Sunday, March 22, 2015

Watch: Incredible Solar Eclipse!

On Friday March 20, 2015 a total solar eclipse occurred. This was visible for millions of people residing in UK and Northen Europe. For someone like me who has never seen one or missed the chance to live stream it here's a video by BBC One filmed by Professor Brian Cox, Dara O'Briain and Liz Bonnin.Watch the breathtaking solar eclipse here:

The proportion of the Sun covered by the Moon was 97% in Northern Scotland and 84% in London. The next total solar eclipse is predicted to happen on March 9, 2016.

This is my tenth post and concludes my blog assignment. I hope all my followers, readers and dear friends enjoyed reading about All Things Science! A final sign off for the lovely, inspiring scientists and enthusiasts...

Explore. Discover. Love Science.

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Gadgets of the Future

Looking at how the digital world has been transformative for all of us and our lifestyle, I am left awe-struck with the rapid advancements just in a span of a decade. Whether you're Googling all the answers that are possible to find, connecting through social media or using touch screen or voice activated devices etc...one can't deny we are not far from entering the Jetsons era!

I can't mask the sheer excitement, watching all of this happen before my very eyes. I thought what better way to pass it along by sharing this post with all the tech fanatics out there. Here are a few gadgets that are going to shape the future even more:

  • Flying Car (Duh!)


Not a new concept of course, designs dating back to as far as 1923, but a Slovakian company called AeroMobil unveiled a prototype of this car/plane hybrid that has grabbed many people's attention. 
A promo video for AeroMobil 3.0 was showcased at the Pioneers Festival in Vienna where you can see this sleek aircraft have a smooth take off just at the touch of a button. Watch this amazing video:


The company has made the announcement that the prototype could be available as consumer vehicle within 2 years. May sound a little ambitious, especially with the CEO and co-founder Juraj Vaculik's vision to create a second model of AeroMobil a self-flying car. There's still a long way to go but I can't wait to hitch a ride in one!

  • Holographic lens
There are many companies seeking to create the perfect lens like Oculus Rift by or Samsung's Gear VR to make augmented reality possible but so far the one I've liked the most is Microsoft HoloLens. This is going to revolutionize computing, where the digital world is blended with the real world. 


  • Robots
Yes yes, we are all skeptical when it comes to actual physical robots with so many prototypes created with no practical use but here are a couple I do see a demand for in the future. 

Well, okay it won't exactly be like Baymax but the idea wasn't all fiction. According to Gizmodo there are 8 real-life robots that inspired Big Hero 6's Baymax. One major component for his inflatable, cushion exterior was CMU's soft robotic arm that can aid to those who need special, gentle care particularly people with disabilities or older adults. Expect to see something like him taking care of you in old age. 
On the topic of cute robots, Japan is always ahead of the game! Meet the voice activated Robi: 

                          
CEO of Robo Garage Co Tomotaka Takahashi shares his insight that robots can be a groundbreaking means of communication when it comes to interacting with humans and could replace smartphones. 



Are you ready for the Jetsons era? 




Tuesday, March 17, 2015

6 Rare, Bizarre Medical Conditions You Have Never Heard Of Before!

I mentioned in my first post that I would write on this topic so here it is! You will leave away, perhaps, feeling a little bit queasy, intrigued but mostly amazed at how the human body works! Warning: Some of the images shared in this post will be graphic. Here are six rare medical conditions:
  • Auto-brewery Syndrome

The first one to be shared because hey, it is St.Patrick's Day!
Auto-brewery syndrome also known as Gut Fermentation. A reported case of this syndrome is of a 61 year old man in Texas who had an infection of Baker's yeast turning his intestines into a brewery. The yeast converted starch and sugars into ethanol (alcohol) which got him drunk every day.
  • Hyperekplexia or Startle Syndrome


Genetically inherited this neurological disorder affects infants, newborns, even children and adults. This disorder leads to different symptoms such as excessive startle reaction like eye-blinking, body spasms or all together muscle tension which causes stiffness and hypertonia preventing voluntary movement all caused by sudden, unexpected loud noises (bang or clap). The latter also results in the person falling over stiffly like a 'fainting goat.'

  • Cotard's Delusion

Another mysterious neurological condition, this makes people believe that parts of their body or themselves have died and no longer exist. Believing they are "walking dead" some spend time hanging around graveyards to feel close to home. Creepy. A possible, effective treatment for this medical condition is electroconvulsive therapy.

  • Spontaneous Human Combustion


Along with being rare this phenomenon has never been explained, disproved or proven. A person catching on fire without any spark or ignition like the Human Torch? There are several reported cases where the victims burned completely without their surrounding untouched. In these cases it is noted that though completely consumed by the fire and charred beyond recognition the extremities of bodies such as hands, feet or part of their legs may be unburned. Very Strange.

  • Muscle Hypertrophy


As the name suggests, this condition inhibits muscle growth when the body stops producing myostatin. Toddlers with this condition are able to lift 5lb weights or even have six pack abs!

  • Persistant Genital Arousal Disorder


This one I had actually heard of before, rather watched an episode on it in Grey's Anatomy. Hehe. If you haven't guessed it yet, this condition leads a person (their genitals) to constantly feel aroused due to an irregular nervous system. An orgasm helps provide temporary relief but so far there is no known cure.
  •     Being born 'en caul.' Also known as Veiled Birth.
The point above probably didn't make much sense but when you see the pictures below you'll understand.


This is Silas Phillips, born three months premature in February this year. He was born with the amniotic sac still intact.

When a woman goes into labour and her "water-breaks" that's the amniotic sac rupturing. Being born still inside the amniotic sac is extremely rare - around one in 80,000 births. Silas was still able to get oxygen through the placenta till the bag or sac was broken. Another famous birth in the same way was Jessica Alba's daughter, Haven. 


Which one did you think was the most bizarre? Share your thoughts in the comments! 



Sunday, March 15, 2015

What Did You Do On Pi Day?

If you have been following the trends this weekend you will know that Saturday, date 3.14.15 at 9:26:53 was International Pi Day! Get it? 3.14.15 at 9:26:53 = 3.141592653 which is equal to π! What an auspicious day it was to celebrate since it happens once every 100 years!
According to askamathematician.com, mathematicians are still unsure whether this wondrous infinite decimal has a single finite sequence of numbers but they do guarantee that it is never repeated for example, it's never .123412341234...

The world and social media were buzzing with all things pi. To share the significance of pi here are a few images and videos for your entertainment.

  • People were making pies on #PiDay (of course).  


Source: The Awkward Yeti. You should check out his comics, they're the best! 

Fusion Network shared 17 mouthwatering pies to celebrate Pi Day. Math never tasted so good.


  • A farmer gathered his cattle and made a new symbol, Cow Pi !




  • College Humor sang a song called "Sweet Number Pi." 


This song which is fourteen minutes long was a hilarious attempt by the guys to sing all the numbers of Pi. This was definitely LOL worthy.

There was another occasion to celebrate, a privileged scientist Albert Einstein's birthday was on Pi Day! He would have been 136 years old.

How did you celebrate Pi Day? Share in the comments below!


Monday, March 9, 2015

Why Dogs Are Man's Best Friend!

When it comes to science, we know that dogs are best known to be conditioned to salivate at the sound of a bell, using Pavlov's method and experiment. After more than three years of living in Canada and being surrounded by three wonderful dogs in the family, I have learned to give dogs more credit. They aren't just dummies to be tested and trained...they are compassionate, intelligent creatures who have shown loyalty more than any human counterpart in my life! Which is why I dedicate this post to all the dogs in the world and three very special ones: Frodo, Logan and Specter. :) Here are following reasons why dogs are man's best friend:

  • Dogs understand and respond to human communication.
It is undeniably true, when you talk to your dog they listen attentively to every word you say but do they understand? Absolutely! It is said that dogs are as smart as a 2.5 year old child. According to Stanley Coren, a biologist in University of British Columbia it was found through tests that the average dog can understand up to 165 words and high achievers up to 250 words including signs and signals. Without a doubt in my mind, I can say that dogs brought up in multilingual families understand their language too! 


  • Dogs are emotionally expressive just like us.
Those with dogs have always noticed the tiny nuances in their beloved pet's behaviour such as barking, wagging their tail, sticking out their tongue or a whimper to show they are sad. Other than mental capabilities and  posture, these highly perceptive canines have developed an innate sense to filter through many emotions just like us. Dogs are intuitive, being able to read our body language to know our intentions and tell when someone is lying
To prove this, scientists in Kyoto University, Japan, created an experimental design rounding up 34 dogs and two opaque containers. One empty and the other *surprise surprise* containing food. In the first round, participants pointed at the container with food before letting the dog choose which container. After showcasing both the containers, for the second round the participant misled the dog by pointing at the empty container before releasing the dog again. For the final round, procedure from first round is repeated but this time instead of following the pointed gesture the dogs no longer responded to the cue. Researchers found the same results when the experiment was repeated. 

"I am smarter than you, human"

This quote from lead author Akiko Takaoka sums it up: "Dogs have more social intelligence than we thought. This social intelligence evolved selectively in their long life history with humans." 
  • Dogs take care of our health.
We all know there are special guide dogs out there to help those in need. For example, a diabetic patient or someone who has hearing problems. They provide 24 hour care and support. However, did you know that dogs can detect early/late stages of cancer? Just through their heightened sense of smell, dogs are capable of sniffing out the volatile smell released by cancer cells. Success stories can be found here: Frankie the dog 'sniffs out thyroid cancer'Daisy, the dog who's sniffed out over 500 cases of cancer.


                                       
A great video by BBC Earth that you should watch! Story about a dog, Max, detecting cancer in his master Maureen. So sweet. 
  • Dogs are just awesome at everything they do!
Admit it, you love these adorable pooches. They are trustworthy, obedient and most importantly, cuddly companions one could ever wish to have by their side. I can't wait to have a dog of my own someday!


Baby Frodo. He is very close to my heart <3 


Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Reading Week Binge Watching: Carl Sagan Videos

Having a week off is a blessing to catch up on reading all the course work and *ahem* sleep, but in the hours between I wouldn't miss out on a chance to watch Carl Sagan's videos. For those who don't know about him, he was an astrophysicist and renowned for making science popular through the 3 time Emmy Award winning TV mini series in the year 1980 called Cosmos.He was more than a scientist, he was a philosopher, a social activist, my hero. Humble with his words, Carl Sagan spoke the truth in a subtle yet impactful manner. He was a critical thinker who thought beyond his era and age.

"We are all made of star stuff. We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."- Carl Sagan

This 13 hour series covered a range of topics from talking about the universe, evolution, history and religion, the effects of pollution on our planet Earth, the self-destructive nature of mankind through means of nuclear warfare to possible space exploration in search of extraterrestrial life out there. His son Nick Sagan, now a science-fiction novelist, follows in his father's footsteps to explore the latter, writing articles such as "Are We Alone?"  I would like to believe that Mr Sagan would have been proud seeing the advancements we have made thus far with the landing of Curiosity's Mars Rover. The entire Cosmos series can be found on YouTube Carl Sagan's Cosmos Playlist

Wondrous cinematography, graphics and script for new version of the series 
Cosmos: The Spacetime Odyssey

This series was rebooted as Cosmos: The Spacetime Odyssey last year, in March 2014, with a new narrator and another favourite scientist of mine Neil Degrasse Tyson. The entire documentation is available for viewing on Netflix. 
Carl Sagan continues to be an inspiration with an everlasting charisma and thought-provoking questions, making people like me continue to learn about our universe. Thank you for the lessons Mr. Sagan. 
  "Science is more than a body of knowledge.                        It's a way of thinking"