This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. Explore further Superconductors for electrical, defense, space, medical applications (PhysOrg.com) — A group of researchers in Japan have succeeded for the first time in superconducting power transmission of direct current over two hundred meters. The researchers, from Nano-Optonics Energy Inc., and Chubu University’s Superconductivity and Sustainable Energy Center conducted their experiment as part of Nano-Optics Energy’s Superconducting DC Power Transmission Project. The transmission loss of superconducting DC (alternating current) power transmission is ten times less than that of superconducting AC power transmission, and thirty times less than the transmission loss of ordinary AC power transmission. Since superconducting DC power reduces transmission loss, it could significantly reduce the amount of electricity that needs to be generated, if it could be used to replace normal AC power. With the current emphasis on lower carbon emissions, the idea is attracting a great deal of attention, not only because less electricity would be needed, but also because alternative electricity generation methods such as solar and wind power generate direct current, which in the present system has then to be converted to alternating current. Using direct current would also reduce the losses that occur during the conversion process.The system being developed uses a liquid nitrogen circulation system, an adiabatic double tube, and a newly developed type of superconducting cable. Other new technologies developed by the researchers for the new system include a new method of thermally insulating the ends of the cable. This method, called the Peltier Current Lead (PCL), drastically cuts heat transfer between the liquid nitrogen cooling system and the ambient temperature section.Direct current power transmission also has the advantage over AC of being cheaper and more efficient when transmitted over distances of 300 km and above. Superconducting power transmission theoretically has zero energy loss, and larger current power transmission is possible and over much longer distances, with transmission over distances as great as 10,000 km being feasible.Nano-Optonics Energy collaborates with Chubu University on a number of basic technology projects and research into developing more efficient batteries. Their aim is to develop the most efficient and largest current transmission system in the world, using high-temperature DC superconductors. More information: Nano-Optonics Energy — www.nano-opt.jp/en/superconductor.html © 2010 PhysOrg.com Superconducting cable. Image credit: Nano-Optics Energy Citation: World first superconducting DC power transmission system a step closer (2010, March 8) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2010-03-world-superconducting-dc-power-transmission.html
More information: thesoundoffootball.com/ (PhysOrg.com) — In a show of just how far Smartphone technology has come, a new group funded by the Pepsi Refresh Project, has put together various technologies that allow blind people to play football using nothing but sounds that come to them from headphones connected to an iPhone mounted on their helmet. The idea, developed by Akestam Holst and Society 46, is to use surround sound technology to allow someone who cannot see, to move around and interact in an unknown and constantly changing real world environment. To demonstrate their technology, they set up a match between a group of sighted, but blindfolded former pro footballers, and a group of blind players on a small portion of a real stadium. © 2011 PhysOrg.com Immersive Game System Allows Physical Interaction Between Players In the end, each side had its own advantages. The ex pros obviously had far superior ball skills, while the blind players had far more experience moving around the real world without benefit of sight. And it appears things worked out rather evenly, as the final score was 1-1. Explore further
In short, the whole system allows each individual player to “hear” where everyone else is, where the ball is, where on the field they are, and where the goal posts are. Based on that information, each player can then move about as they would were they able to do so using vision. Granted, the system can’t possibly offer anywhere near the same sensory experience as those who can see, but it is enough to allow the teams to both play and compete. To create the sounds that guide the players, the team used 3D camera systems provided by Tracab mounted on the stadium walls. The cameras are connected to computers with tracking software that allows for the tracking of each player, the ball and the location of the goal posts. Each tracked entity is assigned a unique sound which is modified based on its relative location to each player then broadcast to the iPhone on the player’s helmet. Thus, when a player on the field approaches another, the sound that is generated not only gets louder, but is “projected” in three-dimensional space, which means, the player can tell where the other player is relative to them, just as people can tell where someone is relative to them who is walking on a tiled floor with hard soled shoes, by the direction of the sound waves coming at them. Because of this effect, the sound can be adjusted in real time when the player listening moves on the field. And because of the gyroscope and the compass in their iPhone, the effect can be adjusted as the player turns their head, providing a continuous perspective. Citation: ‘Sound of Football’ project allows blind to play football (w/ video) (2011, November 11) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2011-11-football-video.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
Because no one can predict which parts on a spacecraft might fail during a long trip, tons of spare parts would need to be carried along to ensure a safe and productive trip, unless most of those parts could be created on the fly by the astronauts themselves. That’s what the engineers working in several NASA facilities are working on right now. The trick is to build an additive processing machine that is small enough to take on a space flight mission, yet versatile enough to allow for adding materials of many different types while fashioning just one part, i.e. metal, plastic, rubber, etc. Thus far, engineers have tested additive technologies on planes that simulate zero gravity and have found their machines work just as well as when used here on Earth. The next step is to put together a program to test the machines by astronauts aboard the International Space Station. © 2012 Phys.org The world’s smallest 3D printer Additive manufacturing refers to using techniques to add material to a beginning base of nothing to create something new as opposed to the way things have generally been done up to now, i.e. creating a big chunk of something and then removing the bits that are not wanted, generally by cutting and then machining. Besides the obvious reduction in material costs, there is also a reduction in machining costs if the part is made nearly perfect in the first step. Some additive processing technologies are referred to as 3D printing because the process is very similar to that used in inkjet printers. If an inkjet printer used thicker ink and repeatedly passed over a page, for example, eventually the ink would build up, producing a three dimensional object and that is what is at the heart of additive processing. More information: www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videog … ml?media_id=29574541 Engineers at NASA are currently testing something they call EBF3 for Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication, which marries inkjet technology with welding techniques. In this process, a wire is heated to the melting point using an electron beam, similar to when two pieces of metal are welded together. But instead of joining pieces, the EBF3 adds new layers of material building up three dimensional objects. The result is a process that produces no waste and that can be preconfigured and run in the same fashion as robots that weld parts together when making cars. A structural metal part fabricated from EBF3. Image credit: NASA Explore further Citation: NASA researchers looking to take additive manufacturing into space (2012, July 24) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2012-07-nasa-additive-space.html NASA Chief Technologist Bobby Braun gets up close and personal with the EBF3 system. Credit: NASA/Sean Smith Electron beam freeform fabrication process. Image credit: NASA This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. (Phys.org) — Over the past several years, additive manufacturing has become the golden child of process engineering. This is because it allows parts to be made faster, more cheaply and in some cases to be made at all. Now space engineers are looking at additive processing technology as a means for allowing astronauts on extended missions to build their own replacement parts during their trek, rather than relying on carrying tons of spare parts with them.
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. More information: Guijie Zhang et al. Redox chemistry changes in the Panthalassic Ocean linked to the end-Permian mass extinction and delayed Early Triassic biotic recovery, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2017). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1610931114AbstractThe end-Permian mass extinction represents the most severe biotic crisis for the last 540 million years, and the marine ecosystem recovery from this extinction was protracted, spanning the entirety of the Early Triassic and possibly longer. Numerous studies from the low-latitude Paleotethys and high-latitude Boreal oceans have examined the possible link between ocean chemistry changes and the end-Permian mass extinction. However, redox chemistry changes in the Panthalassic Ocean, comprising ∼85–90% of the global ocean area, remain under debate. Here, we report multiple S-isotopic data of pyrite from Upper Permian–Lower Triassic deep-sea sediments of the Panthalassic Ocean, now present in outcrops of western Canada and Japan. We find a sulfur isotope signal of negative Δ33S with either positive δ34S or negative δ34S that implies mixing of sulfide sulfur with different δ34S before, during, and after the end-Permian mass extinction. The precise coincidence of the negative Δ33S anomaly with the extinction horizon in western Canada suggests that shoaling of H2S-rich waters may have driven the end-Permian mass extinction. Our data also imply episodic euxinia and oscillations between sulfidic and oxic conditions during the earliest Triassic, providing evidence of a causal link between incursion of sulfidic waters and the delayed recovery of the marine ecosystem. Approximately 252 million years ago, the Earth experienced the largest die-off in its history, with approximately 90 percent of all life on the planet going extinct. Scientists have put forth a number of theories regarding the cause, but to date, a consensus has not been reached. In this new effort, the research team suggests that a type of shoaling began to occur for unknown reasons, which stirred up sulphides resting on the seafloor causing them to mix with seawater and making it impossible for most life in the ocean to survive.The team’s theory came after studying rocks found in parts of Canada and Japan—parts of the planet that once were under the Panthalassic Ocean. They found sulphur oxide mixed with other types of sulphur, which suggested that the ocean had been subjected to mixing of sulphur types, leading to toxic levels that made it nearly impossible for sea life to survive. They note that mixing occurred just before the great die-off, as it occurred, and then for some time thereafter, which, they note, also explains why it took nearly 10 million years for sea life to recover.The researchers suggest the mixing in the oceans was likely due to shoaling, which is when waves grow taller as they encounter shallower water while moving toward a shoreline. Because the process causes changes in both density and velocity, water can become stirred up.The researchers do not address the possible reason for the sudden change in shoaling, nor the possibility that it could have somehow contributed to the massive die-out that occurred on land, as well. Map of Pangaea showing where today’s continents were at the Permian–Triassic boundary. Credit: Wikipedia © 2017 Phys.org Explore further
Citation: Evidence of uncharacteristic shoaling found to play a role in great die-off 250 million years ago (2017, February 7) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2017-02-evidence-uncharacteristic-shoaling-role-great.html Rock samples suggest oxygen levels during ‘Lomagundi Event’ were high enough to support life development progress Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Phys.org)—A team of researchers with members from several institutions in China and the U.S. has found evidence of uncharacteristic shoaling before, during and after the great die-off 250 million years ago and suggest it could be the cause of so many species going extinct. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team describes evidence they found in rocks in Canada and Japan that suggests at least part of the great die-off was due to excess toxic sulphides permeating the world’s oceans.
Safety of women in the Capital has long been an issue. Keeping that in mind, an FM channel launched a campaign in the city that encourages acceptance and celebration of the girl child. With that theme in mind, Euphoria frontman Palash Sen launched a new song Main Hoon in the city on Thursday. Millennium Post caught up with Sen on the campaign, safety of women in the Capital and more. ‘It is not a sexist problem, it’s a social problem. Women are not just an object,’ he told us. Here are excerpts: Also Read – ‘Playing Jojo was emotionally exhausting’What made you direct and sing the song Main Hoon…?A woman according to me is ‘beauty’. Main Hoon.. depicts the strong presence of women around us. We are celebrating women empowerment, so this initiative marks the beginning of a series of initiatives which aim to create a safer society for women in India. All my earlier videos showcase women as protagonists, and even in this song, my mother, sister and my daughter along with some students of Lady Shri Ram College are seen. Also Read – Leslie doing new comedy special with NetflixHow do you think this song will help the audience take the initiative for a better society?In the past few weeks things have drastically changed in our society, and it’s about time that as individuals we come together to bring about a change in the general perception of women and girl children. There are various ways to reach out to the mass, and as I am into music, I feel it is the best means to reach the audience, the sweetest medium which will linger in the audience’s mind and heart. What do you think is the scenario of the Capital now in terms of safety of women since your Delhi University days when you were a student?The negative mindset of the society needs to be changed towards the female gender. We are the biggest hypocrites of the society. India is the oldest culture in the world, where on one hand we worship Ma Durga, her power, and on the other hand these gruesome incidents take place. Women are not only emotionally strong, they are physically strong too by carrying a baby for nine months. Earlier, we did not get to see and hear Munni and Sheila or Fevicol, which degrades a woman’s morality. Why do we have to see Bipasha Basu or Sunny Leone every day?…It’s time to put an end to these discriminations, and give them a chance to achieve their full potential.Many will say this is likely to be a publicity stunt, as the gang rape incident has been in the news lately….I simply don’t bother about publicity. I am an orthopaedic Surgeon too, I do music straight from my heart and people love my music. Euphoria is a band with no Bollywood ties. We are blessed to have this amount of fan following. If you are calling this a publicity stunt, I would say it is a positive initiative to nurture the society. I did not take a single penny for this song. Publicity is important, as far as it is a positive one.What is your message to the society?A woman is like the morning sunshine. Look up on her and value her. Look beyond movies which have taken over the idiot box. Learn to respect, to gain respect . Galvanise actions to ensure that every girl child is able to realise her full potential. And for those in the media, make the pen your sword, for a good cause.
‘The tiger skin shone brilliantly in the pre-lunch Jabalpur sun. Of the two men who spread it in front of the chai-shop, Ramchandra Prasad—the older one with a shaved head and gentle, hesitating hands, had a natural poise establishing his higher position in life. That he had come from the United States was evident from his elegant, though creased, Hilfiger jacket and the airline-tag on the Hartmann bag by his side… The gleaming skin on the bench also cast its spell on the chaiwallah, who begged to feel it. He turned down the radio and quickly jumped off his shop on stilts before Ram could say a word. ‘Tiger is truly king of the jungle.’ ‘ Also Read – ‘Playing Jojo was emotionally exhausting’ Scent of a Game is set against the backdrop of wildlife conservation and draws together several themes extending from tiger poaching, big game hunting and illegal trade of endangered species. These themes are woven into place, in a fast paced and gripping story line that draws the reader’s attention to pressing environmental issues whilst contributing to a transformation in their understanding of not just the tiger and it’s environment, but lends new perspective on their take on life itself. Also Read – Leslie doing new comedy special with Netflix Speaking on the launch of the book, Chief Guest, Dr. SY Quraishi said, ‘Environment and Tigers are deeply interrelated topics. Protection of one is necessary for the other. Books like Scent of a game contributes greatly in garnering interest in the people and raising awareness’ Following an enthusiastic reception from the audience, Chandra, who is not only passionate about the subject but has considerable primary experience in handling issues related to Tiger conservation, narrated his experience of writing a book. The fictional book, with its fast-paced and engaging plot, interweaves a fascinating story about a lost tiger skin. It draws the reader’s attention to various different but related issues like tiger poaching, illegal trade, big game hunting, criminal tribes and touches upon the need for environmental management. Read it to know more! Book: Scent of a Game (394 Pages) Publisher: Rupa Publications India Price: Rs 395
Ebola vaccine trials are set to start in Switzerland this week after receiving the green light from the country’s authorities, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday.Swiss regulators announced they would allow trials of an experimental vaccine made by Britain’s GlaxoSmithKine, and tests on some 120 individuals were set to get under way at the CHUV hospital in Lausanne this week, the WHO said.‘This marks the latest step towards bringing safe and effective Ebola vaccines for testing and implementation as quickly as possible,’ the UN’s health agency said in a statement. There is no licensed treatment or vaccine for the deadly Ebola virus, which has killed nearly 5,000 people in the outbreak centred in west Africa.The experimental GSK vaccine is one of two considered particularly promising by WHO. Called ChAd3, it is based on a genetically modified chimpanzee adenovirus and trials have already begun in Mali, Britain and the United States, the WHO said.‘The trial will test the safety of the vaccine and its capacity to induce an immune response,’ it said.
Australia pledged its support for Ukraine during a visit by the nation’s President Thursday, with Australia’s Prime Minister calling for an end to the bloody conflict in Eastern Europe and Ukraine’s leader urging Russia to withdraw.Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, a sharp critic of Russia since Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down in July over rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine, said Russia must honor a little-respected cease-fire agreement signed in September.Asked by a journalist if Australia was taking sides in a European war, Abbott replied: “The side we take is the side of freedom.”
Kolkata: The popularity of electric buses in New Town is growing fast with more than 20,000 people having travelled in the same in the past one and a half months.New Town is the only area in Bengal where air-conditioned electric buses have been introduced. There are three buses, two for Action Area I and one for Action Area II.The buses cover the routes that have not been covered by other buses. The buses go up to Unitech and Karigari Bhavan after the St. Xavier’s University campus. The fare is Rs 10 and stations have been set up to charge the batteries. Also Read – Rain batters Kolkata, cripples normal lifeThe buses strictly observe the guidelines of Safe Drive Save Life and the maximum speed of the vehicles is 40-50 km per hour. Before introduction of the buses, the drivers were given special training as they have to give tickets to the passengers as there are no conductors.The coaches of the 32 seater buses have been built by Eicher Motors, while the electrical systems have been installed by Karnataka-based KPIT. The introduction of electric buses is a big step towards a greener and cleaner city. Taking cue from the success of the electric buses, Zoomcar has proposed to introduce electric vehicles that can be hired and used by the people inside New Town.New Town has also introduced the cycle-sharing scheme, the only of its kind available in the country. There are graded roads and the cycles are fitted with GPS. The scheme has become immensely popular. In New Town, the street lights are being replaced by LED lamps in phases to conserve energy.
KOLKATA: It has been two years since the Supreme Court made a landmark judgment on the return of acquired land in Singur in Bengal, that gained momentum and reached its logical culmination under Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee.Tweets in Hindi, dedicating her anti-land acquisition movement victory as a “victory of the farmers of India”, showed her passion and dedication for the same. According to sources, Banerjee is also keen to organise a national farmers’ rally where she would address the farmers, raise the issues of farmer distress under the Modi government and highlight the schemes she has implemented in Bengal for them. Also Read – Rain batters Kolkata, cripples normal lifeHailed as the champion of the farmers’ cause, she is the only politician who had spoken about the adverse effects of demonetisation on farmers within half-an-hour of the announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. From implementing loan waiver schemes to criticising farmer suicides, the Chief Minister has been extremely vocal about landless labourers and their plight throughout the country. Time and again, she has taken up measures to provide relief to the farmers, introduced schemes for them to be covered under Kisan credit cards and directed average loans to be given to credit card holders, starting from Rs 2 lakh. Also Read – Speeding Jaguar crashes into Mercedes car in Kolkata, 2 pedestrians killed”On August 31, 2016, the SC, in a historic judgment declared that the land acquisition made by the erstwhile Left government in Singur was illegal. On the second anniversary of the historic judgment, (I extend) my best wishes to all the farmers of the country. We are always committed to their struggle and cause,” she tweeted on Friday. Sources added that Banerjee is likely to address a mass meeting with “Hindi-speaking people” at Netaji Indoor Stadium on September 7.
Kolkata: For the first time in India, Geological Survey of India (GSI) is going to use ultramodern remote sensing technology with the help of sensor developed by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), USA called — “Advanced Visible Infra-Red Imaging Spectrometer Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG)” to locate minerals like lead, zinc, copper, platinum, diamond, gold and other associated minerals.”This sensor is an engineering marvel and has been proved effective for mapping surface mineralogy in different parts of the world,” a senior GSI official said. Also Read – Rain batters Kolkata, cripples normal lifeRecently, AVIRIS-NG sensor was mounted onboard ISRO aircraft for acquiring the hyperspectral images for fourteen mineralized blocks in different parts of India, namely Jhagadia and Ambaji of Gujarat, Zawar, Udaipur, Pur Banera, Jahazpur and Bhukia in Rajasthan, Hutti-Maski in Karnataka, Wajrakarur in Andhra Pradesh, Sittampundi in Tamil Nadu, KuhiKhobna in Maharashtra, Tundi in Jharkhand and Chattarpur in Madhya Pradesh.A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been recently signed between the GSI and the National Remote Sensing Centre-Indian Space Research Organization (NRSC-ISRO) in Kolkata in presence of Dr Dinesh Gupta, Director General, GSI and Santanu Chowdhury, Director, NRSC. Also Read – Speeding Jaguar crashes into Mercedes car in Kolkata, 2 pedestrians killedThe main objective of the MoU is to utilise these airborne hyperspectral data by the scientists of GSI and ISRO to find surface signatures of mineralization in those 14 promising areas in the next 3 years. As a matter of fact, every mineral shows specific spectral character and hence hyperspectral remote sensing is used to detect minerals based on their spectral characteristics.It may be mentioned that hyperspectral data has immense potential for mineral exploration with regard to mapping of the host rock and surface alterations associated with the mineral forming processes.Hyperspectral remote sensing, also known as imaging spectroscopy, are not only used on earth but also used for mapping minerals on Moon and Mars.
Kolkata: The All India Minority Forum moved Monday a PIL before the Calcutta High Court seeking direction to the BJP to withdraw its West Bengal bandh call on Wednesday to protest the killing of two students in North Dinajpur district. Trinamool Congress MP Idris Ali, a practising lawyer, prayed before a division bench presided by Chief Justice J Bhattacharya for an injunction restraining the BJP from giving effect to the bandh call. The saffron party has called a 12-hour Bengal bandh to protest the death of two students at a high school in North Dinajpur district’s Islampur area in a clash with police during a demonstration for appointment of teachers. Also Read – Rain batters Kolkata, cripples normal life Moving the PIL, Ali urged for an urgent hearing of the matter since the bandh is to be held on Wednesday and submitted that citizens cannot be prevented from attending to their vocation forcibly. The division bench, also comprising Justice Arijit Banerjee, said that the matter would be listed for hearing on Tuesday. Submitting for petitioner All India Minority Forum general secretary M A Ali, Idris Ali said the Kerala High Court had held that bandhs are illegal and unconstitutional and that this order was upheld by the Supreme Court. Also Read – Speeding Jaguar crashes into Mercedes car in Kolkata, 2 pedestrians killed Trouble had brewed at Daribhit High School in Islampur over the recruitment of Urdu teachers as the protesting students said they needed Science and English teachers instead. The students and the locals had stopped two newly-recruited teachers from entering the school on Thursday, demanding that all vacant teaching posts be filled, resulting in a clash. The BJP alleged that ITI student Rajesh Sarkar and third-year college student Tapas Barman were killed in police firing while the police denied the claim. District Superintendent of Police Sumit Kumar has maintained that police did not resort to firing during the incident.
As history has it, the purest and selfless form of love is symbolic to the love that was there between Radha and Krishna, which transcends all kinds of love relationships that have been formed till date. A solo exhibition titled ‘Empowering Love’, which is devoted to the romantic (divine) love of Radha and Krishna, by Ritu Gupta, will be held from March 15 – 19 in the national Capital. The artworks interpret Krishna’s youthful dalliances with the gopis and the loving interplay between God and the human soul. The allegorical love of Radha has found expressions in these works of Ritu, where the reference is implicit and subtle. Radha’s rapturous love for Krishna and their relationship is interpreted as the quest for union with the divine. Also Read – ‘Playing Jojo was emotionally exhausting’The fine viewer would be able to appreciate the work where the artist shows a certain mastery over the understanding of the human body in composition and design terms. Also, her urge to play takes over as she focuses on backgrounds, detailing and decorative motifs. There will be 11 artworks which will be on display at the Convention Foyer of India Habitat Centre.With the use of vibrant colours and fine detailing, the artist does away with traditional iconography and instead chooses to focus on the mood of lovers. The artist says, “This series has very close references to the late Guler and Kangra School of art but not so much in treatment of foliage, moonlight and the romantic mood. I have made this traditional narrative of my own.” Also Read – Leslie doing new comedy special with NetflixWith these works one can see Ritu’s journey as an artist. She has begun to settle down into an understanding of human form which is heavily inspired by the supple slenderness seen in the medieval Indian styles of art ranging from Chola bronzes to Kangra paintings. However, a key feature to note is that the artist does not seem to be making a school or style centric adaptation. Instead, one is reminded of the early 20th century Bengal revivalists and their understanding of an authentic (traditional) Indian form in terms of being soft, supple and feminine as against the hard(er) masculine European understanding of human body. Beginning as a self-taught artist, Ritu’s journey into the world of art is visible in her passion to paint, decorate, explore and express. Her paintings are influenced by traditional art forms and culture in a style that is very much of her own. Though the works are her medium to explore and understand Indian tradition, the intimate viewer can identify with the artists understanding of childhood, masculinity, femininity, union and desire.Ritu creates gorgeous, traditional, devotional art with fine intricately detailed, multi-layered works filled with rich colors and dream-like background with her signature texture and imagery. In her series of ‘Divine Goddess’, with the use of bright colours coupled with the wonderful freedom of brushstrokes and spontaneity in forms, she has created works that are truly magical, inspiring, spiritual and alluring. Her artworks are like a visual treat with minute detailing of the clothes, jewelry, backgrounds and birds. Ritu Gupta’s paintings are identified by a trademark which is registered as ‘Shades of India’.
Kolkata: Mystery shrouds the death of a 42-year-old man whose body was found in Mankad area of Bud Bud in East Burdwan on Wednesday morning.According to police, the face of the victim was disfigured. Police suspect that someone might have hit him on his face with a heavy substance. The investigating officers recovered vermilion, some garlands and threads from the place where his body was spotted. Police suspect black magic might have been performed in the area. Also Read – Rain batters Kolkata, cripples normal lifeThe victim has been identified as Raju Hasda (42), a resident of Kuchidanga village in Budbud. The locals found the body on Wednesday morning and informed the matter to the police. They rushed to the spot and recovered the body. There were serious injuries on his face and head.The nature of his injuries suggest the victim was hit by a heavy substance like a chunk of concrete. The exact cause of his death is yet to be ascertained by police.After interrogating the neighbours of the victim, police came to know Hasda used to practice black magic along with a friend of him. The locals also told police that the victim was found consuming liquor with his friend on Tuesday evening. Also Read – Speeding Jaguar crashes into Mercedes car in Kolkata, 2 pedestrians killedPolice have detained a person for interrogation.According to the preliminary investigation, police suspect that more than one person might have been involved in the crime.The body has been sent for an autopsy which might throw some light on the death of the victim.Police are investigating if there was any other angle into the incident. They are not ruling of a triangular love relationship which might have led to the murder.The investigating officers also collected samples from the place where the victim’s body was found. A detailed probe has been initiated in this regard.Some of the villagers are also being interrogated in this connection.
Excessive internet use is likely to contribute to the development of school burnout, which may, in turn, increase digital addiction in adolescents, new research reveals.Burnout is a condition of exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation as a result of prolonged stress or frustration. The findings showed that as a result of school burnout, adolescents’ excessive internet use could ultimately lead them to depression.Exposure to digital addiction is most likely to happen if the adolescent loses interest in school and feels cynicism towards school, the researchers said. Also Read – ‘Playing Jojo was emotionally exhausting’Also, depressive symptoms and school burnout in late adolescence were found to be more common among girls than boys. Boys suffer more from excessive internet use than girls.The most critical stage for tackling the problem of digital addiction and school burnout is age 13-15.Promoting more activity in school, building up students’ motivation to learn can prevent school burnout as well as support adolescents’ mental health and avert excessive internet use, the researchers suggested in the paper published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence. Also Read – Leslie doing new comedy special with NetflixThe study — Mind the Gap —is a longitudinal research project funded by the Academy of Finland, explored the reciprocal associations between excessive Internet use, school engagement, school burnout and depression among adolescents. The former group of early adolescents consisted of lower-school 6th graders born in 2000. The late adolescents were first-year upper secondary school students born in 1997.
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday paid tribute to Dr Babasaheb B R Ambedkar on his death anniversary and hailed his contribution in framing the countrys Constitution. She said that his contributions in framing the Constitution will be remembered by future generations. “Respectful tribute to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar on his death anniversary. His contribution in framing Indias Constitution will forever be remembered by the generations to come,” Banerjee tweeted. Ambedkar was not only a jurist, an economist but also a politician and a social reformer who campaigned against social discrimination of Dalits, women and labourers. Ambedkar passed away on this day in 1956. The day is observed as Mahaparinirvan Diwas.
How far would you go to avoid the summer heat? With all the sweat and grime in the air, it seems impossible to pull off healthy hair and skin, that stays for a few hours outdoors. By exfoliating, radiating and going minimal can have some positive results in warm weather.Sangeeta Velaskar, Vice President and Head, Medical Services and R&D, Kaya Limited talks about how to keep your skin looking fresh, while TONI&GUY Global Hair Ambassador, Indira Schauwecker gives you tips and tricks on how to ace the minimalistic trend, debunks some common hair myths and recommends products so you can care for your mane better. Also Read – Add new books to your shelf* Prepare your skin: The most crucial step to getting any look right is prepping your skin. You can begin with the quintessential need for hydration, it’s very important to drink lots of water to keep your skin healthy and glowing from the inside. * Exfoliate, circulate and radiate: Exfoliating your skin in the summer not only removes dead skin but also improves blood circulation to your face. Use a mild exfoliating cleanser once or twice a week based on your skin type. Your mantra this summers should be ‘Exfoliate. Circulate. Radiate.’ to get that natural glow. Also Read – Over 2 hours screen time daily will make your kids impulsive* Go minimal: It is very important to moisturise your skin even in the summer, so instead of heavy duty creams that often leave your skin looking oily and slick, find a one-stop solution. Using a CC cream that gives you the perfect makeup finish but also provides sun protection and hydration, is the way to go. With a smooth and radiant finish aided by the CC Cream, your face becomes the perfect canvas for a minimalistic look. Light kohl around the eyes and a nude lipstick is all you need to get going. * Myth: Heat styling damages your hair: It is true that curling and flat irons can sometimes damage your hair because of the high temperature, but the real problem is the lack of protection for your hair against heat styling. Go for heat protection mist, before heat styling. Spray the product evenly over towel-dried hair and comb through. Top up in-between blow-drying and using straightening irons by spritzing over dry hair. Whether it’s super bouncy hair or beachy waves, you can have it all, without damage or breakage. * Myth: 100 strokes a day makes hair shinier: On the contrary, you’ll end up doing more damage to your hair. Instead of an overzealous exercise such as this, you can gently brush your hair with a few strokes a couple of times during the day. This will help stimulate the follicles, and distribute the natural oils across your hair.
Darjeeling: A step by step approach has been adopted for the conservation of red pandas. Reintroducing zoo bred pandas in the wild is the main objective of this. As a step in this direction a workshop titled “Red Panda Global Species Management Plan was flagged off in Darjeeling.”We are working towards releasing four captive-bred red pandas in the Singhalila National Park in September or October this year,” said Vinod Kumar Yadav, member secretary, West Bengal Zoo Authority and Additional Principal Conservator of Forests, Government of West Bengal. Also Read – Rs 13,000 crore investment to provide 2 lakh jobs: MamataPreparations are on for this. “We have already submitted plans for this to the Government of India. Genetic studies; DNA finger printing, habitat evaluation, including satellite mapping, drone images are being combined for this project,” said Yadav. The red pandas will first be released in a special enclosure in Gairibas following which they will be released in the wild. “The conservation programme is a step by step approach. Last year we had a national level workshop involving the Central Zoo Authority and the states like West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarkhand. The national workshop paved way to this four-day long global programme which is now being held in Darjeeling. After we successfully introduce red pandas in the Singhalila National Park our next goal will be to introduce them in Neora Valley. This is how we plan to augment the panda population in the wild,” added Yadav. Also Read – Lightning kills 8, injures 16 in stateA 17 crore programme for 10 years named Special Survival Plan is underway. The expansion of the special breeding facility at Tobgaydanra, Darjeeling is also covered under this programme. In order to introduce fresh blood lines in the captive breeding programme in the Darjeeling zoo, red pandas will be brought in from foreign countries including Australia. The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) popular as the Darjeeling Zoo, is the coordinating zoo for the red panda breeding programme (Project Red Panda) in India. The project was initiated in 1990. At present there are 13 female and 8 male red pandas. In 1999, a pair of zoo bred red pandas — Minnie and Sweetie — were released in the forests of Gairibans below Sandakphu. Again in September 2004 another pair Neelam and Dolma were released in the wild in September 2004. Later Sweetie was found to have given birth to a cub in the hollow of an oak tree, thereby bringing the Project Red Panda to a full circle. A red panda census had been launched in 2018. “The census is being conducted in two parts. We have physically identified the red pandas individually, found their nests. In the other part genetic analysis is being done from the scat of red pandas. In this way we will come out with the red panda population” stated Ravi kant Sinha, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife.) Representatives including experts from USA, Holland, Australia, Hungary, Singapore and Nepal are attending the 4 day long conference in Darjeeling.
Kolkata: Saifa Khatun, a resident of Amta in Howrah, has cleared the Madhyamik Examination this year at an astonishing age of 11.Being underage, it wasn’t smooth sailing for Saifa to appear for the examination as there were some technical issues. Initially, she was denied permission. The family members of the girl had subsequently sought the intervention of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who extended her help. The family members then contacted the officials of the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE), who told them that she had to appear for an examination conducted by the Board before getting a go-ahead from it. A rule of WBBSE says that external candidates have to appear for the examination to get the permission for finally sitting for the Madhyamik Examination. In normal cases, students appear for the examination at the age of 15-16 years. Interestingly, Saifa never went to a school but was always confident that she would score good marks in the examination. She used to study at her home, with her parents being her only teachers. During her television interview with a vernacular channel on Tuesday, Saifa said that she had completed the studies of Class X when she was just 6-years-old. Her father used to collect books for her. “I started reading English newspapers at the age of 2. I want to scrutinise some of my papers where I obtained less marks than what I deserved. I want to follow the right procedure in this regard. I am very fond of studying Geography and Life Science and want to become a doctor,” Saifa said.
In mid-December, 1939, Hollywood’s finest gathered in Atlanta, Georgia, to celebrate the premiere of Gone With the Wind. A plane from the West Coast landed at Atlanta airport. One by one, they emerged to the snap of the cameras: Scarlett O’Hara herself, Vivien Leigh, on the arm of her lover and later husband, Laurence Olivier; David Selznick and his wife; and finally, Olivia de Havilland. In the film, she played Melanie Wilkes, the selfless, kind wife of Ashley Wilkes, the Southern aristocrat whom she and Scarlett both loved.Gable and Vivien Leigh strike an amorous pose in Gone with the Wind, 1939All of the stars showed up at Atlanta’s Lowes Grand Theater, including Clark Gable, who played Rhett Butler, for the screening of the film. It was a glamorous evening, to be sure.Leslie Howard was the first of the film’s stars to die, killed in a plane crash not long after, in 1943. Clark Gable died 56 years ago of a heart attack, while Selznick died 51 years ago. Vivien Leigh, divorced from Olivier, passed away 49 years ago.Studio publicity portrait for Gone with the Wind, 1939Olivia de Havilland, though, is still alive–in fact, she turned 102 on July 1, 2018.De Havilland received a very special distinction last year, becoming the oldest person to be named a Dame. Of the honor, de Havilland said in a statement to People magazine that she is “extremely proud that the Queen has appointed me a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.”Olivia de Haviland in Versailles, France on November 28, 2005 (Photo by Alain BENAINOUS/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)De Havilland received an Academy Award nomination for her performance in Gone With the Wind, but she had to wait until 1946 to pick up her first Oscar. That year, she won the award for Best Actress for her role in To Each His Own. Three years later, she won the Oscar for The Heiress.Olivia de Havilland with the first of her two Oscars, this one for To Each His Own, March 13, 1947De Havilland, a British-American, made her stage debut as a child in a production of A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream. She appeared in 49 feature films, including several as the co-star of Errol Flynn.Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).Not only is she still active; the actress this year vigorously supported a lawsuit against producer Ryan Murphy and the FX Network over how she was depicted in the FX docudrama Feud: Bette and Joan.Bette Davis and Joan Crawford in 1962The docudrama focused on the rivalry between Bette Davis, played by Susan Sarandon, and Joan Crawford, played by Jessica Lange, and re-created the filming of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? in 1962.What outraged Olivia de Havilland was how Feud cast Catherine Zeta Jones to play de Havilland commenting periodically on the feud between the two stars. De Havilland was a confidante of Bette Davis, and she replaced Joan Crawford when she dropped out of Hush … Hush, Sweet Charlotte, in which Crawford and Davis were set to return to the big screen after Baby Jane was a hit.Glamorous Hollywood leading Ladies Quotes.De Havilland’s attorneys said in a statement: “Miss de Havilland was not asked by FX for permission to use her name and identity and was not compensated for such use. Further, the FX series puts words in the mouth of Miss de Havilland which are inaccurate and contrary to the reputation she has built over an 80-year professional life, specifically refusing to engage in gossip mongering about other actors in order to generate media attention for herself.”But the California appeals court ruled against her.Olivia de HavillandReceiving the National Medal of Arts from President George W. Bush, 2008.In a unanimous opinion released at the end of March 2018, the Second District Court of Appeal said Feud was protected under the First Amendment from de Havilland’s claims that the show cast her in a “false light,” used her likeness without permission, and should have compensated her.However, she did not give up.Olivia de Havilland Studio publicity photo, 1938.The actress asked the California Supreme Court to rule in the case. Without much explanation, the court refused. Her lawyer said, “It is a sad day for Miss de Havilland and for the legal system.”Read another story from us: Errol Flynn – Hollywood’s Greatest Swashbuckler Led a Much Darker Private LifeRyan Murphy shouldn’t relax quite yet.According to Deadline, de Havilland’s legal team is considering lodging an appeal with the United States Supreme Court.Nancy Bilyeau, a former staff editor at *Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone*, and *InStyle*, has written a trilogy of historical thrillers for Touchstone Books. For more information, go to www.nancybilyeau.com.