Blog

What is HDI?

India ranked 132 out of 191 countries in the 2021 human development index, according to a report released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). But what is the human development index? Come, let’s find out.

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a measure of countries’ life expectancies, education levels, and standards of living. In other words, HDI is a statistical tool used by the UN to quantify a country’s overall achievement in health, education, and economic status. The index, introduced by the UN in 1990, is used to track changes over time and compare the levels of development of different countries. It is said that human development across the world has stalled for the first time in 32 years.

Reasons for the decline

The COVID-19 pandemic, along with other crises such as the Ukraine-Russia war, climate change, higher cost of living, and spiralling energy prices, has pushed the global development measurement back to its 2016 level, according to the UN report titled “Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives: Shaping our Future in a Transforming World”. A large contributor to the HDI’s recent decline is a global drop in life expectancy, down from 72.8 years in 2019 to 71.4 years in 2021. Human development is said to have declined for two years in a row – 2020 and 2021.

How is development measured?

The HDI measures the social and economic development of a country based on three key aspects- a long and healthy life, access to education, and a decent standard of living. It is calculated using four indicators – life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling (average number of completed years of education of a country’s population), expected years of schooling, and the Gross National Income per capita (annual national income per person in a country). The higher the HDI, the better a country’s overall development is. So a high HDI means the country in question provides a high standard of living, with decent healthcare, education, and opportunities for livelihood.

India’s HDI value

India’s HDI value of 0.633 places the country in the medium human development category. This is lower than the country’s value of 0.645 in the 2020 report. In 2020, India ranked 131 among 189 countries in human development.

In the latest HDI ranking, Switzerland finished first with a HDI value of 0.962. Norway came second with 0.961, and Iceland third with 0.959.

The report recommends implementing policies that focus on 3 Is – investment (from renewable energy to preparedness for pandemics), insurance (to prepare our societies for the ups and downs of an uncertain world), and innovation (technological, economic, cultural to build capacities to respond to any challenges that may arise) – to push development.

Picture Credit : Google 

How much impact does aviation have on climate change is it the most polluting form of travel?

The impact of flying on climate change has been well established. On average, the aviation industry generates about 1 billion tons of CO2 worldwide every year. This number is comparable to that of Japan, which is the world’s third largest economy.

Add to this the fact that global emissions from flights have been increasing at the rate of 2.5% every year. In fact, over the next 30 years, the aviation industry will likely produce more CO2 than that of its whole history!

Radical solutions required

Even though fossil fuels are increasingly being replaced by renewable energy sources in power generation and electric vehicles continue to grow into a bigger market, there hasn’t been enough done to address pollution from aircraft. In such a climate, the need is for bold, radical solutions. Researchers from the University of California San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy have called for the same through a new commentary article that appeared in Nature in September.

The authors suggest that the two most commonly proposed solutions-carbon offsetting and cleaner fuels – are rather inadequate. While offsetting falls flat owing to poor accountability, cleaner fuels can’t yet be produced sustainably in large volume and low costs to replace all jet fuel. Additionally, these two solutions do not address the dimate impact of contrails-clouds produced by aircraft engine edhaust – that can trap heat radiating from the Earth’s surface.

Three steps

To address a warming planet, the authors suggest three steps for the industry as a whole. Firstly, they recommend the industry and various governments to work together to be more aware of the risks involved and the role that aviation plays in the dimate crisis.

Next up, they wish for collaborations between the most motivated governments and firms to take risks on new technologies, which could then inspire others to follow their lead. The authors only provide examples such as a partnership between the Norwegian government and businesses to create electric airplanes, but also lay out strategies of how collaborations could be used to ignite other advances.

Finally, they stress the importance of research, not just to better understand contrails and chemical interactions in the atmosphere, but also to provide solutions. They envision these solutions to not just be technological, but also economic and political, thereby providing for a greener future.

Picture Credit : Google 

When was the first world’s first commercial atomic clock unveiled?

The Atomichron, unveiled on October 3, 1956, was the world’s first commercial atomic clock. At a time when timekeeping is more accurate than ever before.

In his work of fiction The Time Keeper, American author Mitch Albom has one of his characters say that “man will count all his days, and then smaller segments of the day, and then smaller still- until the counting consumes him, and the wonder of the world he has been given is lost. While the last part of the statement is rather too deep, and well beyond the scope of this column, there might be some truth with respect to the counting consuming us.

Comes down to counting When we started, we looked up at the sun and the moon to get a sense of time. We picked up stones, collected water, and were able to tell time even better. And now, we have come to a stage where the best of our clocks are so precise that it would take around 30 billion years for it to lose even one second.

And yet, at the heart of it, the fundamental process remains the same as we count a periodic phenomenon. In a grandfather clock, the pendulum swings back and forth. In a wristwatch, an electric current ensures that a tuning fork-shaped piece of quartz oscillates. And when it comes to atomic clocks, we use certain resonance frequencies of atoms and count the periodic swings of electrons as they jump between energy levels.

What are atomic clocks? The best of our clocks, by the way, are atomic clocks. As we learned more of the atom’s secrets, we were able to build practical applications, including these clocks.

We now know that an atom is made up of a nucleus – consisting of protons and neutrons- that is surrounded by electrons. While the number of electrons in an element can vary, they occupy discrete energy levels, or orbits.

Electrons can jump to higher orbits around the nucleus on receiving a jolt of energy. As an individual element responds only to a very specific frequency to make this jump, this frequency can be measured by scientists to measure time very accurately.

Been around since 1950s

By the mid 1950s, atomic clocks with caesium atoms that were accurate enough to be used as time standards had been built.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research of Electronics developed the first commercial atomic clocks around the same time, and these were manufactured by the National Company, Inc. (NATCO) of Malden, Massachusetts.

Initially, the atomic beam clocks that NATCO were building were called just that: ABC. By 1955, the prototypes bore the working name National Atomic Frequency Standard (NAFS). As this acronym was clearly not pleasing to the ear, there was a need for a better name to market the first practical commercial atomic clock.

Quantum electronics equipment

They came up with the name Atomichron, which NATCO then made its generic trademark for all their atomic clocks. In a well publicised event at the Overseas Press Club in New York, the Atomichron was unveiled to the world on October 3, 1956.

The first commercial atomic clock was indeed the first piece of quantum electronics equipment made available to the public. In the years that followed, 50 Atomichrons were made and sold to military agencies, government agencies, and universities.

Defining a second

By 1967, the official definition of a second by the International System of Units (SI) was based on caesium. This meant that the internationally accepted unit of time was now defined in terms of movements inside atoms of caesium.

Atomic clocks, however, aren’t going to come home soon. At about the size of a wardrobe, it consists of interwoven cables, wires, and steel structures that are connected to a vacuum chamber that holds the atoms.

These clocks, however, are already in use everywhere around us. Be it satellite navigation, online communication, or even timed races in the Olympics, atomic clocks are in action. The best of our atomic clocks, as you might guessed, are employed in research and experiments to further our understanding of the universe around us.

Picture Credit : Google 

Does owls have eyeballs?

Owls don’t have eyeballs. They have eye tubes or cylinders, rod-shaped eyes that do not move in their sockets as eyeballs do. Instead, owls have to move their bodies or heads in order to look around. Since moving their torsos would likely make noise that would alert their prey to their presence, owls have evolved to have necks that can spin up to 270° essentially silently.

But why favour neck-spinning over the seemingly simple eye ball-spinning method of looking around? Well, night vision requires large corneas that allow for light to be collected effectively even in the dark, which is why most nocturnal animals (like the slow loris or tarsier) have huge eyes. But owls have small skulls, so their big eyes couldn’t expand out. They instead developed into the rod shape of today’s owls. They aren’t alone though: some deep-sea fish (like the anglerfish) also have rod-shaped eyes for seeing in the dark.

Picture Credit : Google 

Are humans the only species with chins?

Humans are the only animals on earth with chins. The chin could be a “spandrel” or evolutionary by-product. It may be the result of the human face shrinking over time as our posture straightened and our faces shortened, or a remnant from a period of longer jaws.

The chin isn’t just the lower part of your face: It’s a specific term for that little piece of bone extending from the jaw. While it may seem odd, humans are in fact the only animals that have one. Even chimpanzees and gorillas, our closest genetic cousins, lack chins. Instead of poking forward, their lower jaws slope down and back from their front teeth. Even other ancient hominids, like the Neanderthals, didn’t have chins —their faces simply ended in a flat plane.

Picture Credit : Google

What is so special about Dracula simia orchid?

The Dracula simia orchid resembles a monkey’s face. Native to the tropical forests of south-eastern Ecuador, Dracula simia or monkey orchid, thrives at altitudes around 6,500 feet. The “Dracula” in the name refers to long spikes that resemble fangs at the end of their petals. The orchids bloom in any season and emit the scent of ripe oranges. Dracula simia is one of 118 species in the Dracula genus of orchids, many of which resemble monkey faces.

Dracula simia, also known as a monkey orchid, is native to southeastern Ecuador. Flourishing in the country’s tropical highland forests, it’s one of at least 10,000 types of orchids found in the tropics. Its long-tailed, reddish-brown flowers have a pair of dotted “eyes” that look remarkably like the face of a capuchin monkey, which makes it a sight to behold.

Besides their adorable looks, these monkey orchids are also quite fragrant. In fact, they smell like ripe oranges when in bloom. They can flower at any time of year and natively grow at around 6,500 feet. So if you want to catch a glimpse of them where they typically grow, prepare yourself for a hike.

The Dracula simia is just one of 118 species in the Dracula genus of orchids—many of which resemble monkeys. The genus got its name due to the rusty red color of several species. Though they are native to Central America and Peru, nearly half the genus can be found just in Ecuador.

These exotic flowers thrive in deep shade, love humidity, and, contrary to what you might think, prefer cold temperatures. However, if you want to take a stab at growing your own, it is possible to find vendors selling seeds online. But, before you take the plunge, please take note that cultivating these seeds isn’t advised for orchid newcomers. Monkey orchid seeds are almost like dust and require specialized care in order to grow properly. And even when everything is done to perfection, it will take anywhere from three to eight years for the plant to reach blooming size.

If you feel that you have the know-how and can provide the proper environment, these are some Dracula orchids that are easier to grow: Dracula erythrocheate, Dracula bella, and Dracula cordobae. Just be sure to purchase seeds from a reputable dealer, as there are many scammers advertising monkey orchid seeds but are actually sending different species.

Picture Credit : Google 

Who is known as pepper queen of India?

Rani Chennabhairadevi is known as “The Pepper Queen’ (Raina da Pimenta) of India. Her reign lasted 54 years, the longest by an Indian queen. She ruled from Gerusoppa, capital of the Saluva dynasty, between the 15th and 16th centuries. Her kingdom extended from Goa to Bhatkal and Karwar, up to Malabar. This belt was known as pepper country, as the spice grew in the virgin forests. Shiploads of pepper, betel nut, timber and sandalwood were traded with the Portuguese, British, Dutch and Africans in exchange for precious metals and stones. Most of the trade happened through Mirjan port in Uttara Kannada. The queen resided at and controlled the pepper trade from Mirjan Fort on River Aganashini. The Portuguese and the Keladi kings tried to capture Gerusoppa which Chennabhairadevi thwarted twice. The Keladi kings joined with the Bilagi chieftains to defeat her; she was imprisoned and died in captivity at Keladi.

Picture Credit : Google 

How do you see the posts you’ve liked on insta?

Instagram stores a history of all your liked posts, a handy feature that lets you look back at the photos and videos you liked over time. Open the Instagram app. Go to the profile tab and tap the three horizontal lines. Select Your Activity. Tap on Interactions > Likes. Now you can see the 300 most recent posts you liked ranked from newest to oldest. Use the Sort & Filter option to sort the posts based on author, start date and end date.

Picture Credit : Google 

Where the World’s largest bacterium discovered?

Scientists have discovered the world’s largest-known bacterium, in the form of white filaments the size of human eyelashes, on the surfaces of decaying mangrove leaves in a swamp in Guadeloupe in the Caribbean Sea.

Around 1 cm long, Thiomargarita magnifica is 50 times larger than all other known giant bacteria and the first to be visible with the naked eye. Researchers have compared it to a human encountering another human as tall as Mount Everest.

In most bacteria, the genetic material floats around freely inside the cell. T. magnifica keeps its genetic material inside membrane- bound compartments throughout the cell. It was also found to contain three times as many genes as most bacteria.

The discovery suggests that “large and more complex bacteria may be hiding in plain sight”.

Picture Credit : Google