A tribute to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

A tribute to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam on World Students Day

Dr. APJ Adbul Kalam changed the meaning of the word "President" to "People's president". Can we rewrite the alphabets in honour to him...?

 

Science Cartoon based on research "Two words are enough to recognize the caller, if known "

Two words are enough to recognize the caller, if known

Generally, when we listen “Hello…” we recognize the voice of known person (If you have not seen the caller ID in mobile). Now, scientific study is supporting this phenomenon of recognizing person with help of minimum words.

According to Julien Planet-Hebert from University of Montreal, More than 99% of the time, two words are enough for people with normal hearing to distinguish the voice of a close friend or relative amongst other voices. He presented his finding in 18th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences, involved playing recordings to Canadian French speakers, who were asked to recognize on multiple trials which of the ten male voices they heard was familiar to them. French word "Merci beaucoup" (thanks a lot) turned out to be all they needed to hear.

So, now next time when you call some stranger & that stranger recognize you by just one-two word, be certain of you are not stranger to the stranger.

Link to original article:  Machines have nothing on mum when it comes to listening

Link to article published Science daily: Machines have nothing on mom when it comes to listening

Science Cartoon based on Research "Arsenic in American Red Wine"

Science Cartoon based on Research "Arsenic in American Red Wine"

 

Link to Original Article: Arsenic Content in American Wine

Science Cartoon based on Research indicates that Viruses are alive and evolve too....

Science Cartoon based on Research indicates that Viruses are alive and evolve too....

 Reference: A phylogenomic data-driven exploration of viral origins and evolution

Science Cartoon on " Large Dams can spread Malaria"

Believe it or not....! According to the team of scientists, in sub-Saharan Africa, dams contribute significantly to malaria risk particularly in areas of unstable transmission.

"Dams are of lot importance to development, but it brings an adverse situation too. According to biologist Solomon Kibret of the University of New England in Australia, the lead author of the research published in Malaria journal. Paper entitled "Malaria impact of large dams in sub-Saharan Africa: maps, estimates and predictions" is about relationship large dams and malaria. Researchers clearly found that large dams have a greater impact on malaria prevalence in areas of unstable transmission.  Dams intensify the transmission of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. This finding of particular area may be applicable to the large dams around the world and required research. 

 Reference: Solomon Kibret, Jonathan Lautze, Matthew McCartney, G. Glenn Wilson, Luxon Nhamo. Malaria impact of large dams in sub-Saharan Africa: maps, estimates and predictions. Malaria Journal, 2015; 14 (1) DOI: 10.1186/s12936-015-0873-2

Science cartoon based on "Invasive ant carrying virus pathogens to honeybee"

 Science cartoon based on "Invasive ant carrying virus pathogens to honeybee"

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile), listed in top 100 invaders,  are one of the world’s most widespread, abundant, and damaging species. Researchers have just discovered a novel virus carried by these global invaders that they think may kill that ant and control their spread is a good news. Unfortunately, the team also found that these invasive ants, host other viruses that threatens to devastate honeybees.  A group of scientists, led by Victoria University of Wellington’s Professor Phil Lester, has discovered that invasive Argentine ants frequently carry a previously undescribed virus. These exotic ants also host a virus widely associated with honey bee deaths.Death of honeybees is harmful to the ecosystem because honey bee is known for pollination of lot many plant including agricultural crop also. 

 Reference:Alexandra Sébastien, Philip J. Lester, Richard J. Hall, Jing Wang, Nicole E. Moore, Monica A. M. Gruber (2015), Invasive ants carry novel viruses in their new range and form reservoirs for a honeybee pathogen,Published 9 September 2015.DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2015.0610

Science Cartoon on Effect of Global warming on Lizards

Science Cartoon on Effect of Global warming on Lizards

      Global warming need no introduction. Even primary students can write an essay on it. Effects of global warming on various organisms are always subject of interest to the scientists worldwide and is the need of the day.

     Lizards, being an amphibian, highly prone to change in temperature, affected a lot by global warming. The effect of global warming on the metabolism of the lizard is well known, but recent studies reveal that the effect of more than studied previously. A study by the team
​of biologists led Arizona State University investigators is alarming  for conservators and environmentalists. Earlier studies were focused on the metabolism of lizards, but one of the important stages, embryonic stage was ignored. They discovered that lizard embryos die when subjected to a temperature of 110 degrees Fahrenheit  (43.34 C) even for a few minutes.

     "Lizards put all of their eggs in one basket, so a single heat wave can kill an entire group of eggs," said Ofir Levy, lead investigator of the study. They studied North American Lizard and found that If lizard mothers will not dig deeper nests to lay their eggs, it is expected that this species may  decline from the United States."
 

Their findings appear online in Proceedings of the Royal Society B  on 19 August 2015.
 

I am presenting a cartoon based on the above research. Feel free to share it because it is available under Creative Common License 4.0 for non commercial use.