanced breakfast we will feel full and satiated for a long time. The breakfast will kick start our metabolism and more calories will be burnt translating into weight loss. Feeling of satiation will prevent us from snacking at odd hours. We can derive the above stated benefits only when we eat a balanced meal in the morning.
A nutritious breakfast can take good care of your heart too. All you have to do is choose your food carefully. Your breakfast should contain high fibers, good cholesterol and it should be low in fat and bad cholesterol. This will keep your heart healthy.
A Quaker oats meal incorporates most of the good qualities of a breakfast. Quaker oats are whole grain food. They are high in fibers and low in fat. Most nutritionists tell you to eat fresh fruits in the morning. You can add fresh fruits to your Quaker oats breakfast to enhance both its value and taste. Repeated studies have shown that eating a high-fiber breakfast can also help in lowering the cholesterol level. Even the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends the same. According to the AHA we should include about 25-30 grams of fiber each day from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes in our food. So when it comes to heart-healthy breakfasts, follow the simple habits mentioned above. When you buy packaged food try to develop a habit of reading labels.
You can start your day’s first meal with Quaker oats as one of the cornerstones of a heart-healthy diet. It has high fibers and can be prepared in no time since most of us are rushed in the morning. Oatmeal consists of soluble fibers that keep the cholesterol level low. Quaker oats are low in saturated fat too so all the more reason to include it into your healthy heart breakfast.

Mother Theresa

MOTHER TERESA

1979 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

Leader of the Order of the Missionaries of Charity

Excerpt from the Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech

"I choose the poverty of our poor people. But I am grateful to receive (the Nobel) in the name of the hungry, the naked, the homeless, of the crippled, of the blind, of the lepers, of all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared-for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone."

Background

• Aug 27, 1910 - Sep 5, 1997
• Maiden name: Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu
• Place of Birth: Skopje, Yugoslavia (what is now Macedonia)
• Residence: Calcutta, India
  
• Biographical highlights:
  • 1928 - went to India and taught at a convent school in Calcutta
  • 1937 - took her final vows
  • 1948 - left the convent to work alone in the slums; received some medical training in Paris
  • 1950 - the Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresea's sisterhood) started
  • 1952 - House for the Dying opened
  • 1957 - the Missionaries of Charity started work with lepers and in many disaster areas of the world
  • 1971 - awarded the Pope John XXIII Peace Prize
  • 1979 - awarded Nobel Peace Prize

Nobel Prize winners for Medicine and Physiology..1985

Michael S. Brown

Joseph L. Goldstein

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1985 was awarded jointly to Michael S. Brown and Joseph L. Goldstein "for their discoveries concerning the regulation of cholesterol metabolism"

Trivial but interesting facts,

Unusual trivia

In Jonathan Swift's book "Gulliver's Travels" have a look at chapter 3 of "A Voyage To Laputa". It reads : "They have likewise discovered two lesser stars, or satellites, which revolve about Mars, whereof the innermost is distant from the centre of the primary planet exactly 3 of his diameters, and the outermost 5". There is nothing unusual in that except Gulliver's Travels was published in 1726 and Mars' 2 moons were first discovered by US astronomer Asaph Hall in 1877!

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Italian mathematician Geronimo Cardano published the laws of chance governing card & dice games. But he became most famous for his accurate horoscope predictions. He even predicted his own death in 1576 - even down to the exact hour. When the time came he was still healthy, so he killed himself rather than being proved wrong!

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When Mark Twain was born on November 30, 1835, Halley's Comet was visible in the sky over Florida, Missouri. It did not pass very near to the earth that year, but its presence was enough to create a legend. Aware throughout his life that he was born when Halley's Comet was visible, Mark Twain predicted in 1909 that he would die when it returned: "I came in with Halley's Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it.... The Almighty has said, no doubt: 'Now here are these two unaccountable freaks; they came in together, they must go out together.'" He was right. When Mark Twain died on April 21, 1910, Halley's Comet was once again visible in the sky.

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Winston Churchill was not only a great speech maker, his wit was also legendary. In the House of Commons Nancy Astor MP, angry with Churchill, said 'If I were married to you, I'd put poison in your coffee'. Churchill replied 'Nancy, if you were my wife, I'd drink it'. Another female MP, Bessie Braddock when seeing Churchill intoxicated, said 'Winston you're drunk' to which Churchill replied 'Bessie you're ugly. And tomorrow I shall be sober'.

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King Mithridates VI ruled in Asia Minor in the first century BC. He was so afraid of assassination by poisoning, he came up with a novel idea. He gave himself small doses of poison each day in the hope that he would naturally build up a resistance to poisons. It was so successful that when the Romans invaded in 63 BC, instead of being captured he tried to commit suicide, but the poison he took had no effect on him. Eventually the King ordered a slave to kill him with his sword!

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After being killed during the celebrated Battle of Trafalgar, British Admiral Horatio Nelson was put into a large barrel of brandy to preserve his body during the voyage back to England. When the ship arrived back home Lord Nelson was removed from the barrel and the crew celebrated his achievements by drinking the remaining brandy!

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Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England and scourge of the monarchists died peacefully on 3rd Spetember 1658. 18 months later the monarchy had been restored and the royalists wanted revenge for the regicide of King Charles I. Cromwell's corpse was exhumed from his tomb in Westminster Abbey and dragged through the streets of London to Tyburn. He was then given a symbollic hanging. 6 hours later his corpse was taken down from the gallows and beheaded by an executioner. His head was then paraded through the streets before being stuck on an iron spike and displayed atop Westminster Hall.

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In the late 1950s Lincoln City Football Club had a centre half named Ray LONG who was over 6 foot tall, and a left winger called David SHORT, who was only 5ft 4. Another piece of football trivia, the great strikers Dixie Dean and Jimmy Greaves, were both aged exactly 23 years 290 days, when they both scored their 200th league goals!

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In July 1981, a tortoise was sentenced to death for murder. Tribal leaders in an eastern Kenyan village formally condemned the tortoise because they suspected it of causing the deaths of six people by magic. However, because none of the villagers was prepared to face the tortoise's wrath by carrying out the execution, it was chained to a tree instead. The tortoise was later freed after the government promised an inquiry into the six deaths.

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After the death of her husband, poet Percy Shelley, Mary Shelley (author of Frankenstein) kept his heart wrapped up in silk until she died.

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The cruise liner Queen Mary, now at harbour in Los Angeles, was originally meant to be known by a different name. A director of Cunard - the ship's owners - met King George V intending to name the ship Queen Victoria. He asked if the vessel could be named after 'the greatest Queen this country has ever known'. The King replied 'That is the greatest compliment ever paid to my wife. I'll ask her'. Hence, the ship became the Queen Mary.

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The shortest war in history was between Zanzibar and Great Britain in 1896.  Zanzibar surrendered after 38 minutes.

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In 1994 Los Angeles police arrested a man for dressing as the Grim Reaper - complete with scythe - and standing outside the windows of old people's homes, staring in.

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Team work always pays.

 

People who are part of a team and share a common direction get where they are going quicker and easier, because they are traveling on the trust of one another and lift each other up along the way.

 

Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go through it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the power of the flock

If we have as much understanding as a goose, and share information with those who are heading the same way that we are going.   ….We will always stay in the formation

 

When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wing and another goose takes over. It pays to share leadership and take turns doing hard jobs.   The geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep their speed

   

Words of support and inspiration help energize those on the front line, helping them to keep pace in spite of the day-to-day pressures and fatigue.    It is important that our honking be encouraging. Otherwise it’s just – well honking!  When one of us is down and things get rough, it’s up to us to stand by each other ……..So that we stay in formation & reach the destination.

 

So next time you see a formation of geese, remember...

IT IS A REWARD, A CHALLENGE AND A PRIVILEGE to be a contributing member of a TEAM.

Discovery of Bakelite

Leo Hendrik Baekeland was born in Ghent, Belgium, in 1863. He immigrated to the United States in 1889. His first major invention was Velox, a photographic printing paper that could be developed under artificial light. Baekeland sold the rights Velox to George Eastman and Kodak for for one million dollars in 1899. He then started his own laboratory in Yonkers, New York, where he invented Bakelite in 1907, a synthetic substitute for the shellac used in electronic insulation.
Bakelite was made by mixing Carbolic Acid with Formaldehyde, it is considered the first plastic. In 1909, Bakelite was introduced to the general public at a chemical conference. Baekeland founded the General Bakelite Corp. In 1944, Baekeland died at the age of eighty years in Beacon, N.Y.

Bakerlite was used to manufacture everything form telephone handsets or costume jewelry for example as well as engine parts and insulation for electronics.

Nobel Prize in economics 1998

Amartya Sen

The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 1998 was awarded to Amartya Sen "for his contributions to welfare economics".

Nobel Prize in medicine in 1985

Michael S. Brown

Joseph L. Goldstein

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1985 was awarded jointly to Michael S. Brown and Joseph L. Goldstein "for their discoveries concerning the regulation of cholesterol metabolism"

Interesting Facts

Quiz about interesting facts

1. Most active(speedy)muscle in our body:


“Orbicularis occuli”, a muscle controlling the movements of the iris (a small opening) present in our eyes, moves very past and its action is to respond to and controlling the light rays or sunlight, passing into the eyes.

2. Effect of the temperature on human’s brain:

The normal temperature of our body is 98.4 degree Fahrenheit. If that temperature rises to 107.6 degrees, there are more chances of harming the brain.

3. Human brain can survive 6 minutes only without oxygen supply.

4. The sounds produced by the intestines are known medically, as"Borborigmai"

 5. Adam’s apple: Thyroid gland, a butterfly-shaped structure, present on the front side of the neck, in the human-body, goes by that famous name.

6. Bones in man: At the time of birth, the infant has 300 bones, in the body. But, adult contains 206 bones only.

 7. First sub-marine in the world: In the year 1620, Cornelius Wan Drebbel made a sub-marine, by covering the wooden –ship with a leather.

 

8. Previous name to Tokyo (capital of Japan): Eedo

9. Pounds: To denote the weight in pounds in English language, the letters ‘lb’ is used. The root Latin word is “Libra”, which means pound.

 10. Lyka: The first dog which travelled in the space belongs to the “samoyedhusky” race.

 

11. The highest water–falls in the world: “Angel Falls” is the highest water-falls, which is 19 times highest than the “Niagara Falls” (America).

12. The blood of honeybee never “coagulates”.

13. What are the only five words in the English language that contain the vowels a, e, i, o and u, in that order?

Answer: Facetious, Abstemious, Abstentious, Arsenious, and Arteriosus

14. Name three countries whose national anthems consist of only four lines.

Answer: Japan, Jordan, and San Marino

15. Pomology:

 

Answer: It is the science of dealing with fruits and its cultivation. Pomology forms part of horticulture and pomologists develop highly efficient methods of planting and caring for fruit crops.

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Hinduism

Hinduism is an ancient religion of India and the oldest religion in the world.

Hindus regard the Vedas which was composed around 1500 B.C. as central to the hindu tradition.
Hinduism is like an ocean of the combined knowledge of various rishis, sages, and saints. It was they who gave the religion the depth and complexity for which it is known today
Hinduism is a way of life, there is no fixed name for Hinduism; some call it Sanatana Dharma, some call it Bhagawat Dharma, etc. There was no name “Hindu” in old scriptures but later invaders of India named people here as Hindu because they used to live on the banks of the river Sindhu.

Nobel Prize in Medicine 1986

Stanley Cohen

Rita Levi-Montalcini

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1986 was awarded jointly to Stanley Cohen and Rita Levi-Montalcini "for their discoveries of growth factors"

Rabindranath Tagore

The Nobel Prize in Literature 1913

• Summary
• Presentation Speech

Rabindranath Tagore

• Biographical
• Bibliography

• Banquet Speech
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Rabindranath Tagore

The Nobel Prize in Literature 1913 was awarded to Rabindranath Tagore "because of his profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse, by which, with consummate skill, he has made his poetic thought, expressed in his own English words, a part of the literature of the West".

History of breakfast cereals.

y
The first modern and commercial cereal foods were created by the American Seventh-day Adventists. The Adventists formed the Western Health Reform Institute in the 1860s. The Institute was later renamed the Battle Creek Sanitarium after its location in Battle Creek, Michigan. The Adventists manufactured, promoted, and sold wholesome cereals.
Cereal or grain is a member of the grass plant family, with starchy seeds used for food. Common cereals are: wheat, rice, rye, oats, barley, corn (maize), and sorghum.
Will Keith Kellogg
Will Keith Kellogg was the founder of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, founded in 1906. In 1894, Kellogg was trying to improve the diet of hospital patients. He was searching for a digestible bread substitute using the process of boiling wheat. Kellogg accidentally left a pot of boiled wheat to stand and the wheat became tempered (soften). When Kellogg rolled the tempered or softened wheat and let it dry, each grain of wheat emerged as a large thin flake. The flakes turned out to be a tasty cereal. Kellogg had invented corn flakes.

X-Rays and the Tungsten filament

All light and radio waves belong to the electromagnetic spectrum, and are all considered different types of electromagnetic waves, including:

• microwaves and infrared bands whose waves are longer than those of visible light (between radio and the visible)
• and UV, EUV, X-rays and g-rays (gamma rays) with shorter wavelengths.

The electromagnetic nature of x-rays became evident when it was found that crystals bent their path in the same way as gratings bent visible light: the orderly rows of atoms in the crystal acted like the grooves of a grating.

Medical X-rays

X-rays are capable of penetrating some thickness of matter. Medical x-rays are produced by letting a stream of fast electrons come to a sudden stop at a metal plate; it is believed that X-rays emitted by the Sun or stars also come from fast electrons. The images produced by X-rays are due to the different absorption rates of different tissues. Calcium in bones absorbs X-rays the most, so bones look white on a film recording of the X-ray image , called a radiograph. Fat and other soft tissues absorb less, and look gray. Air absorbs the least, so lungs look black on a radiograph.

Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen - First X-ray

On 8 Nov, 1895, Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen (accidentally) discovered an image cast from his cathode ray generator, projected far beyond the possible range of the cathode rays (now known as an electron beam). Further investigation showed that the rays were generated at the point of contact of the cathode ray beam on the interior of the vacuum tube, that they were not deflected by magnetic fields, and they penetrated many kinds of matter. A week after his discovery, Rontgen took an X-ray photograph of his wife's hand which clearly revealed her wedding ring and her bones. The photograph electrified the general public and aroused great scientific interest in the new form of radiation. Röntgen named the new form of radiation X-radiation (X standing for "Unknown"). Hence the term X-rays (also referred as Röntgen rays, though this term is unusual outside of Germany).

William Coolidge & X-Ray Tube

William Coolidge invented the X-ray tube popularly called the Coolidge tube. His invention revolutionized the generation of X-rays and is the model upon which all X-ray tubes for medical applications are based. Other inventions of Coolidge: invention of ductile tungsten
A breakthrough in tungsten applications was made by W. D. Coolidge in 1903. Coolidge succeeded in preparing a ductile tungsten wire by doping tungsten oxide before reduction. The resulting metal powder was pressed, sintered and forged to thin rods. Very thin wire was then drawn from these rods. This was the beginning of tungsten powder metallurgy, which was instrumental in the rapid development of the lamp in

Nobel Prize for Sir C.V.Raman...1930

Sir C.V.Raman

Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman was born at Trichinopoly in Southern India on November 7th, 1888. His father was a lecturer in mathematics and physics so that from the first he was immersed in an academic atmosphere. He entered Presidency College, Madras, in 1902, and in 1904 passed his B.A. examination, winning the first place and the gold medal in physics; in 1907 he gained his M.A. degree, obtaining the highest distinctions.

His earliest researches in optics and acoustics - the two fields of investigation to which he has dedicated his entire career - were carried out while he was a student.

Since at that time a scientific career did not appear to present the best possibilities, Raman joined the Indian Finance Department in 1907; though the duties of his office took most of his time, Raman found opportunities for carrying on experimental research in the laboratory of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science at Calcutta (of which he became Honorary Secretary in 1919).

In 1917 he was offered the newly endowed Palit Chair of Physics at Calcutta University, and decided to accept it. After 15 years at Calcutta he became Professor at the Indian Institute of Science at Bangalore (1933-1948), and since 1948 he is Director of the Raman Institute of Research at Bangalore, established and endowed by himself. He also founded the Indian Journal of Physics in 1926, of which he is the Editor. Raman sponsored the establishment of the Indian Academy of Sciences and has served as President since its inception. He also initiated the Proceedings of that academy, in which much of his work has been published, and is President of the Current Science Association, Bangalore, which publishes Current Science (India).

Some of Raman's early memoirs appeared as Bulletins of the Indian Associationfor the Cultivation of Science (Bull. 6 and 11, dealing with the "Maintenance of Vibrations"; Bull. 15, 1918, dealing with the theory of the musical instruments of the violin family). He contributed an article on the theory of musical instruments to the 8th Volume of the Handbuch der Physik, 1928. In 1922 he published his work on the "Molecular Diffraction of Light", the first of a series of investigations with his collaborators which ultimately led to his discovery, on the 28th of February, 1928, of the radiation effect which bears his name ("A new radiation", Indian J. Phys., 2 (1928) 387), and which gained him the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Other investigations carried out by Raman were: his experimental and theoretical studies on the diffraction of light by acoustic waves of ultrasonic and hypersonic frequencies (published 1934-1942), and those on the effects produced by X-rays on infrared vibrations in crystals exposed to ordinary light. In 1948 Raman, through studying the spectroscopic behaviour of crystals, approached in a new manner fundamental problems of crystal dynamics. His laboratory has been dealing with the structure and properties of diamond, the structure and optical behaviour of numerous iridescent substances (labradorite, pearly felspar, agate, opal, and pearls).

Among his other interests have been the optics of colloids, electrical and magnetic anisotropy, and the physiology of human vision.

Raman has been honoured with a large number of honorary doctorates and memberships of scientific societies. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society early in his career (1924), and was knighted in 1929.

Facts about the human body..)(see my next post for more detailss)

Body Facts

• In one day, a human sheds 10 billion skin flakes. This amounts to approximately two kilograms in a year.
• Every square inch of the human body has about 19,000,000 skin cells.
• Approximately 25% of all scald burns to children are from hot tap water and is associated with more deaths than with any other liquid.
• Forty-one percent of women apply body and hand moisturizer at least three times a day.
• Every hour one billion cells in the body must be replaced.
• The world record for the number of body piercing on one individual is 702, which is held by Canadian Brent Moffat.
• The small intestine in the human body is about 2 inches around, and 22 feet long.
• The human body makes anywhere from 1 to 3 pints of saliva every 24 hours.
• The human body has approximately 37,000 miles of capillaries.
• The aorta, which is largest artery located in the body, is about the diameter of a garden hose.
• The adult human body requires about 88 pounds of oxygen daily.
• The width of your armspan stretched out is the length of your whole body.
• 41% of women apply body or hand moisturizer a minimum three times a day.
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• Every hour one billion cells in the body must be replaced.
• Dead cells in the body ultimately go to the kidneys for excretion.
• By walking an extra 20 minutes every day, an average person will burn off seven pounds of body fat in an year.
• The human body is 75% water.
  (See my next post for more details about the human body)
  
  
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The Stethoscope

Who invented the stethoscope and when?

In 1816, the French physician Rene Theoplhie Laennec (1781-1826) introduced a perforated wooden cylinder which concentrated the sounds of air flowing in and out of the lungs, and described the sound which it revealed. The modern form of stethoscope, with flexible tubes connecting the earpieces to a circular piece placed against the chest, was developed later in the nineteenth century.

Quiz for lower middle school. Question with answers

What does your heart pump?	Blood
Which is the nearest star?	The sun
Which is heavier, gold or silver?	Gold
How many sides does a triangle have?	Three
What is H2 0?	Water
How many legs does a butterfly have?	Six
Triton is a moon of which planet?	Neptune
For what process do plants need sunlight, CO2 and water?	Photosynthesis
Which physicist wrote a book called 'A Brief History of Time'?	Stephen Hawking
Which chemical element is represented by the symbol Zn?	Zinc
In which organ of the body is the cerebrum found?	the brain
What do we call the study of birds?	Ornithology
Who discovered the electron?	Sir J J Thomson
Which is the longest bone in the human body?	Thigh born
At which temperature do both the Centigrade and Fahrenheit show the same reading?	(-) 40c equals (-)40 F
Who invented the bifocal lens?	Benjamin Franklin
Why we do not feel pains to cut our nails?	Nails are not connected with blood vessels or nerves.

 

Nobel Prize in 1986

Stanley Cohen

Rita Levi-Montalcini

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1986 was awarded jointly to Stanley Cohen and Rita Levi-Montalcini "for their discoveries of growth factors"

Discovery of Safety Razor.

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Gillette Razors

On November 15, 1904, patent #775,134 was granted to King C. Gillette for a safety 'razor'. King Camp Gillette was born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin in 1855. To support himself when the family’s home was destroyed in the Chicago Fire of 1871, Gillette became a traveling salesman. This work led him to William Painter, the inventor of the disposable Crown Cork bottle cap, who assured Gillette that a successful invention was one that was purchased over and over again by satisfied customer.
In 1895, after several years of considering and rejecting possible inventions, Gillette suddenly had a brilliant idea while shaving one morning. It was an entirely new razor and blade that flashed in his mind—a razor with a safe, inexpensive, and disposable blade.

It took six years for Gillette’s idea to evolve. During that time, technical experts told Gillette that it would be impossible to produce steel that was hard, thin, and inexpensive enough for commercial development of the disposable razor blade. Then in 1901, MIT graduate William Nickerson agreed to try.

By 1903, he had succeeded. Production of the Gillette ® safety razor and blade began as the Gillette Safety Razor Company started operations in South Boston. Sales grew steadily. During World War I, the U.S. Government issued Gillette safety razors to the entire armed forces. By the end of the war, some 3.5 million razors and 32 million blades were put into military hands, thereby converting an entire nation to the Gillette safety razor.

Accidental or Serependitous discoveries

There have been many accidental discoveries.
For example, the drug penicillin was discovered by a slob who didn't clean up after himself. Biologist and pharmacologist Alexander Fleming neglected to wash his staphylococci bacteria culture before he went away on vacation. When Fleming returned a few weeks later, he observed mold on the plate that the bacteria would not grow around. This fortuitous discovery eventually led to the development of the wonder drug penicillin.
Physicist Wilhelm Conrad R�ntgen wasn't out to revolutionize the medical field, but that's exactly what he did when he discovered X-rays. The curious R�ntgen wished to see if cathode rays could escape "a glass tube covered in black cardboard." R�ntgen eventually discovered these rays could be used to photograph the human skeleton, and, like Fleming, he won a Nobel Prize for his efforts.

General Knowledge For children

Who first climbed Mount Everest?

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The highest mountain peak in the world is Mount Everest, in the Himalayas, with a height of 8848 metres. The Himalayas lie to the north of India from Kashmir to the north-eastern states. Most of the Himalayan ranges are in Nepal and so is Mount Everest. It is always covered with ice and snow. Everest is a very dangerous mountain to climb because of sheer rocks faces and storms. Many Mountaineers failed to climb the peak. But a New Zealand mountaineer, Edmond Hillary along with his guide Tenzin Nargay, became the first person to scale summit of the world on May 29, 1953.

Who became the first woman to sail around the world?

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The first woman to sail around the world single-handed was a 28-year old New Zealander, Naomi James. In September 1977, she set sail from Dartmouth on the south coast of England. Her 16-metre yacht, named Express Crusador, was fitted with all modern navigation aids and steering gear. Her 48,000-kilometer journey was full of adventure. At sea, after four weeks, her radio broke and after another five weeks, the self-steering gear was smashed in a storm. By putting into port for sometime, Naomi had to get it repaired. In June 1978 she successfully completed the sail and was made Dame Commander of the British Empire. She set another record becoming the first woman to cross Atlantic single-handed in 1980.

Who was Buddha?

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A prince of North Indian Kingdom Kapilvastu, Siddhartha Gautama was given the title, Buddha, who founded the Buddhist religion. Siddhartha turned into Buddha after he came across two truths of life. One day he saw an old man with bent back moving with the help of a stick. Second time he saw a dead man being taken for cremation. He felt very sad by seeing this. Why this happens in life is what he wanted to know. Siddhartha left home when he was young to look for an answer to life's problems. He found enlightenment while sitting under a Bodhi tree in Gaya. He realized that Nirvana, a state of absolute peace and happiness, could bring release from the pressures of life. Only by giving up all desires for worldly things, this state could be reached.

Who was Aristotle?

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Aristotle was a Greek thinker, educator and Scientist. Than those of almost any other person, his ideas have had more influence on the thinking of the Western World. For 20 years, he was a pupil of the Philosopher Plato and these two men are regarded as the most important of the Ancient Greek thinkers. Aristotle was the tutor of Alexander the Great. He founded lyceum, a school in Athens. He deeply taught and wrote on many subjects, including Science, Politics, Astronomy, Religion and Logic. Aristotle's philosopher is characterized by its emphasis on reason and practicality. He was accused by the people of Athens for not worshiping their gods properly and so he left Athens to avoid a sentence of death.

Who was Martin Luther King, Jr.?

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Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Negro who led the fight for fair treatment for his fellow Negroes. In 1955, King first gained national attention, when he organized a boycott of segregated buses in Montgomery, Alabama. He used non-violent methods like Gandhi. During a massive demonstration in Washington, he made an inspired speech. In his struggle for the social rights for Negroes, this was a turning point. To give Negroes equal rights with whites, laws were passed soon. For his efforts he received the Noble Peace Prize. Like Gandhi, King was killed by some fanatic who opposed his ideas.

What is International Court?

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In Holland, a group of statesmen met to discuss ways of stopping wars and solving disagreements between nations in 1899. To set up the International Court of Justice, this was one of the ways they found. Countries who quarrel should go to the international court where fifteen judges from different countries decide who is in the right. Decisions are based on a majority of judges present. The countries in dispute have to agree to accept the decision before they go to court. Disputes are very often about where exactly frontiers between countries are drawn. The European Court of Justice is another international court that sits in Luxembourg. This was set up by the countries of the European Community. It makes sure that all the countries of the common market obey the rules and it can fine countries, who disobey, very heavily. Every member country appoints a judge.

Who fought World War I?

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The World War which started in August 1914 went on for 4 years to end November 1918. On one side were the two empires of Germany and Austria-Hungary, later joined by Bulgaria and Turkey. They were called the Central Powers. Against them were Allies-the Russian Empire to the east, the French to the west, the British and the Belgium. Later the Italy, the Japan, United States, and many smaller nations joined the Allies. Because so many countries were involved, it later came to be called a World War. After four years, these nations that had started the war were weary and exhausted. More than ten million soldiers had been killed. By coming fresh into the struggle, the United States tipped the scale, and the Central powers collapsed in defeat.

Why World War II began ?

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When Adolf Hitler, the German dictator sent his soldiers to attack two small neighbouring countries, Austria and Czechoslovakia, nobody stopped him. This was the time, the second world war began. But on 1st September, 1939, when Hitler attacked Poland, the polish fought back. To help them, the British and the French stepped in. Over-running Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium and France, he conquered Poland and then launched a surprise attack in the west. He then tried to break the spirit of the British but in 1941 lost the battle of Britain against the R.A.F. Meanwhile, the Italian dictator Musolini an ally of Hitler along with Japan had come in the war. The American, British and other forces landed on the Normady beaches and forced the Germans out of France. They swept across Germany to meet their Russian allies in 1945. In May 1945, Germany surrendered to the allied forces. A few months later i.e in August 1945 the first atomic bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In September 1945, Japan surrendered and the war ended.