Category: Science

Mental Health- still a taboo?

Just because no one else can heal or do your inner work for you, doesn’t mean you can, should or need to do it alone.

Lisa Olivero

Have you ever felt the stark desire to inevitably scream in a room full of people, hoping they just care enough to notice the signs you have been leaving regarding your deteriorating mental state and how desperately you need help? But instead, you just accept your solitude in an empty chair and try to repress your bottled-up emotions deep within the realms of your consciousness.

A lot of us might have gone through the same situation at a certain point in our lives. The primary reason behind this subconscious aversion to the expression of thoughts is the mere fact that humans have been conditioned to do so throughout their lives. Men are typically the most vulnerable victims of this detrimental mindset. From an early age, they are frequently instructed to not cry like a girl. According to a survey, a significant percentage of men in the nation are currently depressed, and they themselves admitted that they lack a support system.

Mental health is still a deeply rooted stigma that people aren’t ready to accept. In order to understand the concept one needs to broaden the perspective of understanding humans and follow certain ways like-

  1. Instead of asking,”How are you?” ask,” How are you, really?”
  2. Look for obvious signs in a person- whether they feeling low from abnormal no. of days.
  3. Asking your closed ones to describe their day in detail and be a good listener.
  4. Do not mistreat someone who is already going through some sort of trauma.
  5. Treat people with kindness, you never know what someone is going through.

Additionally, in India, therapists continue to be overlooked as a useful resource for treating a person’s mental health. A person is called a “lunatic” if they see a therapist. In light of the increased public awareness during the pandemic’s lockdown time, these issues are being explored on social media, and many people now see psychology as a crucial component of the educational system. People have now started considering mental health as being equally essential as physical health as because of an alarming spike in suicide incidents during this period.
Still, awareness needs to be assured at ground level and there is still a long way to go to see the day when all of us are not reluctant to lend a helping hand to our fellow humans.

A fundamental aspect of any society should be understanding, accepting, and embracing each and every emotion one feels which makes them human.

LARGE SOLAR STORM APPROACHING EARTH – BLACKOUT

Huge charged particles ejected from the sun is called solar storm.

By NASA

According to website Spaceweather.com, the storm that originated from the Sun’s atmosphere and can have a significant impact on a region of space dominated by Earth’s magnetic field.

A powerful solar storm is approaching the Earth at a speed of 1.6 million kilometers and this storm will hit the Earth either on Sunday or Monday.

According to the US space agency NASA, the solar storm is moving towards the Earth at a speed of about 1.6 million kilometers per hour and maybe its speed will increase further. NASA said that satellite signals can be interrupted by solar storms.

Scientists have feared that this great solar storm may hit our Earth in two days pic.twitter.com/MlWUeZ56aw

Effect of solar storm

The outer atmosphere of the Earth can be heated which can have a direct effect on satellites.

This can cause interference with GPS navigation, mobile phone signal and satellite TV. The current in power lines can be high, which can also blow transformers

Power lines can carry a lot of currents, which can blow transformers

There is also a possibility of blackout of HF (high frequency) radio communication that is dependent upon current X-ray Flux intensity. According to the latest prediction, the flare can cause a wide area blackout of HF (high frequency) radio communication for about an hour.

Due to the solar storm, there will be a view of beautiful celestial lighting for the people living at the North or South Pole. The people living closer to these areas can expect to see beautiful aurora at night.

Viruses and its Classification

A computer virus is a piece of software that can “infect” other programs by modifying them; The modification includes injecting the original program with routine to make copies of the virus program, which can then go on to infect other programs. A virus can be prepended or postpended to an executable program, or it can be embedded in some other fashion. The key to its operation is that the infected program, when invoked, will first execute the virus code and then execute the original code of the program.

Viruses classified along two orthogonal axes: the type of target the virus tries to infect and the method the virus uses to conceal itself from detection by users and antivirus software.

A virus classification by target includes the following categories:

  1. Boot sector infector:
     Infects a master boot record or boot record and spreads when a system is booted from the disk containing the virus.
  2. File infector:
     Infects files that the operating system or shell consider to be executable.
  3. Macro virus:
     Infects files with macro code that is interpreted by an application.

A virus classification by concealment strategy includes the following categories:

  1. Encrypted virus:
     A portion of the virus creates a random encryption key and encrypts the remainder of the virus. The key is stored with the virus. When an infected program is invoked, the virus uses the stored random key to decrypt the virus.
     When the virus replicates, a different random key is selected..
  2. Stealth virus:
     A form of virus explicitly designed to hide itself from detection by antivirus software. Thus, the entire virus, not just a payload is hidden.
  3. Polymorphic virus:
     A virus that mutates with every infection, making detection by the “signature” of the virus impossible.
  4. Metamorphic virus:
     As with a polymorphic virus, a metamorphic virus mutates with every infection.

Virus countermeasures

  • The ideal solution to the threat of viruses is prevention: Do not allow a virus to get into the system in the first place, or block the ability of a virus to modify any files containing executable code or macros.
  • This goal is, in general, impossible to achieve, although prevention
    can reduce the number of successful viral attacks.
  • The next best approach is to be able to do the following :
  • Detection : Once the infection has occurred, determine that it has occurred and locate the virus.
  • Identification : Once detection has been achieved, identify the specific virus that has infected a program.
  • Removal : Once the specific virus has been identified, remove all traces of the virus from the infected program and restore it to its original state. Remove the virus from all infected systems so that the virus cannot spread further.

Tropical cyclones

Tropical cyclones are intense circular storms that originate over the warm tropical oceans with more than 119 kilometres per hour speed and heavy rains. Mainly, the greatest damage to life and property caused not from the wind but from other secondary events including storm surges, flooding, landslides and tornadoes. Tropical cyclones are among the foremost destructive weather phenomena and also known as typhoons or hurricanes. They include a number of different hazards that can individually cause significant impacts on life and property, such as storm surge, flooding, extreme winds, tornadoes and lighting.

Tropical cyclones are known by various names in different parts of the world. In the North Atlantic ocean and the eastern North Pacific they are called hurricanes, and in the western North Pacific around the Japan, and China the storms are referred to as typhoons. In the western South Pacific and Indian ocean they are variously referred to as severe tropical cyclones, tropical cyclones, or simply cyclones. All these different names refer to the same type of storm. The tropical cyclone is formed when a transfer of water vapour and heat from the warm ocean to the overlying air occurred primarily by evaporation from the surface of the sea. As we know that warm, moist air rises, it expands and cools, quickly and become saturated and released latent heat due to the condensation of water vapour. By this process, the column of air in the core of the developing disturbance is warmed and moistened.  The temperature difference is formed between the warm, rising air and the cooler environment that causes air to become buoyant and enhance its upward movement. If the surface of the sea is too cool then there will not be enough heat available and the rate of evaporation will be low to provide fuel to the tropical cyclone. Even the supply of energy will also be cut off due to warm surface water layer is not enough deep. It happens because the tropical system modifies the underlying ocean. The sea surface becomes cool due to the falling of the rain from the deep convective clouds and the strong winds in the centre if the storm will further create turbulence. If this resulting mixing brings cool water from the below the surface layer to the surface, the fuel supply for the tropical system will be removed.

A tropical cyclone that remains over the ocean and moves into higher latitudes will change its structure and become extra tropical as it encounters cooler water. Each year the impacts of tropical cyclones and other weather, climate and water extremes around the Earth give rise to multiple casualties and significant damage to property and infrastructure, with adverse economic consequences for communities that can persist for many years. 

 

Afforestation

Afforestation is very useful to prevent and maintain the oxygen levels. Due to the deforestation, many of the trees are being cut and the oxygen supply has been reduced very drastically. Afforestation will help to maintain the oxygen levels in the atmosphere and helps the individual and the world to be healthy all the time. Oxygen is the minimum need for the individual to survive on the earth. If there is no oxygen, then which will cannot live or survive. When there is no o2, It is equally difficult for the animals to survive.

It also helps to maintain good forests. Deforestation, that is cutting of the trees makes the land abandoned and trees life less. When an individual takes a step forward to plant trees that is afforestation, good number of trees will be grown and the forests will be developed.

The most important thing for the animal’s survival is trees that give shelter and plants for the food. When the trees are being cut, some of the animals find no shelter and sometimes no food to eat. When afforestation takes place animals will find good shelter and also good food to eat.

Importance of Afforestation :

Afforestation helps to addess all the issues of soil erosion and barren land at the same time. Tress acts as wind barriers thereby weakening the speed of the wind and reducing its impact and ability to carry big soil particles.

The impacts of afforestation is occuring in many parts of world, can modify the nature and transformations of soil organic carbon and associated soil prevents, which in turn can affect plant diversity and ecosystem function. Afforestation also decreased soil bulk density and pH, and increased soil water content.

Types of Afforestation :

Afforestation materials are mainly divided into three categories: seed,seedling,and cutting. The choice of these three types of afforestation materials and methods is related to site conditions, tree species and age.

Various causes of Afforestation :

* Afforestation is highly fundamental in creating an alternative source pool of nature resource.

* Afforestation aids in tackling global warming and stabilizing global temperatures.

* protection of sensitive areas, biodiversity, and natural cycles.

* Afforestation can support wildlif.

* Afforestation creates employment and can provide a source of livelihood.

Advantages of Afforestation :

* A constant supply of forest products.

* prevents soil erosion.

* stabilizes the climate.

* Has the potential of reversing global warming and climate change.

* Better quality air.

* Improve watershed.

* preservation of wildlife.

* provision of employment and economic opportunities.

Disadvantages of Afforestation :

If not properly managed, afforestation can result in a reduction of local biodiversity, the modification of particular biomes, the intriduction of non – native and potentially invasive species, reduced stream flow and lost revenue from agricultural.

Obesity

Obesity is described by the BMI (Body mass index). The obesity in the body is nothing but the high level of fat stored in the body. It is a very bad thing which in future leads to many health problems.

Many of the children are falling obese now a days. This is because of not having good food. Many of the children are highly addicted to the junk food. The junk food intake in the body increases the fat levels in the body.

A disorder involving excessive body fat that increases the risk of health problems. Obesity often results from takingin more calories than are burned by exercise and normal daily activities.

Symptoms:

Obesity occurs when a person’s body mass index is 25 or greater . The excessive body fat increses the risk of serious health problems.

What causes obesity?

Obesity is generally caused by eating too much and moving too little. If you consume high amounts of energy , particularly fat and sugars, but do not burn off the energy through exercise and physical activity, much of the surpluse energy will be stored by the body as fat.

8 Most common causes of obesity :

* physical inactivity.

* overeating.

* Genetics.

* A diet high in simple carbohydrates.

* A frequency of eating .

* Medications.

* psychological factors.

* Diseases such as hypothyroidism, insulin resistance, polycystic ovary syndrome, and caushing’s syndrome are also contributors to obesity.

Let us now look at some methods to prevent obesity.

*Healthy and nutritious food :

It is very important to consume healthy and nutritious food every day. To gain a sufficient amount of nutrients and and to be healthy it is very important to consume nutritious food. Consuming nutritious food helps us to gain sufficient energy. Being healthy prevents us from Many deadly diseases.

*Exercise :

Exercising at least for 10 to 15 minutes a day help the individual to be physically fit and also mentally strong. Exercising every day is a very good habit which everyone need to make it and perfect habit to do. Exercising 10 to 15 minutes also relieves us from the stress and the tension we have had. So, it is better to spend at least 10 to 15 minutes even in our hectic schedule an exercise.

* yoga :

Yoga relives from the stress and tension we have had. Sparing at least 10 to 15 minutes time on yoga benefit is a lot. It relaxes the muscle and comes to mind. It helps to be physically fit and mentally strong. All the asanas and pranayama helps to Gain strength and to be physically fit.

*Meditation :

Meditating for certain minutes helps to calm the brain and soul. It helps and relieving the stress and the tension we have had. It helps us to focus on the things which we are willing to do. It also equally helps us to be mentally strong. It is such a good and a mandatory practice an individual must obtain and must follow without any delays.

* Monitor your weight regularly.

* Be consistent.

Who obese people?

BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by the square of their height in metres. A BMI of 25.0 – 29.9 is classified as overweight but not obese, while a BMI of 30.0 or over is classified as obese. A BMI of graeter than 35.0 is classified as severely obese.

Adult BMI calculator

BMI WEIGHT STATUS

Below 18.5 underweight

18.5 – 24.9 Normal

25.0- 29.9 overweight

30.0 and above obese

The negative effect of obesity :

Obesity is serious beacause it is associated with poorer mental health outcomes and reduced quality of life. Obesity is also associated with the leading causes of death in the united states and worldwide, including ,diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer.

Yoga

Yoga is also equally important to be mentally calm. Practicing 15 minutes of yoga is so beneficial. All the asanas helps to get stronger muscles with the fitter body and good lifestyle with mental calmness. Yoga relives from the stress and tension we have had. Sparing at least 10 to 15 minutes time on yoga benefit is a lot. It relaxes the muscle and calms the mind. It helps to be physically fit and mentally strong. All the asanas and pranayama helps to Gain strength and to be physically fit.

It helps to be fitter and healthier. It helps to have a healthy lifestyle. Exercise helps to have healthy muscles and it also helps in weight loss who is suffering from obesity and excessive weight. Exercise is the healthy habit that must be added in the healthy lifestyle and must be practiced without any delay.

Exercising, meditation, yoga etc. are great things to regain the strength and to be fitter and also happy.

Types of yoga :

Bhakti yoga :

Bhakti yoga, also called Bhakti marga, is a spiritual path or spiritual practice within Hinduism focused on loving devotion towards any personal deity. It is one of the three paths in Hinduism which lead to moksha, the other paths being jnana yoga and karma yoga.The tradition has ancient roots.

The purpose of bhakti yoga is the practitioners of Bhakti yoga ,known as bhaktas, or loving devotees, express their religious devotion through prayer, ritual, and chanting. Their purpose is to develop feelings of unconditional love and devotion

Karma yoga :

Karma yoga, also called karma marga, is one of the three spiritual paths in Hinduism, one based on the “yoga of action”, the others being jnana yoga and Bakti yoga.

Patanjali Ashtanga yoga :

The eight limbs of of yoga is patanjali’s classification of classical yoga, as set out in his yoga sutras. He defined the eight limbs as yamas (abstinences), niyama ( observances), asana ( postures), pranayama (breathing) , pratyahara ( withdrawal), dharana ( concentration), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi( absorption).

The eight limbs form a sequence from the outer to the inner. Postures, important, in modern yoga as exercise, form one limb of patanjalis scheme; he states only that they must be steady and comfortable.

Jnana yoga :

Jnana yoga , also known as jnana marga, is one of the three spiritual paths in Hinduism, which emphasizes the ” path of knowledge”, also known as the ” path of self- realization”. It is one of the three classical paths for moksha. The other two are karma yoga and bhakti yoga.

Swara yoga :

Swara yoga is an ancinet tantric science which involves the systematic study of the breath flow thriugh the nostrils irrelation to the prevalling phases of the moon,time of day and direction. Mainly practiced through the connection of breath and movement, swara yoga creates levels of harmoney that are difficult to reach with other yoga styles. Our main tool is the movement and flow of body through the postures, guided by the breath.

Raja yoga :

In sanskrit, Raja yoga was both the goal of yoga and a method to attain it. The term also became a modern name for the practice of yoga in the 19th century when swami vivekananda gave his interpretation of the yoga sutras of patanjali in his book raja yoga

Kriya yoga :

Kriya yoga is a simple, psycho – physiological method by which the human blood is decarbonized and recharged with oxygen. The atmos of this extra oxygen are transmuted into life current to rejuvenate the brain and spinal centers.

Advanatges of yoga :

* yoga improves strength, balance and flexibility.

* yoga helps with back pain relief.

* yoga benefits heart health.

* yoga relaxes you, to help you sleep better.

* yoga can mean more energy and brighter moods.

* yoga helps you manage stress.

Disadvanatages of yoga :

* yoga may induce your blood pressure.

* phsical dangers of yoga

* Risk of strike.

* Hot yoga is not for eveyone.

* lack of experience or knowledge is risky.

National Simplicity Day

12 July is the day to Honors transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau.Born on 12 July Thoreau was an advocate of living a simple life .He belives that “As you simplify your life,the law of the universe will be simpler.”He was an environmentalist , poet and transcendentalist .He was the man of simplicity who believes “less is more”.

National simplicity day was created to help people to enjoy their life.As simple the word sound ,as complex is when you practice it. livinga simple life,you will find the most beautiful thing in the world.

“If you don’t kill it, it will kill you”!!

Sound is a symptom of life. The existence of life is felt and perceived through the presence of sound. But loud and shrill sound creates a cacophony instead of a symphony. Of late, sound pollution has reached an alarming stage in human life. It is chasing us in almost every step of life. In schools, colleges, offices, and even in hospitals we often hear an explosion of deafening sound. The quietness of our life has totally vanished. Even within our homes sound has been chasing us. Many are the causes of this problem of sound pollution. Microphones blare out day in and day out. Film songs are played on cassette recorders at top volume even from wayside betel shops! There are the aggressive bullying horns of automobiles. During social and religious festivals, crackers are burst indiscriminately and, as a result, the lives of the children and the aged persons as well as the examinees become miserable. Shouting of slogans also contributes to sound pollution. One can even hear slogans shouting in a closed rooms or silent places like hospitals! Th extent of sound pollution has already crossed the normal limits of human endurance. We must pass strict laws to take effective steps against the misuse of microphones. People must be made aware of the danger of sound pollution. It is dangerous for patient suffering from heart diseases. In many cases it is also responsible for deafness and psychologist imbalance. Of late, judicial bodies are taking steps to control the sound pollution. However, everyone must cultivate the virtues of quietness in domestic as well as in public life.  

PSYCHOLOGY FACTS THAT WILL ASTOUND YOU

As we all know the fact that the human psyche is immensely complicated so fresh research that sheds light on why we are the way we are is published every day. Now, Have you ever pondered why you feel or act the way you do? The answer of this question is that the way you are and what you do are largely determined by how your mind works. So human brain is really important without which it’s difficult to survive. Isn’t It remarkable how, at some level, every ‘unique’ mind works the same way? 

Here are psychological truths that explain human nature and provide a clear explanation of why things happen to us the way they do, as well as our reactions to them. These mind-blowing psychological truths explain everything about how you act or how you feel the way you do.

  1. Various Research have been conducted which prove that if you make your objectives public, you are less likely to achieve them because you lose motivation to do that. 
  2. Our plan A is less likely to succeed if we have a backup plan. Researchers discovered that when volunteers considered a backup plan before beginning a job, they performed worse than those who had not. Furthermore, as students understood they had alternatives, their desire to achieve the first time around dwindled. The researchers emphasize that planning ahead is beneficial, but you may be more effective if your intentions are unclear.
  3. When you go to sleep, the last person on your thoughts is either the source of your happiness or your anguish.
  4. If we’re not in danger, fear might feel pleasant. You receive all the adrenaline, endorphins, and dopamine from a fight-or-flight reaction while you’re watching a terrifying movie or going through a haunted house, but no matter how terrified you are, your brain knows that you’re not actually in danger—so you relax.
  5. Your mind rewrites dull people’s repetitive speeches to make them sound fascinating.
  6. We might be able to bond by “catching” a yawn. Isn’t it sound interesting? Well, Even if you aren’t weary, why do you yawn when someone else does? One of the most popular explanations for why yawning is contagious is that it demonstrates empathy. People who are less inclined to express empathy—for example, toddlers who haven’t yet mastered it are more likely to yawn when seeing the reaction of someone else. 
  7. While money may purchase pleasure to some extent, studies suggest that after Rs 49 lakhs per year, more money does nothing to improve contentment.
  8. We want to squeeze cute things for a purpose. When we’re overwhelmed with positive feelings, such when staring at an unbelievably adorable young animal, a little bit of aggressiveness helps us balance off that high, Cuteness aggression is what it’s called, and individuals who have it don’t actually want to destroy that lovely puppy.
  9. We believe that the future is promising. Whether you like where you are now or not, according to study published in Current Biology, most of us have a “optimism bias” that convinces us that the future will be better than the present. We imagine ourselves progressing in our jobs, never getting divorced, raising little angels, and living to a ripe old age. It’s possible that not all of them are feasible.
  10. Smarter individuals have a tendency to underestimate their own abilities. People who are ignorant believe they are clever.

If u find it relatable or interesting comment down in the comment section.

Technical skills

Technical skills are the abilities and knowledge needed to perform specific tasks. They are practical, and often relate to mechanical, information technology, mathematical, or scientific tasks. Some examples include knowledge of programming languages, design programs, mechanical equipment, or tools.

Some of the very famous tech. Skills:

1. Project Management. Being able to effectively coordinate resources, people and budgets as a project manager is one of the best technical skills that you can have.
2. Analysis of Big Data and Business 3.Intelligence.
4. Information Security.
5. Designer.
6. Marketing Assistant.
7. Writer. And many more…

Create a dedicated Technical Skills section for the resume.

If they’re heavily emphasized in the job description, then your Technical Skills section should be at the top of your resume, just below your introduction, and above your professional experience. A bulleted list will make it easy to read.

These are some of the basic tech. Skills:

* Word Processing Skills.
* Spreadsheets Skills.
* Database Skills.
* Electronic Presentation Skills.
* Web Navigation Skills.
* Web Site Design Skills.
* E-Mail Management Skills.
* Digital Cameras

How can you improve your technical skills? So, here are the steps to improves ones technical skill.

1. Enroll in Technical Classes or Workshops.
2. Get Technical Books.
3. Volunteer for Technical Projects.
4. Subscribe to Technical Sites and Magazines.
5. Develop Knowledge of a Second Language.
6. Practice What You Learned.

Parental Care in animals

Image credit : Birger Strahi

Like humans many other animals live on this planet with family. Even non-symbiotic organisms, for any period of their lives, take care of their families. If a family does not build its own, the unconscious biological awareness, its species should be endangered to endemic. Elephants, chimpanzees and other of all kinds: relatives to their family members, many times more than human beings who wish to call themselves the most intelligent and noble animal.

Parental Care
Mating refers not only to sex and courtship behaviors. It may also include the cooperative rearing of offspring by the parents. Parental care refers to any behaviors on the part of either or both parents that help their offspring survive. In many birds, parental care includes building a nest and feeding the young. Parental care generally is longest and most complex in mammals, in which it always involves the mother feeding milk to the young (see the Mammals concepts). Parental care in mammals may also involve teaching the young important skills that they will need when they are older and no longer cared for by the parents. For example, meerkat adults teach their pups how to eat scorpions. They show the pups how to safely handle the poisonous insects and how to remove the stingers. Penguin is protecting her chick and will continue to do so until the chick is able to protect itself.

If the concern for all members of their group is one type, then the concern for their offspring is different. Almost all animals are nurtured in their own way, as are humans who love, feed, and care for children more than ever. Depending on what kind of organism cares for the organism, the organism’s reproductive kind. If any organism has a reproductive kind of ovulation, little undeveloped spawning. Chicks are born when such an egg undergoes external fertilization. Generally most species of fish and frogs have this type of reproduction. Care of these eggs before and after fertilization will raise the parental concern of these organisms. In general, studies have shown that both male and female frogs are of concern in fish and frogs in fish, however, frogs have little to do with this generalization; many recent findings suggest that there are many different types of parental care in frogs, not in any species. Surprisingly there are 41 types of parental care in the genus of frogs. Ovulation Kind of Fish with breeding grounds, In organisms such as the frog, little nourishment is required for little parental care within the mother’s body. No more reproduction of ovulation type in some fish, such as sharks, many insects, lizards, and even some snakes, the eggs hatch into the mother’s body, leaving the chicks imperfectly developed. Since these are nourishment within the mother’s body, the need for postnatal parental care is little more than that of ovarian organisms. Others, including mammals, and other animals with advanced bodies in biosynthesis, have the ability to reproduce germ cells. In this way, the birth of a fully developed offspring within the mother’s body is the same as parental care. Teaching and countless other jobs are hidden in parenting. Without taking care of offspring No other living organism is found in this world. In most organisms, either the mother is usually nurtured, or both the father and mother are involved. Fathers have been more concerned with seaweed and some fish. Surprisingly, relatives like aunt and aunty are raising children, elephants, lions, wolves, and a bird called ‘Jay Battler’. Further, some species of bees and sister wineries participate in the nourishment. Males are also rarely involved in parenting in promiscuous mating systems. Biology-based history has shown that when it comes to the question of survival, extinction is the lie that “there may be bad children in the world but not bad mothers.” The death of an incapacitated child for their survival or the survival of a child who is physically capable of their own children requires an example of the mother or father or both parental beings being exploited. This is not true in principle, but is the truth of evolution all the time.

Madagascar Droughts: Climate Change

Madagascar is the fourth biggest island in the world, situated in the Indian Ocean. The island country is deemed as ‘Megadiverse’ by Conservation International with more than 250,000 species of plants and animals most of which do not exist anywhere else. Almost 90% of the species found on the island are endemic. The island of 28 million people is one of the poorest countries in the world and has been ravaged by many natural and human-induced hazards.

So we can confidently say that the country is extremely rich and unique biodiversity. On the eastern coast of Madagascar the Rainforests of Atsinanana comprising of six national parks with an endemic rate of species touching almost 80%. This area has also been added to the World Heritage List since 2007. The area is considered important to both ecological and biological processes and it also supports the rare species of Lemurs and many other primates.

Deforestation has been a major issue in Madagascar and this has also threatened the Lemurs and them and many endemic species of the island heavily rely on these forests. Madagascar witnessed rapid deforestation for long a time and this only accelerated by the end of the 19th century due to French Colonization. The forested areas were gradually converted into coffee fields and the country lost its original forest cover by almost 80%. As of today, the primary forest cover stands a little over 10 percent.

Deforestation has not only affected the ecology of the country but has also affected the soil quality and increased soil degradation. Subsistence agriculture is quite common among the inhabitants of the islands. Slash and burn is another method that has affected the forest cover of the island as these methods are not beneficial after a certain population cluster. Another big reason for the rapid deforestation is illegal logging and this benefits private entities and large corporations. The country has also seen a rapid growth in its population which currently is estimated at 26 million, up from 2.2 million in 1900. This has increased the requirement for more land for cultivation.

Currently, Madagascar is going through a very severe drought and deforestation can partly be a reason for this phenomenon. But there are other issues of cause too. Due to climate change, Madagascar has also suffered the consequence of the increased frequency of extreme weather events. It’s the worst drought in 40 years and has taken grip of the Southern part of the island. Due to low rainfall various streams, rivers and small dams built for irrigation dried up last year. The majority of the people in the south of the country rely on rain-fed, small-scale agriculture to survive.  With no rainfall and non-existent agriculture output, there has been an emergency in the country with severe food scarcity. Many people in the region have resorted to eating insects, wild roots.

According to experts’ deforestation, drier soils and higher temperatures due to climate change are the likely cause of droughts.

Climate experts

The island is already suffering from the covid-19 virus combined with the pressure of droughts and famines have caused strain to the poor country. Food and other aids are being provided to the affected areas of the country but supply is still not aligning with the current demand. A long-term solution will be required to tackle this situation as this problem is only going to get more serious in the future.

References:

Toxic Positivity in an age of Nowhere

Positivity is a fad all around the place. Instagram, Twitter, the daily newsletters and what not – all have only one single message to convey – stay positive. Is that a bad message now? Bad enough to have an article against it? Well, no. And well, yes.

Positivity is important. Being hopeful is important. They are important to have the strength to move on. They are important to have the strength to carry forth with what lies at hand. If a person loses hope, then there is seldom a lot that can be done. This idea is quite agreed upon by psychologists as well as general health experts. But then what does the topic of this article convey? Positivity is something that drives a person forward. Then there is a situation where positivity becomes the only emotion a person knows. And most of the human race would agree that they are pushed into this state. If any other emotion – sad, angry, aghast or tired – tries to come, the person is told to let go of it and stay positive, to try to be happy about what lies with him or her or them. This is toxic, say many psychologists. The person is forced to accept positivity even when he/she/they are trying to cry, trying to be angry or trying to express any other emotion.

Expression is very important for mental health. There is no tool as strong as expression for the human mind. That expression can be verbal, through music, art, dance or in any other physical or art form – as long as it does no harm to another being, that expression is good and, important.

Toxic positivity can lead to the locking of emotions, mental degeneracy or probably depression, anxiety and a host of other issues. Psychologists argue that no emotion is ever fully suppressed. Suppressing of emotions locks those emotions deep in the brain, only to come out stronger and probably more harmful in situations of trauma or a sudden exposure to a stimulating environment.

In the present, all of us are struck in a nowhere – a world of our own in our houses or offices or work spaces with limited human contact. This has statistically led to an increase in cases of extreme isolation, anxiety and depression and a host of other mental health problems. This is certainly not a time to be positive all the time. And certainly not a time to try to do something positive. The important thing is to strike the balance. Give all your emotions a moment. And yet, try to do something positive each day. It is alright if you cannot. The contentment is to understand that you tried.

How To Avoid Toxic Positivity And Use Positive Thinking Healthily
Stay positive and away from becoming toxic positive. (image courtesy : Women’s health magazine)

Origin And Evolution Of Man

About 15mya, primates called Dryopithecus and Ramapithecus were existing. They were hairy and walked like gorillas and chimpanzees.

Ramapithecus was more man-like while Dryopithecus was more ape-like. Few fossils of man-like bones have been discovered in Ethiopia and Tanzania.

These revealed hominid features leading to the belief that about 3-4mya, man-like primates walked in eastern Africa. They were probably not taller than 4 feet but walked up right.

Two mya, Australopithecus probably lived in East African grasslands. Evidence shows they hunter with stone weapons but essentially ate fruit.

Some of the bones among the bones discovered were different. This creature was called the first human-like being the hominid and was called Homo habilis.

The brain capacities were between 650-800cc. They probably did not eat meat. Fossils discovered in Java in 1891 revealed the next stage, i.e., Homo erectus about 1.5mya.

” Homo erectus had a large brain around 900cc. Homo erectus probably ate meat. The Neanderthal man with a brain size of 1400cc lived in near East and Central Asia between 1,00,000-40,000 years back. They used hides to protect their body and buried their dead.”

Homo sapiens arose in Africa and moved across continents and developed into distinct races. During ice age between 75,000-10,000 years ago modern Homo sapiens arose.

Pre-historic cave art developed about 18,000 years ago. Agriculture came around 10,000 years back and human settlements started. The rest of what happened is part of human history of growth and decline of civilisations.

https://www.britannica.com/science/human-evolution

https://www.yourgenome.org/stories/evolution-of-modern-humans