Amazing Universe !! For the Uniworld Gardens Batch third class.
Universe can not be described as huge, enormous or gigantic. It is all that, and more. To our senses, it truly is infinite. The scale of everything in the universe is huge, as you will shortly see.
GRAVITY:
But first, we need to understand the single most important force in the Universe, Gravity. Gravity is what keeps us grounded to Earth. But not only Earth, every big object exerts Gravity. Bigger a body, greater the gravitational force. This force not only keeps us from flying off to space, but also keeps the satellites around the planets, planets around the Sun, the Sun around the center of our Galaxy , and so on.
SOLAR SYSTEM:
All the ‘things’ in space – planets, stars, moons, etc. – are all collectively called heavenly bodies. The one we know best? Our Earth! Isn’t Earth big? So much of land, and then three times of that water. Well, if you consider the Sun, and the Solar System, Earth would actually come across as quite tiny.
Our closest neighbour in space is moon, Earth’s natural satellite, and about a quarter its size. The solar System has 8 ( earlier 9 ) planets.
In order of their distances from the Sun, they are:
1. Mercury: Closest, No moons, No atmosphere, Rocky Planet.
2. Venus: Hottest Planet, Thick Atmosphere, No Moons, Rocky Planet.
3. Earth: Only known life sustaining planet, At just the right distance from Sun, 1 Moon, Rocky, blue Planet.
4. Mars: Mild, Earth like Temperatures, Frozen Polar Cap water, 2 Moons, Rocky Red Planet.
5. Jupiter: Biggest Planet, 63 Moons, Gaseous Planet.
6. Saturn: Beautiful, Thin, Wide Rings, 34 Moons including Titan, Gaseous Planet.
7. Uranus: Spins on its side, 27 moons.
8. Neptune : A lot like Uranus, 13 moons, Ice Planet.
9. Pluto: Dwarf Planet, 3 moons, Icy.
Remember them by using the mnemonic:
My Very Educated Mother Just Showed Us Nine Planets.
There are also Asteroids, Meteors, Meteorites: Rocks flying around the space.
Comets: Icy core, Long Dusty Tail, Hailey’s comet every 76 years. Tail can either be in front or back of the core.
GALAXY:
Galaxies are a group of stars- billions of stars, huddled together, revolving around the center of the galaxy.
Solar System forms a part of our galaxy, The Milky way, which is a spiral galaxy.
The Sun and The Stars.
Sun, or Sol, is our star. But it is not exceptional in any way if one considers the Universe. Sun is a medium-sized star on one of the arms of Milky Way. Stars can be much smaller, or much bigger than the Sun. 
Space consists of a lot of empty space, and interstellar medium made mostly of a gas called Hydrogen. This ‘cloud’ of dust and gas is called a Nebula. When a portion in the Nebula compresses, the gases heat up immensely, and a rotating gas globule is born. This rotating globule finally settles into a central core (the Star) and surrounding planets, asteroids, etc.
Stars don’t live forever. When their fuel runs out, they die. According to their sizes, they can become a White dwarf or a neutron star/ Black Hole following a supernova explosion.
THE START:
How did it all start? With a big bang, literally. All the galaxies in Universe are moving away from each other, like dots on an inflating balloon. It must have all, therefore, started with a super-huge explosion, often called as The Big Bang.
THE EXPLORATION:
How do we know all this? Astronauts have only gone as far as the moon. Then, how we know all that we know about the Universe? The scientists use a lot of equipments to ‘see’ space. Unmanned spaceships, probes, and Telescopes, all help to enhance our understanding of the space. Hubble Space Telescope, for example, has sent invaluable data about the space.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Spectacular Space
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Types of Government.
For the second class of Uniworld Gardens Batch.
Click 'Read more' undrneath to, well, read more!
Types of Governments.
When a lot of people live together, they need a set of rules and a system to take care of their common needs and grievances. This is the basis of formation of a government. A government is a complex of political institution, laws and customs through which a country is governed.
Governments can be of many types. These are:
1. Monarchy: A government headed by a King or a Queen is called a monarchy. The King has complete authority, and exercises this authority through his officials. A Monarchy is an example of absolutism. However, a ‘token’ monarchy is also prevalent, where the King/Queen acts just as a constitutional head of the country, and the real power lies in the power of elected officers. Example, Gulf countries, U.K.
2. Dictatorship: This is another example of absolutism. The power here, lies not with a king, but the dictator, who is usually a military head. E.g. : Cuba, N. Korea.
3. Imperialism: Imperialism occurs when a stronger nation takes over a weaker nation, and starts dominating all economical, political and cultural decisions. E.g. The British rule over India till 1947.
4. Theocracy: This is a system in which religion plays a major role in the government. A religious organization or its officials control the government. E.g. Iran, Saudi Arabia.
5. Communism : Communism , as an idea, was introduced by Karl Marx. In a communist country, all land, factories etc. Are controlled directly by the government. Communists oppose capitalism, where people can own property and goods, supposedly in proportion to their merit. In a communist country, there is no private property and goods are owned and used by all, as needed. E.g. , China.
6. Democracy: The most popular of all political systems today, Democracy is literally, the rule of people. Citizens of a society come together, and decide everything among themselves using majority decisions. Direct democracy works well only in very small groups.
7. Republic: In a larger group of people, representative democracy, or Republic is required. People choose amongst themselves some specific persons as their representatives. These representatives then sit together and take the required decisions. The representatives are accountable to general public and can be changed when they fall out of the favour. Eg., India, USA.
8. Anarchy: It is a situation when there is no Government. This can happen in a country after a civil war, when a number of rival groups are trying to take control of the country. Anarchists are people who think government is a bad thing. E.g. Somalia.
What is a Constitution?
the basic principles and laws of a nation, state, or social group that determine the powers and duties of the government and guarantee certain rights to the people in it. It is a written instrument embodying the rules of a political or social organization
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
The new 7 wonders of the World.
The world is a wonderful place, full of great monuments that stand testimony to Human imagination and resilience. Only a few of these monuments make it to the coveted list of Wonders of the World.
What are these wonders? What qualifies them to be put in the elite list of seven?
The new7 wonders of the world were chosen from a worldwide poll. The Pyramids of Giza, which is the only surviving true member of the ancient list too, finds an honourable mention along with these 7. These wonders are:
1. T
he Great Wall of China, China. The Great Wall of China, at 6400 kms is the longest man made structure in the world. It’s said that it is the only man made thing visible from the space. The great wall of China was built , rebuilt and maintained to protect the people of central China from the attacks of Huns and the nomad tribes. Millions of soldiers guarded the Wall from checkposts, and a lot many died in the centuries long construction of this mega wall.
Petra, Jordan. The hidden city of Petra in Jordan was built by the Nabateans, an Arab Tribe. It has buildings carved in the sandstone mountain cliffs. Petra was visited by a perennial stream of water, and flash floods. Nabateans built dams, cisterns and other innovations to store this water for long periods of time, thus creating an artificial oasis. Petra also had excellent natural defences, surrounded by tall mountain cliff, with narrow entrance (Siq) to the city. 
Machu Pichu, Peru. Machu Pichu is a remarkably preserved archaeological site of the Inca empire. It was built by the Incas at a secluded mountain ridge atop Urubamba valley, completely invisible from below, and defended by a very difficult approach. The city of Machu Pichu, therefore, remained hidden from subsequent Spanish conquerors, who destroyed all other Inca sites. It was primarily forgotten, and shrouded by thick jungle growth until rediscovered by Hiram Birgham, an American historian in 1911. Machu Pichu boasts of the traditional dry-stone architecture of the Incas, where walls are constructed just by putting snug fitting stones on top of each other, without using mortar. These stones, some as heavy as 50 tons, fit so well that even a knife blade can’t be inserted between them. Machu Pichu was watered by perennial streams and had enough agricultural space to feed 4 times its population.
Chichen Itza, Mexico. Chichen Itza, the famous temple city was the political and economic centre of the Mayan Civilization. The Maya civilization was an advanced society with a fully written language. The stepped, stone pyramid of Chichen Itza, also called the Pyramid of Kukulcan, is the last and the greatest of Mayan Temples. A shadow of the serpent God, Kukulcan forms on the steps of the Pyramid on every equinox.
The TajMahal, India. TajMahal, the tomb of Emperor ShahJahan and his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal is a crowning jewel in Muslim Art. ShahJahan was the 5th Mughal emperor of India. On the banks of river Yamuna, completely made of marble, and boasting of intricate and ornate gemstone work, Taj is regarded as a monument of love. Ustad Ahmad Lahauri is often credited as the chief Architect of The TajMahal.
Built bang in the middle of Rome, the Colosseum was the classic amphitheatre. Almost all sports stadium till date copy the original design of the Colosseum. It was made to hold Gladiatorial contests, mock sea battles, executions, etc. It can hold upto 80,000 people. Though partially destroyed by earthquakes and stone robbers, it is still a classic symbol of the Roman Empire.
Statue of Christ the Redeemer, Brazil. The newest of all wonders, this statue is located atop a hill in Rio de Janeiro. Made in 1931 of reinforced concrete and soapstone, it is tallest of its kind in the world. The statue of Jesus Christ, with welcoming open arms, has become a symbol of Christianity.
The Pyramid of Khufu, Egypt. Built as a tomb for the Pharaoh Khufu, The largest of all pyramids stands 4500 years old. It was the tallest man made building till 19th century until Eiffel Tower broke the record. The Pyramid of Khufu points almost exactly to the north, and has remarkably accurate measurements for its age. The complex has 3 pyramids : Pyramid of Khufu, Pyramid of Khafre, and Pyramid of Menkaure, and a statue of human headed Lion, called the Sphinx.
