encyclopedia

Black boxes are actually electronic flight recorders — one stores cockpit audio recordings and the other stores airplane’s instrument data. In times of a plane crash, these are sent to labs for analysis. These are the most important and crucial part of any commercial plane or corporate jet. They are normally put in the tail […]

We lose hair from both our heads as well as bodies throughout our life. The only difference is in the quantity. The loss from our body is barely noticeable because hair is miniaturized, very small and not very dense. Also, it gets replaced quite quickly. So, the loss is not felt. However, loss of hair

The ozone layer is the protective covering around the earth. It is a natural layer of gas in the atmosphere that protects us and all living things from the Sun’s harmful and strong ultraviolet radiation. Not only does this harmful radiation causes damage to human health, but also it results in damaging other life-forms. It

An allergic reaction is triggered when the body feels threatened by some external stimuli, in this case certain types of foods-items. The body sees them as intruders and the immune system reacts by pumping out antibodies in defence. Release of protective chemicals is one part of that defence and results in a runny nose, itchiness

Cancer treatment involves chemotherapy. The job of chemotherapy agents is to target the rapidly growing cells, specifically of those in the tumour. However, the hair follicle, another very active structure that has some of the fastest growing cells in the body, is also unfortunately targeted in the treatment. Chemotherapy destroys not only the tumour cells

The melanin creates a dark colour. As babies age, their melanin level increases and their hair will darken. There are two different kinds of melanin that determine the colour that our hair will become – eumelanin and pheomelanin. Eumelanin determines how dark our hair colour is going to be while the latter determines the warmth of our

The stones that lie around the railway tracks are known as track ballast. Sharp-edged stones are used in ballast and their task is to hold the wooden cross ties in place. These hold the rails in place, prevent them from swaying or dislocating when the trains run on them. They prevent the weeds and vegetation

It is due to capsaicin, a colourless, odourless, oily chemical found in peppers. Capsaicin binds to the special class of Vanilloid Receptors Type 1 (VR1) that are found inside our mouths. The task of VR1 receptors is to detect heat and that is why they are located in our mouths, tongues and skin. These receptors

Brain freeze happens while eating an ice-cream or anything cold. The reason is the cold stimulus touching the roof of the mouth or the palate. The cold temperatures cause ‘vasoconstriction’. The blood vessels constrict too quickly due to the extremely cold stimulus. It is when the vessels rebound back to their original size (vasodilation) as

There are always exceptions to this rule, but most aircrafts are painted white. It is cheaper to colour the aircraft white. Moreover, the white colour is a good reflector of light. It helps keep the aircraft cool, by reflecting sunlight and radiating heat. White colour enhances the visibility of the aircraft and reduces accidents with

The food that we eat is made up of carbohydrates and proteins along with other elements such as oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus, etc. Carbohydrates in food means that it is carbon, oxygen and hydrogen molecules mixed together. Proteins have these three together and nitrogen molecules as well. So, when we leave our food on the

A brine pool is a large body of water on the ocean basin that is extremely saline, approximately around three to eight times more than the surrounding water. The source of salt is the salt that gets excluded during the formation of ice in sea water, a common phenomenon in the Antarctic Ocean. The brine

In recent times, scientists and researchers have discovered rivers running under the sea or ocean. These rivers are formed when water with different density levels meet. This results in them creating layers. These rivers are formed when fresh top water seeps through thick layers of salty underground water. As the water seeps through, it forces

Birds spread out their plumage and skin in full sunshine to take advantage of solar radiation. It helps them convert compounds into vitamin D, which is essential for good health. It helps them to dry their feathers after a bath or dip in water. They like it for the sheer enjoyment and relaxation just like

The oyster’s shell is its protection and when a grain of sand or bits of floating food slip inside this shell, the oyster immediately sets out to protect itself from the invasion. It will immediately cover the intruder with layers of nacre, the mineral substance that makes its shell. It will cover it with multiple