Archives February 2013

The ability to focus clearly on nearby objects— accommodation—decreases with age. This is known as presbyopia. It explains why older people tend to hold books at arm's length. Bifocals are glasses incorporating two lenses for each eye. The lower section of each glass corrects for presbyopia, bringing nearby objects into focus. American statesman Benjamin Franklin (1706- 1790) is normally credited with the invention of bifocals—although no one knows for sure who devised them, or when they did so. Franklin, and a few others, may have been wearing bifocals since the 1760s, but the first mention he makes of his "double spectacles" is in a letter dated August 21,1784. Franklin certainly did much to publicize bifocals and, as a man of science—and of poor eyesight—he certainly understood the principles behind their function. Each "lens" of Franklin's bifocal glasses consisted of two distinct pieces of glass, but toward the end of the more...

An Indian poetess of English language and known as the 'nightingale of India'-Sarojini Naidu was a great patriot who took part in freedom struggle and became the first woman Governor of U.P. She was the truly, one of the gems of the world.  She was born on February 13,1879 in Hyderabad. Her father Dr. Aghomath Chattopadhyay, was a scientist. He also founded Nizam College of Hyderabad. Her mother, Varasundari, was a Bengali poetess. In this way Sarojini Naidu inherited qualities from both her father and mother, and enjoyed a very bright career. Although her father wanted her to become a mathematician or scientist but she was more interested in  poetry than mathematics or science. She wrote "The Lady of the Lake", a poem of 1300 lines long, at a very tender age. She also wrote a play named "Maher Muneer" in the Persian language. The Nawab of Hyderabad was very more...

Introduction. 21st century is an era of science and technology. Science has touched the very life of man. No area of our life is unaffected by the miracles of science. We cannot ignore the fact that science has  come to stay. We are benefited by its unique gifts. Science has made its presence felt powerfully. Now, we have become entirely  dependent upon this valuable branch of human knowledge. Importance of Science. Science has changed our life completely. We cannot think of our life without it. It has modernized everything whether it is home or office, school or hospital. It is a revolutionary factor. It is always in the service of mankind. A doctor can now operate with scientific apparatus and perform bloodless surgery. Our doctors can detect the inner diseases of our body and brain with the help of X-ray, ultra-sound, CT scan, etc. Science has made our life full more...

The capsule checkweigher by Bosch, KKE 3800, sets the   standard in the field of 100 per cent capsule weighing. Its precise gravimetric weighing technology and ergonomic design make them the ideal weigher choice tor capsule check weighing needs. The ultra high-speed capacity of the KKE 3800 is ideally suited for application with more than one capsule filler or for batch work. The checkweigher has an output of up to 230,000 capsules/hour. The Bosch KKE 3800 sets the standard in the capsule weighing field with 100 per cent accuracy and high output. The integrated current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) and ASB technology 3 guarantees extremely high productivity   and the permanent positive guidance of the capsules guarantees maximum pharmaceutical security. Other highlights include easy accessibility, comprehensive production documentation and ease of cleaning. It has comprehensive production documentation and is controlled by industrial PC and 21 Code of Federal Regulations  (CFR)  Part 11-compliant more...

William Gascoigne (1612-44) was an English mathematician and astronomer, renowned for making scientific instruments. He was intrigued by the vernier scale and saw its potential for measuring the angular distances between stars. In circa 1635, while working on precision optics, he noticed that a thread from a spider's web had become trapped at the exact focal point of two lenses, and that he could therefore see it sharply. This inspired him to create a thin marker that could be placed at the focal point of a lens. He added a second linear marker so that, when he looked through his telescope lens, two parallel lines could be seen within the field of view. One of the markers he linked to a very fine screw thread, which could be used to adjust the distance between the two markers—the other of which would remain fixed. As the angular size of the field more...

Ritual is a religious or solemn ceremony involving a series of actions performed according to a set order. Pooja and Yajna are the two such rituals which play a significant role in the life of a Hindu. Pooja which means worshipping a deity, can be performed either at home or in temples or at both the places. The Hindus offer several articles like flowers, sandalwood paste, incense, food, Tuisi leaves, etc. while performing pooja. The person who conducts the Pooja in a temple is known as a Poojari. Arti-waving of lights before the image of the deity, is an important part of the Pooja ceremony. After Arti the pooja ceremony of that particular day comes to an end. During pregnancy ceremonies are held to ensure the welfare of the mother as well as the growing child. When the child is born, a number of rituals are performed. These rituals include more...

Man has been exploring land, ocean and space. It is, therefore, natural that he should turn to the frozen regions of the earth. Indians may also feel an attachment to Antarctica because it is believed that India, Latin America and Antarctica were once a single landmass. Antarctica is ice bound and un-inhabited. But penguins and about twelve species of birds live there. The frozen sea has varieties of fish and other creatures. There is night for six months continuously. The sun shines continuously for six months-i.e. day for six months. The region is free from pollution. The air is fresh and wholesome. The only problem is that of cold. Antarctica is called a sealed paradise on the earth. In July, 1981 the Government agreed that India must begin scientific exploration of the continent of Antarctica because it was expected that the region might be rich in oil and other minerals. more...

It is likely that you will not have given much thought to how glass is made. In fact, it is very difficult to make flat glass to the standard needed for uses such as shop windows, cars, and mirrors. Or at least it was before Sir Alastair Pilkington (1920-1995) created the float process in 1959 in the United Kingdom. He was a technical engineer at the glass manufacturers Pilkington Brothers (no relation) and it took him seven years to perfect his technique. Before this, the plate process, first developed by English engineer Henry Bessemer in 1848, was used. But this process was expensive because it resulted in distortion and marking of the glass, which had to be corrected by polishing. In the float process, the melted glass mixture. traditionally made of a combination of silica, sodium carbonate, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, and aluminum oxide, is poured onto a bath of more...

The effects of aspirinlike substances have been known since ancient times. Romans recorded the use of willow bark as a means of fighting fever. In the early nineteenth century it was discovered that the leaves and bark of the willow tree contain a substance called salicylic acid. Although salicylic acid reduced pain and fever, it also produced severe stomach upsets. In 1832 French chemist Charles Frederic Gerhardt tried 'to eliminate these side effects by combining salicylic acid with acetyl chloride. But he found the process too time-consuming and gave up. In 1899 German chemist Felix Hoffmann (1868-1946), who worked for the Bayer pharmaceutical company, became aware of Gerhardt's work and sought the drug to relieve his father's arthritis symptoms. Hoffmann simplified the method and came up with acetylsalicylic acid. Hoffmann took a small phial home for his father, who had his first pain-free night for years. Hoffmann named the drug more...

“For much of history, investment casting was confined to sculpture and works of art." European Investment Casters' Federation Investment casting is one of the oldest metalworking practices, occurring as long ago as 3000 B.C.E., and remains vital in producing very specific, one-piece metal designs. Today, the process is used to produce complex parts for nuclear power plants, but thousands of years ago essentially the same method was used to produce small metal ornaments and statues. Civilizations such as the Egyptians and the Mesopotamians used the investment casting—or "lost wax"—process to create small idols or jewelry with intricate patterns. The intended shape and design of each object was first sculpted from natural beeswax, and then coated with several layers of thick and heat-resistant plaster. This mold was then heated, the wax inside melted and drained out, and molten metal was poured into the resulting hollow space. After cooling, the plaster was more...