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How The Total Solar Eclipse Of 1919 Helped To Confirm Einstein's General Theory Of Relativity

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The total solar eclipse of April 8 2024 has generated a great deal of excitement all over the world. It covered some states in North America, Canada, and Mexico according to NASA. in a solar eclipse, the sun is completely blocked by the moon. This occurs only when the size of the moon is larger than the sun; when the moon is very close to the sun (nearer to perigee). Also, note that a variant of the total eclipse called the “annular” eclipse can also occur. However, this is when the moon is farther away and may not block the sun completely. In such an occurrence, the sun can be completely obscured from view. Total eclipses are rare because the sun, moon, and earth are not perfectly aligned most of the time ( you remember that the earth has a 23° tilt relative to the sun). Total eclipses happen when there is a coincidental alignment of these three celestial bodies such that they are on the same plane in the celestial sphere. The total eclipse is a rare occurrence ( it happens once in tw
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The Science Of Desertification 2: The Evolution Of Antarctica

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The idea most people have about Antarctica is a continent, very cold, desolate, and thickly icy. Many are not aware that it qualifies in the standard definition of a desert as it receives just about 150mm of rainfall each year. Its very low precipitation implies that although it may be wet due to thick glaciers and surrounding lakes, it has very dry air. In this second article on the science of desertification, we will look into the magnificence of this beautiful continent, how it came to be, and how it metamorphosed into its current state. Also, some information on exciting phenomena and the biodiversity of the region will be included. To keep the article brief, the lengthy discussion of the impact of global warming on the continent will be avoided. The main objective of this article is simply to describe how Antarctica progressed from a tropical biome to a cold and glaciated desert.   Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent and the latest to be discovered (it was discovered in the
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Atomic Magnets: Exploring The Magnetic Behavior Of Electrons

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The electron e- is a negatively charged elementary particle. In the standard model, it is classified as a member of the lepton family. As a very simple particle, it has no inner structure and a mass of about 1/1840 the mass of the proton. The electron has been heavily described using quantum mechanical theory. One very important result is that an electron can be described by various quantum numbers. Importantly, the spin quantum number assigns unique properties to every electron in an atom The electron is responsible for many properties of matter. They constitute the electric current, are responsible for chemical bonding and reactions, impart color to substances, conduct heat, and give rise to magnetic properties. We know from electromagnetic theory that a moving charge generates magnetic fields. Therefore, electrons as individual entities are magnets in their own right. We shall see in this article how electrons behave like magnets and how magnetic behavior arises. I have tried as muc
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Magnetohydrodynamics: The Opportunity For High-Efficiency Power Generation

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  The field of magnetohydrodynamics has proven to be a very interesting one. It involves the study of electrically charged fluids and their interaction with magnetic energy. In this model, the motion, flow and dynamics of charged fluids such as liquid metals, electrolytes, and plasma are studied in their interactions with magnetic fields. Today we can admit that magnetohydrodynamic phenomena are very important on Earth and elsewhere in the universe. You might have read or heard that there exists a magnetic field in the earth’s core that shields and protects us from the hazardous solar wind. This magnetic field is due to magnetohydrodynamics. The iron in the earth’s core generates this field creating a magnetic dipole and thereby deflecting the solar radiation. This leads to a distortion of the field lines as shown in the picture above. This is the basis of the protective effect of the magnetic field. Also the complex system which exists in the sun is a very interesting case of a MHD sy
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The Science Of Desertification 1: The Great Australian Deserts

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  Australia is a country within Oceania, the smallest continent on Earth. It is the 6th largest country, the largest island and often considered as the largest island continent. The country consists of a mainland territory, Tasmania, and many offshore islands. Surrounding the continent are the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Australia is indeed a distinctive continent with different climatic conditions and biomes across the country. On the mainland are found the deserts of Australia (also called the Great Australian Deserts). Collectively, these deserts are the 4th largest in the world coming after Antarctic, Arctic, and Sahara deserts. In this article, we shall have a good glance at the physics underlying formation of the desert climate. We shall see how oceanic water currents, air flows and heat transfer across the globe affect the climate of the mainland country. Due to harsh conditions, the deserts are largely void of human settlements and activities although there is evidence that abor
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Record-Breaking Facts In Medicine

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Since the begining of the documentation of medical knowledge, scientists have seen many incredible and astonishing scenarios and situations. Several of these has undoubtedly seems to shifted the frontiers of medical doctrines, principles and knowledge. As it appears, people have defied medical science which has led structural modifications in our understanding of medicine even continuing till today. Many of these extraordinary conditions have therefore largely contributed to our understanding of the human evolution, anatomy, and physiology. While trying to keep the article as short as possible I will discuss several interesting general medical facts and record-breaking events in medicine that have made some people superhumans. Only information specific about humans is considered here  General Anatomy and Physiology • Hydrogen makes >60% of the elemental composition of the body, almost present in all biomolecules. The total number of bones in the adult human body is 206 • Largest cel
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Explanation Of The Nobel prize in Physiology Or Medicine 2022 Award

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In what happens to be a shocking announcement, Svante Pääbo, a Swedish scientist was solely awarded the prestigious Nobel prize in physiology or medicine in 2022. This is in recognition of his groundbreaking achievements in founding the field of paleogenomics. Pääbo, a specialist in evolutionary genomics and anthropology has contributed tremendously to our knowledge of the genetic ties between Neanderthals and modern humans through rigorous experiments and has "provided the basis for exploring what makes us uniquely human". Likewise outstanding is his discovery of a novel species of humans called the Denisovans using modern genomic techniques. In this article, we shall get to know about this genius and the implications of his research in physiology. Meet Svante Pääbo The new Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine, Svante Pääbo. Photo courtesy: the conversation • Pääbo was born on 20th April 1955 in Stockholm, Sweden. • His father is Sune Bergström who also received the Nobe
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