encyclopedia

Looking at the Sun during a Solar Eclipse can lead to ‘eclipse blindness’. It is a temporary or permanent vision impairment. Sometimes, it can even result in legal blindness which means to have significant vision loss. Viewing the Sun during the Eclipse with the naked eye can burn the retina, that can damage the images […]

The benefit of flying at higher altitudes is that there is less air, and fewer air molecules. That would require less thrust or less aerodynamic drag to move the plane. This substantially reduces the fuel consumption of the aircraft. With almost no heat at those high altitudes and temperature of -55°C, the efficiency of the

Nails accumulate dirt and have more chance of spreading infections. Keeping them clean is imperative. It is one very important task for maintaining good hygiene and staying away from health problems. This curbs the spread of disease. Cutting or trimming nails regularly can prevent ingrown nails, bacterial infection and even fungal growth. Pretty nails give

Like all living things, plants need water to survive. In fact, plants are made up of 90% water. The amount of water that a plant needs depends on the type of plant, the amount of light it gets, and how old it is. Plants need water in the photosynthesis process through which they make food

When we are trimming our hair ends, we are not actually making it help grow faster. On the contrary, we are trimming unhealthy split ends at the bottom of the hair. This will prevent less breakage and flyaways, making it look thicker and to a certain extent, shinier. The benefits of regular trimming are to

Lizards have the special ability to regenerate or regrow their tails if they get cut off accidentally. Most lizards, however, can do it only a limited number of times. Tails of reptiles such as green iguanas and bearded dragons can also regrow. In case of accident or if the lizard drops its tail on purpose,

Hibernation means big changes for animals like bears, skunks, bats, frogs and salamanders, which go into a long, deep sleep during winters. The reason they hibernate is to survive the super chilly winters. These animals change their food habits, sleep patterns among other things, to adjust or survive for long time-periods when there is paucity

For all birds, the most important reason for migrating is the availability of food. They also migrate because they need to take advantage of a wide range of suitable conditions to raise their young ones. Food sources, safe habitats and breeding colonies that offer greater protection are all the main reason for migration.

It is very easy to break the clavicle bone. It is there to support the shoulder, and because of its connection between the upper limbs and the neck, the clavicle absorbs most of the impact when we fall. When we are falling, we tend to put out hands to support ourselves or cushion the fall.

Babies have their fists closed because of one of the most important reflexes present in a baby. This infantile reflex is called the ‘Palmar Grasp Reflex’ due to which infants close their fists around anything that is placed in their tiny palms. It is a strong grasping reflex that children are born with. It is

The most important reason for different coloured eyes is the genes that children inherit from their parents. Scientists have found three different kinds of genes that are responsible for giving us different eye colours. Genes have the P-proteins that are responsible for melanin production. Melanin pigment is responsible for different colours in people’s eyes. Melanin

It is usually the knuckles, knees, ankles, back and joints of neck muscles that make the popping sound. It is caused by a small bubble that builds up in the fluid of the fingers. When these joints are pulled apart, a tiny cavity is formed which gets filled with gas. This gas bubble collapses and

We need sunscreen because it protects the skin from UV damage and sunburn. Sunscreens are over-the-counter products that come in lotions, gels, ointments and sprays. Our skin responds to excessive exposure to the sun by turning red, becoming hot, and becoming painful to the touch. Severe sunburns cause skin blistering and peeling. The sun’s rays

Photophobia, or sensitivity to light, is an intolerance to light. This is one reason why sunlight hurts our eyes. There is another reason too. We are able to see because light is able to travel through our eyeball to the retina. The retina is able to process only a certain amount of light that it

Flying fish have evolved this remarkable ability to glide over water with remarkable agility to escape their watery predators. They begin their ‘glide’ or ‘flight’ by gaining great velocity underwater. Using their tails, they gather momentum and shoot themselves or jump high out of the water. The flying fish beats its tail rapidly while still