Ancient India ..An advanced civilisation

Ancient India Facts



India is a country that will mesmerize you with its intriguing history and fascinating past. Though life has become very complex in modern times, the interesting facts of India continue to awe people all over the world. The country is no ordinary country. In fact, it had the components of a prosperous nation since ancient times only. The rich history of India is full of such interesting facts that one is bound to sit and analyze this fascinating country's history with much enthusiasm. For an amazing collection of facts on ancient India, scroll down.

Indians established Harappan culture in Indus Valley Civilization, at a time when many cultures comprised of nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago.


The game of chess was invented in India.


The birth of Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus happened in India.


The Decimal and Place Value system originated and developed in India.


In the 13th century, a poet saint named Gyandev introduced the game of Snakes and Ladders. Known as Mokshapat during those times, the game had a significant meaning. The snakes stood for vices, while the ladders represented good virtues. The essence of the game was that the ladders or good virtues take people to heaven while snakes or vices take people to a cycle of re-births.


In 700 BC, the world's first university was established in India, in Takshila. It was one of the biggest achievements in the field of education, as more than 10,500 students came from all over the world to receive education in over 60 different subjects. The University of Nalanda was another milestone that was achieved in the field of education in 4th century BC.


The earliest school of medicine known to mankind was Ayurveda and it originated in India. It was consolidated 2500 years ago by Charaka, the Father of Medicine.


As many as 6000 years back, the art of navigation was developed in the River Indus, which was known as Sindh then. In fact, the word 'navigation' is a derivation of the Sanskrit word, 'Navgatih'.


The correct time taken by the earth to revolve around the sun was calculated by the famous astronomer Bhaskaracharya. His calculation showed that the earth takes around 365.258756484 days to go around the sun once.


In the 6th century, the famous Indian Budhayana mathematician calculated the value of "Pi" and also explained the concept of Pythagoras Theorem.


In the 11th century, Quadratic Equations were introduced by Sridharacharya. Indians used numbers that were way too big than European numbers. While the latter limited themselves to 106, the Indians went a step ahead and used numbers as big as 1053.


Surgery existed in India even 2600 years ago, when Sushruta, known as the Father of Surgery, conducted many complex surgeries. The valuable ancient scriptures have detailed information on Cataract, Artificial Limbs, Cesareans, Fractures, Urinary Stone Surgery, Plastic Surgery and Brain Surgeries.


Anesthesia was used in ancient India and one finds detailed knowledge of the human anatomy and its functions.


Two major religions, Buddhism and Jainism were established in India in 500 and 600 BC.


The oldest city in the world that is inhabited even today is Varanasi or Benaras.


The art of Yoga that is now popular worldwide originated in India only and was performed by highly revered sages, in the ancient times.

How does an MRI work?

How Does an MRI Work



Invention of MRI or magnetic resonance imaging was a revolution in medical diagnosis. This technique of imaging used in diagnosis of various ailments is based on the principles of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). It may all sound complicated, but with a little bit of interest, you will realize how an MRI machine generates images of our body.






MRI or magnetic resonance imaging, is a medical imaging technique, which facilitates detailed visualization of the internal structure of our body. It also helps in assessing some functions of the body to a certain extent. The technology, which was introduced in the last quarter of the 20th century, has undergone a dramatic change and gained immense popularity in the field of medicine today. The huge machine referred to as an MRI scanner is an object of fascination for many individuals, who are often left wondering how it works.






The Components of an MRI Machine






Before we move on to the working mechanism of MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), let's take a brief look at the various components of the MRI scanner. The major components of an MRI machine include the primary magnet and the gradient magnets. The primary magnet, made from an electrical coil with power running through it, develops a magnetic field of around 1.5 to 3 Tesla. The gradient magnets, which are much smaller than the primary magnet, help in altering the magnetic field precisely. Other than these, the MRI scanner also includes the horizontal tube, wherein the person is made to lie for examination, and last, but the most important - the computer software and hardware components, which help in setting the parameters prior to the examination, and collecting the data in the form of multiple images.






How Does an MRI Scanner Work?






The MRI scanner is a giant cube, with a horizontal tube attached to it. The patient to be examined is made to lie on his back on this horizontal tube, and then, he is slowly slid into the machine. Whether the entire body of the individual will be sent in or just half of it, depends on which part of the body is to be examined. In case of brain MRI scan, sliding the upper torso of the patient inside the scanner would be enough for the diagnosis. As soon as the body part to be scanned reaches at the isocenter of the magnetic field, the scan begins.






How Does an MRI Generate Images of the Body?






A large part of the human body is composed of water molecules, each of which contains two hydrogen nuclei (or protons). When the patient is sent inside the scanner, the 'magnetic moments' of the protons present in the body align with the direction of the magnetic field. A radio frequency electromagnetic field is turned on for a few seconds, which makes the protons change their alignment relative to the field. As soon as the electromagnetic field is turned off, the protons return to their original alignment. The alterations in the alignment creates a signal which is detected by the scanner. The strength of the magnetic field determines the frequency at which the protons resonate.






Additional magnetic fields are created using the gradient magnets to determine the position of the protons, and the energy released by them. The damaged tissues can be detected as they take time in returning to the state of equilibrium. The parameters are set using the computer and contrast is created between different types of tissues. MRI with contrast is carried out by injecting contrast agents in the body, in order to enhance the appearance of the blood vessels, and to detect tumors and inflammation in the body. The computer takes a note of protons and the energy released by them to generate the image of the body part being examined.






Although MRI can be used to image any part of the body, it is most often used in neurological examinations, checking for tumors, abnormalities in blood vessels etc. MRI scan cost depends on which part of the body is being examined. A safe procedure owing to the exclusion of ionizing radiation, MRI has gained wide popularity in the medical field, across the world.