Category Social Sciences

What is the history of the Colosseum in Rome Italy?

1. A little history

A popular tourist site today and one of the world’s largest sporting arenas, the Colosseum was built between 72 AD and 80 AD by the Roman emperor Vespasian. Though construction started during the time of Vespasian, he did not live to see its completion. His son, Titus opened the arena. The Colosseum is built using stone and concrete and the manpower of tens and thousands of Jewish slaves.

The first-ever games at the Colosseum were held in 80 AD by Titus. It went on for 100 days straight

2. Largest amphitheatre in the world

The oval-shaped Colosseum is the largest amphitheatre in the world. It measures 189m long, 156m wide and 50m high. The arena was so big that it could fit a modern-day football pitch inside. The Colosseum had 80 entrances and could seat approximately 50,000 spectators at a time.

3. Free for all, mostly

Sporting events at the arena included gladiatorial combats, wild animal hunts and naval battles. These games continued to be held for centuries, with gladiatorial combats held till the fifth century, and wild animal hunts till the sixth Most the major events held at the Colosseum, which were often organised and paid for by the emperors, were free for spectators. Sometimes free food was also served to the spectators. Emperors did this to gain popularity and support from the public.

4. What’s underground?

There were numerous rooms and passages below the Colosseum. This is where the gladiators and the animals were kept before they were allowed entry into the arena. The Colosseum also had 36 trap doors for special effects during games.

5. A graveyard for animals

Along with other sporting events, Romans staged wild animal fights and hunts at the Colosseum. This left thousands of animals such as elephants, tigers, lions, bears and other exotic creatures wounded or dead.

 

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What is Rann of Kutch famous for?

The Wild Ass Sanctuary spans nearly 5,000 sq km. in Gujarat’s Little Rann of Kutch. Home to the third largest population of these animals in the world, the area is believed to be nurturing at least a few thousands of these mammals. Usually moving in large groups, these animals can be spotted throughout the year in this region. Due to its proximity to the Rann of Kutch and the variety in the region’s vegetation, the sanctuary hosts more than 30 species of rare and endangered animals, and over 90 species of invertebrates. In fact, the sanctuary also lies on the migratory route of several hundred birds that travel from as far as Europe, Russia and Egypt.

Wildlife

More than 350 species of birds can be spotted in the region, and these include ducks, geese, quails francolins, flamingoes, grebes, doves, pigeons, sandgrouses, nightjars, swifts, coucals, malkohas, cuckoos, koels, crakes, cranes, bustards, storks, pelicans, herons, egrets, ibises, cormorants, thick knees, plovers, lapwings, godwits, sandpipers, pratincoles, gulls, terns, kites, eagles, buzzards, vultures, owls, woodpeckers, bee-eaters, rollers, kingfishers, falcons, parakeets, orioles, drongos, shrikes, flowerpeckers, sunbirds, weavers, pipits, wagtails, buntings, larks, prinias, warblers, swallows, martins, bulbuls, starlings, flycatchers and wheatears. In addition to the wild ass, the place hosts several other animals, including chinkara, nilgai or blue bull, black buck, wild boar, Indian wolf, jackal, striped hyna, desert hare, desert cat, pangolin, porcupine, Indian fox, mongoose, and jungle cat.

There’s good news…

In 2015, the census of the wild ass showed that the total number of these ungulates was a little short of 4.500. A similar exercise conducted in March 2020 showed that the Umber stood at a little over 6,000 – showing a spike of 30 % in just five years. This is particularly encouraging, considering the species had a worrying history. Due to the outbreak of diseases, the number of these mammals had fallen to a mere 700 back in the 1960s. The population today points to a successful and concerted conservation effort over decades. It also points to the need to be mindful of the continuing threats faced by the wild ass, found in the wild only in this part of the country.

… but threats persist

While a growing population is comforting to hear, the threats that these animals face remain a concern. Since the paths of these animals cross those of domestic livestock that herders take out for grazing, the chance of a disease outbreak and the animals contracting it are high. Further, water carrying pesticide and fertilizer from farmlands outside the sanctuary enter the region, with potential to harm animals that could drink the polluted water. The increasing number of salt pans and illegal mining in the region are additional threats to the sanctuary.

 

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What is the polar vortex?

Scientists have wanted that a weather phenomenon called the polar vortex could bring frigid temperatures and stormy weather to the Northern Hemisphere this year too. The phenomenon is a fairly Common occurrence and meteorologists keep a dose watch on the stratosphere for signals on potential Arctic air invasions and predict their severity,

The polar vortex is a large area of low pressure that consistently overlies the North and the South poles. They are called vortexes because of the mass of cold, dense air that spins counter clockwise like a hurricane. Sometimes during winter in the Northern Hemisphere, this vortex becomes weak and expands, sending the Arctic cold air southward into the United States, Europe and Asia. Ironically, the cause of this chill is a sudden heat seeping into the whirling currents. That is, the temperature surge in the stratosphere, the layer of the atmosphere, which is located between 10 and 50 km above the ground leads to the weakening of the polar vortex. And it wobbles off the pole.

The polar vortex is capable of delivering subzero temperatures for several days together In the recent past, the 2014 polar vortex is remembered as it gave rise to record low temperatures which lasted until March.

Some scientists suggest that warming in the Arctic and climate change could make the polar vortex unstable in the coming years, leading to potentially serious consequences.

 

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What is the Central Vista Project?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month laid the foundation stone for the new Parliament building in New Delhi. Do you know where it’s going to come up, when it will be completed and what its proposed features are?

The new building will be constructed close to the existing Parliament building in the Parliament House Estate, under the Central Vista Redevelopment Project. It is expected to be completed by 2022 in time for the commemoration of the 75th year of India’s Independence. The landmark project, which was announced in 2019, involves constructing a Parliament building, a common central secretariat and revamping of the three-km long stretch from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate known as the Central Vista. According to PM Modi, the Central Vista Project will be “a symbol of a new, self reliant India”.

The triangular-shaped Parliament building is designed by architect Bimal Patel of Ahmedabad-based HCP Design, Planning and Management. Tata Projects Limited won the bid to construct the new Parliament building with an area of 64,500 square metres at an estimated cost of 3971 crore.

Highlights

The new triangular building will have four storeys, and the national emblem will crown the edifice. Its interiors will be inspired by the national flower lotus and the national bird peacock. In the new building, the Lok Sabha chamber will have a seating capacity for 1,224 members, while the Rajya Sabha will have 384 seats. At present, the Lok Sabha has strength of 543 members and Rajya Sabha 245. The new building will also have a Central Constitution Hall to showcase the country’s democratic heritage, a library, committee rooms and dining areas.

The existing circular Parliament House building will be refurbished for use along with the new one. The North and South blocks will be converted into museums.

Why is the revamp needed?

According to the Government, the existing Parliament building built by the British in the 1920s is structurally unsafe. Most of the buildings along the Central Vista have outlived their structural lives. Inadequate infrastructure, lack of safety features and offices spread over different locations are also cited as the reasons for the revamp. It is said that the proposed Secretariat buildings, which will bring all offices in one place, will help improve the functioning of the government.

Criticism against the project

The Central Vista redevelopment project is criticised for having been initiated when the country is reeling under the coronavirus pandemic. Some experts have raised concerns about the project’s environmental impact. Several petitions challenging the project were filed before the Supreme Court. However, the apex court has given the green signal to the project, upholding the environment clearance and permission for change in land use for the project. The government has clarified that it will be sensitive to environmental concerns during construction.

 

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What type of structure is the Burj Khalifa?

There are few buildings in the world that share the kind of popularity that the Burj Khalifa enjoys. A towering skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the Burj Khalifa’s total height is 829.8 m and its roof height (excluding antenna) is 828 m. That makes it the tallest structure and building in the world, since its official launch ceremony in January 2010.

The spider lily

Such a massive structure is naturally an engineering Marvel. What makes it even more special is its design. The Burj Khalifa has a triple-lobed footprint, an abstraction of the Hymenocallis flower. The Hymenocallis or spider lily is a regional desert flower from which the architects drew inspiration for the iconic tower’s design. While this beautiful choice maximises window viewing, the architects didn’t go for it purely for Aesthetic or ornamental reasons. This design ensures that the tower is composed of different features that are arranged around a central core. This provides for an inherently stable configuration, vital for super-tall buildings.

Biomimetics

The modular, Y-shaped structure has setbacks along each of its three wings and affords lateral bending resistance. The central core, which emerges on top and culminates in a sculpted spire, provides strong torsional resistance.

The Burj Khalifa thus serves as a great illustration of biomimetics or biomimicry – the science or art of emulating systems and elements of nature in order to solve complex human problems.

 

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What is the history of Jantar Mantar?

1. A king and his love for astronomy

The Jantar Mantar in Jaipur is one among five such observatories built by Rajput king Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of Jaipur. Jai Singh II was extremely enthusiastic about astronomy and even owned telescopes. He came up with the idea of building the astronomical observatories in India when he noticed that the astronomical tables of the Zij (an islamic astronomical book that tabulates parameters used to calculate the positions of the Sun, Moon, stars, and the planets) were incomplete. He used the observatories to come up with a more accurate zij and new astronomical tables known as the zij-i Muhammad Shahi. These tables were used in India for nearly a century.

2. One among five observatories

The Jantar Mantar in Jaipur is the largest among the five observatories built by Jai Singh II, and the only one among the five to receive the UNESCO World Heritage tag. The other observatories, also called Jantar Mantar, were built in Delhi, Varanasi, Mathura, and Ujjain between 1724 and 1735. However, today only four of these exist. The one in Mathura was destroyed just before the Revolt of 1857.

3. Astronomy with the naked eye

The monument has a collection of 19 astronomical instruments constructed out of local stone and marble. Each of these giant instruments caries an astronomical scale and facilitates calculation of the positions and distances of the celestial bodies with the naked eye.

4. World’s largest stone sundial

The Jantar Mantar in Jaipur is home to the largest stone sundial in the world. The Vrihat Samrat Yantra, which stands at the centre of the observatory, is a 27m-tall sundial which can help calculate time accurately down to two seconds.

5. No longer in use

Apart from stone and marble, bronze tablets, bricks and mortar were employed during the construction of the observatory. The Jantar Mantar was in continuous use till about the early 1800s, and then fell into disuse. It was restored several times during the British rule. Today, the observatory serves as a tourist attraction, kindling students interest in astronomy through guided tours, and music and light shows. It was declared a national monument in 1948, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010.

 

Picture Credit : Google