Edscience Blog

What happens when we sleep?

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 21:40:00 +0000

Sleep, a real necessity in life, is a fascinating phenomenon that occurs at least daily in our lives.
Before now, sleep was thought to have been an inactive state in which both the brain and the body shuts down in order to rest from the day's work. But scientists have found out that sleep in itself is an activity in which the Brain is most times more active than when we're awake.
Sleep has an immense influence on our physical and mental well-being.
Understanding what happens during sleep is the main aim of this article.

THE SLEEP CYCLE

We've got to know that sleep is a series cycle each consisting of 4 stages. These stages can be classified in 2 parts, the first 3 being non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and the other being rapid-eye movement (REM).

Sleep begins at NREM-1. it's that point where we cross from wakefulness to sleepiness, you know that point where your eyes starts making slow movements and you're having a hard time keeping it from shutting? that's the 1st stage of sleep... NREM1 is that kind of sleep you're getting into right before the Usher taps you in church.

On to stage 2 where the sleep goes deeper than stage 1. At this point, breathing becomes relaxed, Neural activities are decreased and body temperature drops.
stage 3, is what is known as the ''deep sleep stage''. This is a very difficult stage to wake a person.
Stage 4 sees a transition to REM sleep, the part where most of our dreams occur.
the whole cycle goes between 90-120minutes then we're back to stage 1 again. each stage vary in length, so as the night goes on, the time for NREM decreases while time for REM increases, this could explain why most times, we are in the middle of a dream when we are awoken for the day, that is because REM sleep becomes very long towards the later parts of the night.

SOME INTERESTING THINGS THAT HAPPEN DURING SLEEP

The time we sleep, is the time the brain takes to do maintenance work on the body. Growth hormones are secreted at that time, also hunger hormones are secreted too. There is a general clean up of the body system where toxic waste are cleared away for excretion.
Also, during sleep, the brain sorts out information received during the day. We go through the whole day receiving information from different sense organs of the body, while we sleep, the brain filters out the information not needed while the important information gets 'cemented in' , this filtering process is sometimes reflected in our dreams.

Speaking of dreams, ever wondered why we don't usually act out our dreams no matter how real things might look? well that's because we are literally paralyzed during our sleep. Only muscles in the eyes are allowed to move (that's why it's called Rapid Eye movement sleep). Muscle paralysis is a method employed by the body to prevent us from scoring the World Cup winning goal, hitting the lecturer who decided to punish us for late coming, and other wild activities we dream of. Although the paralysis is temporal, it is totally important for obvious reasons.
for Parasomnias e.g. sleep walking, sleep talking. . . this occurs during stage 3 (deep sleep stage). During that stage the body is less responsive to external stimuli and that's why it is usually difficult to get the sleep talker to shut up during his conference meeting. Unfortunately, just like other sleep disorders, Scientists have no good clue as to why they occur.
As a matter of fact, much of what we know about ''Sleep'' is from studies based on sleep deprivation, but there is hope as more researches are made and with advancement in technological methods, we might be able to study more deeply the wonderful state called Sleep.

The new body-armour in town: turns bullets into dust

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 11:08:00 +0000

The 13 seconds clip you are about to see is not a cut-scene from a super-hero movie, but it is actually a test for the new armor plating developed by scientists in North Carolina State University.

The material used is so strong that it could literally turn an Armour-piercing bullet into dust on impact.

Afsaneh Rabiei, a Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University, who has spent several years working on Composite metal foams(CMFs) said the bullet could be stopped by the armour at a thickness less than an inch, while the indentation caused by impact was less than 8 millimeters.

The armour plating which is a breed of CMFs and traditional metal plating is said to hold potentials that could make it useful in other fields like space traveling and transportation of nuclear waste. This is as a result of earlier research which has shown that CMFs could withstand extremely high temperatures, ward of x-rays, gamma rays and even neutron radiation.

Now that's what I call a body armour!

oh...by the way, the bullet used in the video presentation(for those concerned about figures) is a 7.62 x 63 millimeter M2 armour-piercing projectile, and it was fired in standard testing procedures for armour testing.

8 facts by science on love and romance.

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 15:08:00 +0000

Disclaimer: I will not be held responsible if at the end of this article you have a rethink about the source of love and emotions ; the heart or the brain.

1. Two strangers can fall in love by looking into each other’s eyes

Eye contact is a scientifically proven way of making a person fall in love with you. Looking someone directly in the eyes causes their body to produce ‘phenyethylamine’ a chemcial capable of igniting love feelings. So, except for a person you really like, don’t tempt ‘brother Cupid’ by your visual actions.

2. The ‘butterflies in the stomach’ effect is your body reacting to...you know…

This effect, known as ‘fight-or-flight’ response is due to increase secretion of Adrenaline into the body system, which causes you to start experiencing funny feelings in your stomach. Unfortunately, these activities can be triggered by the sight of someone you’ve falling for...the same feeling you get before writing a test. Damn!

3. Why take Cocaine when you can fall in Love?

Research shows that falling in love triggers the same sensation of euphoria people experience when they take cocaine. The guys who carried out this research also proved that ‘love at first sight’ is real. Hmmm… this leads to the next point

4. There is a scientific explanation for the ‘temporal insanity’ people exhibit when they’re in love.

We all know the infamous song GRENADE by BRUNO MARS, where a full grown man was signing his death warrant by his lips because of a girl who cared little about him.

I'd catch a grenade for you

Throw my hand on a blade for you

I'd jump in front of a train for you
You know I'd do anything for you
Oh, I would go through all this pain
Take a bullet straight through my brain
Yes, I would die for you, baby…………

well, study shows that people who are in love exhibit the same characteristics with those suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive disorder; a medical condition in which people are unable to control their thoughts or activities for a period of time. This is as a result of activities triggered in four areas of the brain – media insula, anterior congulate, striatum, prefrontal cortex.

5. Cuddling can treat headaches like painkillers do.

Oxytocin, a very powerful hormone is released from the brain into the body during a cuddle. And research shows that a dose of oxytocin could work as a treatment for frequent headaches reducing it significantly. Infact, 27% of the patients who partook in the experiment reported that the headache was gone after 4 hours. If only Michael Jackson knew…

6. Holding hands can soothe stress and ease pain

A research involving 17 couples has given insight into some long-standing puzzles. It showed that couples with strong affection on a long-term relationship, soothe each other in stressed situations or painful experiences by simply holding hands.

So the next time your partner is feeling all stressed out, reach out, and hold their hands...you’ll be doing a lot of good.

7. Thinking of love influences creative thinking while thoughts of sex influences analytic thinking

Weird right?

The basic idea in the published journal is that, people in love have their focus on a long-term perspective and this enhances inter-connected thoughts. Thereby leading to creative thinking.

On the thoughts of sex, the focus if on the present, concrete details and as such, analytic thinking is enhanced.

No comments on that one :-x

I’d like to end on a sad note…

8. ‘He broke my heart’ should be taken literary.

Research has given substantial evidence that traumatizing events, such as break-up or Divorce could cause real physical pains in the heart and even lead to to cardiac consequences.

Broken heart syndrome, medically known as stress-induced cardiomyopathy/ takotsubo cardiomyopathy has little to do with one’s health. Tests show that the broken heart syndrome exhibits similar symptoms as a heart attack, the only difference being; no evidence of blocked heart arteries in a ‘broken heart’

so guys, stop mocking your fellow guy when he’s finding it difficult to move on after his relationship hit the rock...he is willing, but the heart is broken!

Why you can't 'normaly' dodge a bullet!

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Sun, 18 Sep 2016 15:02:00 +0000

StoryLine:

You just finished watching the movie-The Matrix and you're feeling so high, you practically want someone to shoot you so you could dodge the bullet. But then you have second thoughts, "let me go consult EdScienceBlog before i set out on this task".

Action!!!

You: Hey yo! I want to try out this scene...what do i need to know?

EdScienceBlog: LOL...forget about what countless hollywood movies would have you believe. Dodging a bullet fired at you is almost impossible.

You: But why?

EdScienceBlog: (remind me before the end of this meeting to explain the bolded word -'almost')

you are up against some factors, let me define them.

i Muzzle Velocity: The speed with which a bullet leaves a gun.

For modern rifles, the average muzzle velocity is about 1,200meters per second. i.e. within a second, the bullet has gotten to 1,200 meters from where it was fired. . .think about that!

ii Reaction Time: The elapsed time between the presentation of stimulus and your response to it.

The average reaction time for humans is 0.25 seconds for visual stimulus, 0.17 for audio stimulus and 0.15 seconds for touch stimulus.

so, you'll need a cue, like something to alert you, for you to react- by dodging.

something you need to note here is that, due to the muzzle velocity of the gun, it would be practically impossible for you to see the bullet leave the gun, so that strikes out relying on visual stimulus from your list.

You: So what can i rely on?

EdScienceBlog: er...we have touch stimulus there, you could rely on the sense of touch from the bullet! oh wait...you'll be dead in an instance. LOL

You: Be serious jhor... how about the sense of sound?

EdScienceBlog: Ah...yeah! there could be a possibility with that, lets see.

It is scientifically proven that the speed of sound in air is 343 meters per second. Unfortunately, the muzzle velocity of an average gun is far greater than the speed of sound, meaning the bullet would have hit you before you can even hear the gun sound. . .sorry man!

You: Wow! then imagine the shooter is using a silencer, like the type James Bond uses in movies, that means no sound at all...chai!

EdScienceBlog: Argghh!! Hollywood again!

firstly, it's officially called a SUPPRESSOR. Secondly, it doesn't make the gun as quiet as Hollywood would make you believe...but then, thats a digression.

You: hmmm...so you said i should remind you about the word 'almost'

EdScienceBlog: I did?

You: yes.

EdScienceBlog: Why?

You: I should be asking you that!

EdScienceBlog: LOL... i'm just pulling your legs.

Depending on the distance of the shooter from the shooted, one could possibly dodge a bullet. (Note; not a bullet from a sniper o!) as shown by MythBusters in one of their videos. But bear in mind that the shooter has to be very, very, very far away, and you have to react before he pulls the trigger in order for you to successfully stay alive in this experiment. How you'll achieve that. . .na you know!

You: Thanks! I think i'll look for something better to do with my life.

EdScienceBlog: You welcome! please, click the share button below to share this post with your friends who are also having this thought of committing suicide!

4 Scientist's whose works were not appreciated until their death.

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 12:54:00 +0000

They say you know a person's worth when he's gone, this statement applies to the men in the article, their works were only appreciated, years after they died.

1. GREGOR JOHAN MENDEL

An austrian-born scientist whose experiments gave birth to the laws of inheritance as we know it. Growing up, Johan struggled with his education due to illness and financial constraints. He became a Friar and took on the name Gregor so he wouldn't have to pay for his education.
while serving as a monk, Mendel started conducting experiments with pea plants to study seven major traits of plants.
From the results of his experiment, he proposed the Law of Segregation and the Law of Independent Assortment
A study that took 7 years and about 28,000 plants was criticized greatly as biologists at that time held on to the theories of blending inheritance which is now obsolete.
well, it wasn't until 1900, 16 years after his death that three different researchers, each from a different county, published their work which proved that Mendel was right after-all.

2. IGNAZ PHILIPP SEMMELWEIS

An hungarian Doctor, pioneer of Antiseptic procedures, ''savior of mothers'' . . . sadly, these titles were attributed to him, after his death.
Semmelweis worked in a clinic were the mortality rate was high in comparison to a second clinic in the area due to puerperal fever that was rampant at that time.
Comparing the working conditions of the two hospitals, Semmelweis discovered that the difference between the two clinic was that, while the hospital he worked in involved doctors carrying out Autopsy, the other clinic was for midwives only. And due to the death of his friend who was accidentally poked with a student's scalpel, Semmelweis was able to conclude that the high mortality rate was due to Contaminations from the doctors.
He then made a policy that student doctors wash their hand with chlorinated lime after autopsy work and before examination of patients. The result was a 90% drop in the mortality rate in the clinic.
Unfortunatey, Semmelweis's hypothesis that the only cause of the puerperal fever was uncleanliness on the part of the medical practitioners was both rejected and ridiculed at the same time. Infact, some doctors took offence at the suggestion to wash their hands and Semmelweis was consequently dismissed from the hospital for political reasons, and with harrassment from the medical community in Vienna he was forced to move out to Budapest.
Semmelweis began to write open letters against the doctors of his time, calling them 'irresponsible murderers'. His wife and other friends thought he was running mad and so they took him to Assylum where he died 14 days later (possibly as a result of severe beating from the guards)
Semmelweis's findings where later accepted after Louis Pasteur developed the germ theory of disease which explained all Semmelweis had been saying.

3. JOHANNES KEPLER

A mathematician and Astronomer, he proposed an heliocentric solar system. Kepler found it difficult to convince people in his era that the sun, and not the earth, was at the centre of the solar system.
This rejection was due to religious beliefs by the Church at that time, and also, partly due to common sense- the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, surely, it goes round the earth.
well, Kepler made further progress on Copernicus's work, but it wasn't until decades after his death that his work formed part of the bases on which Sir Isaac Newton proposed his laws of gravitation.

4. AMEDEO AVOGADRO

We all probably know Avogadro's law which states that equal volumes of different gases contain an equal number of molecules, provided temperature and pressure are kept constant.
This observation was published by Avogadro while he was working as a physics teacher at the college of Vercelli. As a result, he became the first scientist to realize that elements could exist as molecules.
Avogadro's work, unfortunately, was ignored until 4 years after his death when another Scientist Stanislao Cannizarro presented them at a conference which was called to look into some scientific confusion at that time.
Even after the presentation, it took a decade for scientists to totally agree with it. Now Avogadro is a force to be reckoned with in Chemistry.

History made as Solar powered plane completes circumnavigation of the earth.

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 12:29:00 +0000

Birthed by a vision to harness the most abundant renewable energy to bring about a revolution in transportation, Solar Impulse II has completed its circumnavigation of the earth powered solely by the sun.

What started as an idea in 2004 by Bertrand Piccard, a Swiss Psychiatrist and Baloonist was brought to reality 12 years later after the plane returned to Abu Dhabi where it had taken off in 2015.

Together with Andre Borschberg, co-founder of the Solar Impulse project, and co-pilot of the aircraft, the journey of 40,000km kick started from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

Great feats like crossing the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean, flying 4-days straight to Japan thereby creating a record of the 'longest solar-powered flight' were achieved without any use of fuel or emission of environmental polluting gases.

However, the Plane experienced technical difficulties that halted the journey for over 9-months. The aircraft's batteries reached critical operating temperatures, and due to Piccard's persistence to continue with the mission, the batteries suffered irreversible damage which led to delay in takeoff from Hawaii as engineers were working out replacement parts for the aircraft.

Solar Impulse II resumed journey in April 2016, and went on to complete it's circumnavigation on 26 July 2016, 16 months after it begun it's journey.

This is surely a great feat in the aviation sector, according to Andre Borschberg " To build an airplane of the size of a 747 with the weight of a car, something which was considered impossible by the aviation industry, we had to develop the right mindset in order to push the limits of the technologies. With Partners who believed in the same vision we developed solutions to make our airplanes very energy efficient. All these technologies can be used today in other applications to make our world more energy efficient as well."

The team of over 80 engineers are not slowing down yet. Building on the success of the solar Impulse project, there is work to develop other solar aircrafts which includes a solar powered drone.

In Piccard's words "Our ambition for Solar Impulse is for the worlds of exploration and innovation to make a contribution to the cause of renewable energies. We want to demonstrate the importance of clean technologies for sustainable development; and to place dreams and emotions back at the heart of scientific adventure.”

Indeed there is no limit to what we can achieve!

Nature's Stylus - The carrot

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 19:15:00 +0000

Today I was at my study table, and there were some carrots closeby (don't ask me how they got there...)

With the way they were looking, I decided to take one in my hand and it felt comfortable like a pen, my phone was in the other hand and in unwitting fashion, I tried using the carrot as a stylus and BAM! It worked flawlessly.
So I logged on the Internet to find out what was going on, and I'll like to share some interesting things I learnt in the process.

First, we must know that there are two major categories of touchscreen displays: the RESISTIVE touchscreen display and the CAPACITIVE touchscreen display. Most phones in the world make use of the latter category.
A capacitive touchscreen panel consists of some layers, two of which are of importance to this article. It consists of a Conductive layer which stores electric charges uniformly across the panel and on top of that, we have an insulated layer (like glass) which does not allow the free flow of electricity.

What happens when we touch the screen is that we've created a distortion in the electric field of the screen, and so, instead of the electric charges in the capacitive layer to keep flowing in uniformity, they begin to flow towards the point were we placed our touch. So that if we slide our fingers across the screen, the electrons in that path would move along in attraction to the finger. All these processes are being monitored by a processor which can read and record the point[s] were the distortions were created.
(Here's a YouTube video that'll explain the whole touchscreen process https://youtu.be/SzLoWDkBKXk )

How all these grammar take concern Carrot?

LOL... Our body is able to control the touchscreen because it is a conductor of electric charges.

And apart from the fact that carrots are the most nutritional/healthy food known to man, they can also conduct electricity too. . This is due to the presence of Potassium in the vegetable. - The element Potassium is a metal, and metals are good conductors of electricity due to their valency.

You don't believe me? go ahead and try it out! Nature's Stylus!

Mankind's Scientific Breakthroughs Of The Year 2015 You Should Know Of

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 21:16:00 +0000

Man is amazing! With the help of Science, man is able to uncover, discover and invent new things. Scientists and researchers all over the world are working hard to make and discover new and exciting things that will help and shape the life of mankind today and in the future.
The scientific breakthroughs of 2015 will amaze and inspire new generations of young and curious scientists to push the boundaries of the world we know even further.
Here are some of the greatest scientific breakthroughs of the year in no particular order.

I. New Google AI (Artificial Intelligence) Can Learn Language and Carry on Conversation

Google’s developers have just created a new artificial intelligence that is able to learn to speak and model language. It can have a complex conversation, and can even “respond” to questions about morality and philosophy. During testing, Google’s AI mainly helped users solve computer problems, but this development represents a step forward in the software industry.

"Wow! Seems like we have reached the Computer Singularity - the point where artificial intelligence equals human intelligence. The implications of this is so breathtakingly awesome (and a bit scary too) that I can't type it all here.

II. Scientists Develop Batteries That Can Charge in Seconds

Engineers at the University of California have successfully developed a super capacitor that can store as much as a typical battery. The super capacitor is able to charge in a matter of seconds as opposed to hours. This technology will impact the development of hybrid and electric vehicles, space technology, and consumer electronics.

"And we'll all have enough battery power to ping, chat, browse and live happily ever after"

Still on amazing batteries,

III. Tesla Announces Powerwall Solar Battery

Tesla created the Powerwall Home Battery, the first product from Tesla Energy. The stationary battery (rechargeable lithium-ion) can power an entire household, off the grid. The product converts solar energy to power a household.

"About time our state governors invests heavily in solar energy to solve our power problems....at least on the domestic level for a start. But unfortunately, greed can't make them see clearly."

Talking about seeing clearly,

IV. 8-Minute Surgery Could Give Everyone Perfect Vision
Optometrist Dr. Garth Webb from British Colombia invented a revolutionary lens that instantly give patients perfect vision. The lens called Ocumetics Bionic Lens can prevent cataracts and could be implanted through an 8-minute surgery. The lens will give perfect vision without the need for glasses.

"Awesome! Just wondering if there's a lens that could make one see through clothes."

*smiles innocently*

*adjusts halo*

V. First Man-Made Leaf, with Implications for Space Travel, Is Invented

A graduate from the Royal College of Art, Julian Melchiorri, invented the first artificial, biologically functional leaf. Melchiorri made the leaf from chloroplasts and silk protein that is capable of absorbing carbon dioxide and light, and will release breathable oxygen.

"Yeah you just read it. Man can create Life.

As in, L.I.F.E."

Talking about space travel, GOOD NEWS!

VI. We Have Found Water on Mars

In April 2015, Curiosity rover was able to find water below the Martian surface. This discovery contradicts theories that Mars was too cold and arid for liquid water to exist.

"With liquid water discovered on Mars, all its set for the colonization and terraforming of the Red Planet. In a few decades to come, we'll be seeing things like:

"Holiday trip to Mars loading.......90%"
"Interplanetary marriages"
"Mars Airways"
"Bruno Mars to perform in Mars"
"ChokolateBoss contests for Mars President"

You might ask, "When (not a matter of if) we settle in Mars, how do we grow crops in space since crops are crucial for our survival?"
Good question. The answer is in the next heading.

VII. ISS (International Space Station) Astronauts Has Eaten The First Vegetables Grown in Space

In a major milestone on The Road To Mars Mission, astronauts living on the ISS ate the first crop of vegetables ever grown in space on August 10, 2015. The crop, a bed of lettuce called "Veg-01," was planted in July. The crew will dig in to half the crop, with the other half being sent back to Earth for analysis.

*high-fives the astronauts*

VIII. Duke Announces First Laboratory-Grown Contracting Human Muscle

A team at Duke University has successfully grown a human skeletal muscle, in a lab, that contracts and responds to external stimuli (pharmaceuticals, electrical impulses, etc) like the way a native tissue does.
This discovery could revolutionize the field of medicine.

"Cool. If they can grow perfect six-packs muscles and give it to me, that wouldn't be a bad idea"

IX. Possible New Vaccine Blocks All HIV Strains

The Scripps Research Institute have created a new drug candidate that could potentially work as a new kind of vaccine effective against HIV-1, HIV-2, and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV).

"Hollup Hollup! This is not a free ticket to start skin-diving anyhow cos if you get HIV/AIDS, you're on your own. The disease might have killed you before the vaccine gets to Naija. Don't do something you end up regretting later"

X. Audi Invents “E-Diesel

Auto makers are shifting their focus on developing more eco-friendly vehicles which has prompted German auto maker, Audi, to make a new combustion engine fuel called “e-diesel.” The e-diesel is just water and carbon dioxide. The fuel is made by taking electricity from renewable sources. This will create hydrogen through reversible electrolysis. Then, the hydrogen is combined with CO2 and the resulting reactions produce a liquid of long-chain hydrocarbons.

"Oil companies will not like this.

I can make fuel easily with that technique.

XII. Cancer Patient Receives 3D-Printed Sternum and Ribs

The first surgical procedure of its time, a 54-year-old Spanish man received a custom, 3D-printed sternum and ribs. The man had chest wall sarcoma, a tumor that grows in the chest wall. His had grown around his sternum and in order to remove it, doctors also had to remove the sternum and part of his ribcage.
However, using high-resolution CT scans of his chest, the Australian medical device company Anatomics was able to 3D-print an accurate implant, and let the surgical team accurately plan their procedure.

"3D-printed sternum and ribs? How?

Oh laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawd! "

XIII. Scientists Say EM Drive Propulsion Is Actually Possible

Though previously thought to be impossible to achieve and accused of violating the laws of physics, scientists have presented some promising results.
The EM Drive (short for electro magnetic drive) uses electromagnetic microwave cavities to directly convert electrical energy to thrust without the need to expel any propellant - a pretty important factor when you are in space and any kind of propellant will alter your course

"How this can be done is something I cannot even begin to imagine"

XVI. NASA Finds Kepler-452b: Earth's Older, Larger Cousin

The Kepler Space Telescope has been tracking down planets for years now, but in July 2015 NASA announced that it had found Kepler-452b, an Earth-like planet with the same size orbit, around the same kind of star (a G Star), with the same year length, as Earth.
What makes this exoplanet more special than the others found by Kepler? The sunshine would be very similar to that on Earth, so plants brought there would be like "sure, lets photosynthesize!"

"There MIGHT be life there.....even intelligent life. There might be people there wondering if there could be people on Earth.
Just guessing o, I'm no Alien conspiracy theorist."

News Sources:
The web.
Journals.
Yours Truly

So what are your thoughts? What major scientific breakthrough(s) do you think was/were not listed?
I'm a sucker for news like this.

SOURCE : ChokolateBoss on Nairaland

5 steps to take so you won't say goodbye to your favorite noodles.

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 09:52:00 +0000

We love instant noodles. They are super easy to prepare, come in so many different flavours, and tweakable to everyone’s tastes. Plus, they’re just so satisfying to munch on.

What’s not to love?

Many things, the doctors say.
There are many negatives to consuming too much instant noodles. Along with its lack of nutrients, a meal of instant noodles also include a large dosage of salt, MSG (monosodium glutamate), BHT, tartaric acid, tartrazine and more, which enhances the flavour and colour, but not necessarily your health.

The Not-So-Great Stuff in Your Instant Noodles:

Salt: Studies have found that out of 10 instant noodles samples, three contained sodium levels higher than 1,000mg per serving (in Malaysia, your recommended daily allowance is 2,000mg, or one teaspoon). Excessive intake of salt leads to hypertension, heart diseases, stroke, kidney damage, and other health problems.
BHT: Known also as butylated hydroxytoluene, this additive packs flavour into your noodles but is carcinogenic and can cause damage to your kidneys.
Tartaric acid: Tartaric acid is used in laxatives and is more toxic than pure alcohol. Yes. Pure alcohol.
Tartrazine: This may trigger hyperkinesia (excessive uncontrolled muscle activity in the body) and eosinophilia (an increased amount of eosinophill – a type of white blood cell – which can cause infection) in hyperactive children. It also slows down the platelet aggregation which is what helps you to stop bleeding.
Oil: The oil used in the noodle production contains high levels of saturated fat and trans fatty acids that can increase the level of bad cholesterol (known as low-density lipoproteins aka LDL), while at the same time reduce the level of good cholesterol (known as high-density lipoproteins aka HDL), which can lead to higher risk of heart diseases. A pack of instant noodles also has the same amount of saturated fat as one cup of fries.

In short

Too much instant noodles is bad for you because they’re high in carbs and saturated fat, while being low in fibre, vitamins and minerals. But don’t look so bleak and sad. You can still have your instant noodles (occasionally).

Here are 5 easy steps to upgrade your instant noodles to a healthier level:

1. Boil your noodles and “soup” separately

Boil water for the soup in one pot. Boil your noodles in another. When noodles are done, drain it to reduce the amount of unwanted additives. Then stick it into the pot with the boiling water and add in the seasoning packet. This also helps remove the fat from the fried noodles.

2. Add veggies

Since noodles are low in fibre, you can still get these by adding vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, carrots, onion, and potato. Chopped mushroom and sprouted beans can also be a great flavour enhancer. Frozen vegetables work great too if you’re lazy to wash and clean fresh ones. Thaw before adding.

3. Fortify with meat

Thinly sliced chicken breast, flank steak, and other lean meats are very yummy when added to your noodles. It also helps make your meal part of a balanced diet.

4. Replace half the seasoning with herbs and spices of your choice

A lot of the unhealthy stuff we described earlier is present in the soup seasoning. Cut half of the seasoning out and replace with garlic, pepper, or other herbs of your choice (a tablespoon of peanut butter works great too!). You’ll still have a tasty soup, but with only half of the unhealthy additives. Better yet, make your own chicken or vegetable stock (boil chicken and vegetables in a pot) and use that as a soup base instead.

5. Add eggs

You can do it the lazy way and break an egg into your boiling soup. Otherwise hard boiled eggs are really delicious to soak up the soup too. Fried eggs can be great as well, just watch the amount of oil you’re using. This is a quick and yummy source of protein if you don’t have any meat lying around.

source

Animals! Super Animals!

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 22:50:00 +0000

Most people know Superman is not real, but what they don't know is that some animals have some super senses which we could only imagine in superheroes. There are more of these kind of animals, but lets make do with these.

1. Peregrine Falcons -Fastest creature on earth

Peregrine Falcon

According to the National Geography TV Program, the Peregrine Falcon's highest measured speed is 389 km/h. According to an online calculator; 389km is actually the distance between Akure and Uyo in Nigeria. Imagine a bird going that distance in 1hour when it would take a car 4hours 28mins to reach it.
Peregrine Falcons are Raptors (Birds of Prey). They can actually spot their prey from a full mile and can kill it while in mid-air due to their amazing speed. There is no escaping from these birds.

2. Cheetahs -Supersight

Cheetah

Cheetahs have Super-sights. They can spot a prey from about 5km away. Their elongated eye gives them a wide range of vision, as they can scan their surroundings in a single view. The black tear marks on their face prevents the strong dazzling light from the sun from reaching their eyes thereby allowing them to see more clearly.
The Cheetah’s eyesight is three times better than the 20/20 vision (the normal range of sight for humans).

3. Platypus -Electroreception

Platypus

Electroreception is the ability to use electrical impulse (a brief current) to detect and locate objects at any point in water. And surprisingly, Platypuses are the only mammals with such abilities. They can detect a prey in the deepest and darkest part of their habitats just with the twitch of a muscle by the prey.

4. Elephant -Infrasonic Sounds


Elephant

Elephants can communicate ‘privately’ using Infrasonic Sounds (sounds that can’t be perceived by the human ear).
As a result, they can hear sounds hundreds of kilometers away from erupting volcanoes, thunderstorms, earthquakes and even meteorites. Just like the way Superman hears sounds from around the world.

5. Jumping Spider family -Detect Ultraviolet lights

Jumping spider

Humans can’t see the ultraviolet (UV for short) parts of light, but Jumping Spider can.
Researchers have proven that Jumping Spiders can actually see UV rays, with two of their eight eyes as it is essential in their mating activities. During an experiment, it was discovered that without UV light, they would lose interest in their male counterparts and ignore them. But in Ultraviolet light, the Spiders glow and start their courting behavior.
Quick fact: Reindeer are the only mammals with the ability to see ultraviolet light.

6. Bats -Echolocation

Bat

From sleeping upside down, to being the only mammal capable of flying, Bats have never seized to amaze. Even better, they have a sophisticated form of hearing in Echolocation.
They emit sound waves and then listen to the echoes that are being returned. From that process, a Bat’s brain can deduce, where an object is, how far away the object is, how large the object is and in what direction the object is moving.
Amazingly, the bat’s brain processes all these information at the same speed with which we see and hear. It’s more like a normal process.

Shark

7. Sharks -Great sense of smell

A shark’s sense of smell is so powerful and useful, that its nose is only used in smelling i.e. it doesn’t breathe with it. A shark can actually detect one drop of blood in a million drops of water. Facts show that 40% of a Shark’s brain is actually dedicated to the sense of smell; that is how important their sense of smell is to them.

The sun is free; solar panels and inverters are now cheaper in Africa!

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 18:54:00 +0000

With the recent energy crisis in the developing countries and especially in the Africa’s most populous country: Nigeria, one would think countries as Nigeria would be investing heavily on other alternative and renewable energy resources like Wind and Solar energy. Unfortunately it isn’t so and the reason will certainly surprise you.

First of all, what is renewable energy?

Renewable energy is a cheap and almost a free energy. It is generally defined as the energy that comes from resources which are naturally replenished on a human timescale such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat.

We will appreciate this more when we compare it to the non-renewable energy sources that we have today like the crude oil and coal that’s mined from fossil fuel deposits beneath the surface of the earth.

Why non-renewable energy is not preferred in Nigeria and Africa,

Considering the rate of fossil fuel use, it is estimated that worldwide reserves of Fossil fuels will become extinguished by 2039. So we anticipate a global energy crisis if nothing is done before then to avert the situation.

Apart from that, the fossil fuel is not a clean source of energy. Its combustion releases dangerous carbon emissions that deplete the ozone layer in our atmosphere, little wonder Global warming has always been the re-occurring issue in several United Nations meetings these days.

Renewable energy on the other hand is completely clean. Some of the benefits of renewable energy source include:

1. Its reliable

2. Its naturally renewable

3. It is clean and environmental friendly.

The way forward for Nigeria:

The government and private investors are key players in this renewable energy revolution that is sweeping across the world now.

I was privileged to meet Dr. Patrick Owelle who is the M.D and CEO of PSC Industries Limited (PSC Solar). PSC Industries Limited is a Solar Electricity and Renewable energy total Solutions Provider located in Lagos, Nigeria. I particularly picked interest in this company because they don’t only talk about the need for the switch to alternative energy sources; they are actively involved in transforming a lot of lives via their highly affordable solar energy Photo Voltaic panels, inverters and storage facilities. A look at the PSc Solar website (www.pscsolaruk.com) is certainly worth it.

In one of Dr. Owelle’s papers that I got access to, he wrote:

“Traditional fossil fuels and conventional power generation methods have failed us in Africa or Africa has failed the traditional and conventional power generation methods, it is now time to do something else; namely deploying and integrating power from renewable sources like Solar, Wind and Biomass in to the national power Grids”

Personally I couldn’t agree more with him. So what is Nigeria still waiting for?

It’s hard to tell. Over the years, Billions of dollars has been pumped into the nation’s energy sector and yet no tangible result is seen.

But the good news is that you don’t have to wait for the government this time. You can light up your home at least using the abundant solar energy. All you need is a complete solar converter set including Photo Voltaic panels, inverters and batteries.

About Author:

Chekwas Ojike is a Trained Physicist, a freelance writer. He owns mymobnet.com where he shares some Tech stuffs.

Leap second added to day

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 19:16:00 +0000

The last minute of this month- June, would have 61 seconds.

We all believe the length of a day is 24 hours (which is 86,400 seconds) but an approximate time for a complete rotation by the earth on its axis is 86,400.002, this is because earth's rotation is slowing down, thanks to the combined forces of the sun and moon's gravitation on our planet.
So to keep the world time in synchronization with the mean solar time, a second is usually added to a day at irregular intervals by the world time-keepers.
In practical, instead of clocks moving from 23:59:59 to 00:00:00 , it would now be 23:59:60.
This practice began in 1972 and this is going to make it the 27th adjustment of time since then.
Many complications arise from these adjustments in time as software glitches were recorded in times past, it even leads to a shutdown of computers during that period because leap seconds are not programmed into them, they have to be imputed manually.

This issue would be addressed at the World Radio communication Conference in Geneva, November this year as timekeepers would meet to decide whether to put an end to such adjustments in time.

The 2015 European Inventor Award

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Sat, 13 Jun 2015 10:46:00 +0000

The award which was started in 2006 is aimed at honoring inventors whose inventions have provided solutions to some of the biggest challenges in our present time.
The tenth edition of this prestigious award hosted in Paris, ended today with various teams and individuals receiving the award in different categories.
Below is the list of winners, their invention and their category.

1.

Lifetime achievement winner- Andreas Manz

CATEGORY:     Lifetime Achievment
WINNER:          Andreas Manz (Switzerland)
INVENTION:    Microchip-sized analysis system

With this invention, it is now possible to conduct complex scientific analysis quickly and also efficiently little microchips.

2.

Research winner- Ludwick Leibler

CATEGORY: Research
WINNER: Ludwick Leibler (France)
INVENTION: Vitrimers – a new class of polymers
An 100% repairable and recyclable plastic suitable for use in different industries.

3.

SME winner Laura Van `t Veer, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs and EPO President Benoît Battistelli

CATEGORY: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
WINNER: Laura van 't Veer (Netherlands)
INVENTION: Gene-based breast cancer test
with this, its now easier to offer 'targeted treatment' for breast cancer.

4.

Franz Amtmann and Philippe Maugars

CATEGORY: Industry
WINNER: Franz Amtmann (Austria) and Philippe Maugars (France)
INVENTION: Near Field Communication (NFC) technology
a contact-free, secure technology for data transfer between mobile devices.

5.

Ian Frazer and Xiao Yi Sun, widow of the late Jian Zhou, on stage

CATEGORY: Popular prize
WINNER: Ian Frazer (Australia) and Jian Zhou (China)
INVENTION: world's first vaccine against cervical cancer.

6.

Akira Koshio and Masako Yudasaka

CATEGORY: Non-European countries
WINNER: Sumio Iijima, Akira Koshio and Masako Yudasaka (Japan)
INVENTION: Discovery of carbon nanotubes.
It was a previously unknown structural form of carbon

To find out more about the award visit http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2015/20150611.html

Meet Plankton, one of the most important organisms on our planet.

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 16:13:00 +0000

Plankton (the animated version)

Anyone knows spongebob squarepants? yeah, the kid that lives in a pineapple under the sea? Well BBC Earth has partnered with his boss's arch rival Plankton, to create a short film to celebrate the importance of its kind on our earth to celebrate Ocean day.
And believe me when i say they are a very important part of our ecosystem.
Here are some quick info about Plankton.

What is Plankton?
Plankton are marine organisms (they live in water). They are so small that they are usually drifted away by waves and currents of the sea.

Microscopic view of a phytoplankton

Do we have different types of them?
Plankton are grouped into two categories which are; the Plants known as PHYTOPLANKTON and Animals called ZOOPLANKTON.
Phytoplankton are very tiny microscopic plants that don't have roots, stems or leaves like the kind of plants we see on land.
The Zooplankton size varies from tiny organisms like protozoan to larger organisms like Jellyfish.

So, how are they important?
Think about these little organisms (phytoplankton) as the producers of 50% of the oxygen in the atmosphere. Yeah, they are! and they achieve this feat through Photosynthesis. During the process also, they regulate the temperature of the earth as they enable the sea water to be able to absorb the carbon-dioxide in the atmosphere.
For the Zooplankton, they don't depend on light for food like their plant counterparts but they are also an important part of the food chain as they are source of food to much bigger animals.
So aren't they important? Go get a burger from the Krusty Krab and lets sit back as we celebrate Plankton, one of the most important creatures in the world.

A little poll and a riddle...it won't hurt

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 22:13:00 +0000

Hi readers...i just thought i should conduct a poll to know how often people read science articles online (not just on edscience blog).

This is just the first of a series of polls that would be conducted so as to be able to serve you the way you like :-).
To vote, all you have to do is locate the poll on the sidebar, select one of the four options and click vote. Its that easy!
Thanks y'all.

And while we're at it, here's a little science riddle to solve. Its pretty easy,, just give it a try ok?

Two friends were fishing in a river. The first friend made a bet that he could make a stone float on the river. He won the bet. How is this possible?

New Blood test can show every virus you’ve ever had

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 21:06:00 +0000

As humans, we are exposed to a lot of disease causing organisms daily, and at such we contact some virus which we are not even aware of.
Now Scientists have developed a new blood test which requires only a drop of your blood to tell you ‘nearly’ every virus you’ve been exposed to in your life time.
The test called VirScan (from virus scan) has been conducted on over 570 people in the U.S., Thailand, Peru and South Africa and it was discovered that on average, the participants had been exposed to about 10 different types of virus.
The usual methods employed by medical doctors is ‘testing for one virus at a time’. For instance, you’re sick and the symptoms you’re showing are related to, say, Malaria, Fever or Cancer, if the doctor is not sure, he would have to conduct a blood test for each cases. But with this new test (which is still undergoing experiments), it would be easy for the doctor to know your ‘medical history’ at once.
VirScan, which costs $25 to perform, can also determine a person’s immunity level to a particular virus and so the doctor would know if one needs more vaccine to guard against that virus.
This new test can be seen as a time-saver, a money-saver and also a blood saver (for God knows how I detest the sight of a syringe).

So what do you think about virScan? would you love to know all your medical secrets (lol) at once? let us know using the comment box below.

Drones now used for invigilation in exams

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Fri, 05 Jun 2015 17:51:00 +0000

Due to the high level of 'advanced' cheating in the University entrance examination, Chinese Officials have introduced extreme steps in curbing the act.
Extreme?..yeah! they've resorted to using drones to invigilate in an exam hall, as students there have gotten so advanced in their ways that everything from their glasses, pen, up to their shoes has been 'technologically modified'.
Well not so extreme as the drones don't have firearms installed but they are able to detect suspicious radio signals from an height of about 1,600 feets and they can rotate up to 360 degrees to scan.
The location of these signals, arising from mobile phones, electric pen, computer glasses and even earphones is then sent to the main operators so that they can pinpoint who is cheating and where.
This anti-cheating drone has been used to arrest 9 suspects in the past year and their are legal penalties for those convicted of examination mal-practices in China.
Me thinks this new development will reduce the rate of cheating...at least for now...not until students start using Jamming devices to intercept the signals transmitted by the drone. You know students are so smart and they will do anything to get what they want and these drones will make them work harder both in studying for exams and also in devising better methods for cheating.

so how would you feel in such an exam hall? being invigilated by a robot? let us know with your comments below.

Mars: What we know about the Red Planet

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 23:14:00 +0000

Mars

Ever before robots were sent to our close neighbour Mars, we've always been curious to know what exists outside our planet and what life will be like on other planets. So many questions have been raised and some answers have been given, some of which could be mere fiction or hypothesis-like the Aliens...gosh! But below is a compilation of established facts from the exploration of the Red planet.

Robots on Mars

First fact: Mars is the only known planet occupied solely by robots...lol..i just had to chip that in somehow. Ok the facts below;

1. Mars atmosphere is made up mainly of carbon dioxide. It also has different gases including oxygen but these gases are in little volume.
2. It is referred to as the Red Planet because of its reddish colour when viewed from the outside (of the planet). This reddish colour is as a result of rusted Iron in the planet's dust particles.
3. It is a desert planet because due to its cold and thin atmosphere, water can't remain on its surface for a long time.
4. Its cloud is made up of oxidized Iron dust. The dust storms in Mars are the largest in the solar system as it can cover the planet for months.
5. It sometimes snows in Mars. But the snow is made up of carbondioxide as compared to water on earth.
6. Mars has the highest Mountain in the solar system. Olympus Mons is 3x bigger than Mount. Everest and it is equally the largest volcano known on any planet in the solar system too.
7. Mars has two moons *winks* named Phobos and Deimos with Phobos destined for destruction due to its short life-span.
8. Mars had water in the past. This is after the discovery of water canals/channels on the planet and also the finding of some rocks that could only form in the presence of water. Presently, there are traces of of frozen water at the poles and at other locations on the planet.
And Lastly: There are no Aliens on Mars!

so what do you think about this planet, and how does it compare to earth, would we ever be able to live on mars? do drop your comments in the comment box and dont forget to spread the knowledge using the share buttons below.

Living in a Capsule

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 23:17:00 +0000

This is something i've always wished to own...a mobile home! where i can do 'normal' things without interference.
The Ecocapsule was created by Nice Architects a company based in Europe. Its a small egg-shaped house which has both basic and premium features one would need. It has a built-in kitchen with running water, its got a flushing toilet and even a shower room.
How it is powered? Well as seen in the illustration below, its source of energy is the Sun and the Wind.

This is made possible with the built in wind turbine and solar cells. With dual source of energy, and its high-capacity battery, one can be rest assured of enough power even during periods where there's no sufficient wind or solar activities.
It also has a Water collecting system as seen above with built-in water filters to ensure rain water is equally utilized.
According to the company, the energy system of the ecapsules can support living for almost a year even in remote areas.
Though it can only be transported by attachment to a moving vehicle, the company says its working on a self-wheeled version for easier portability.
And lest i forget, it is capable of housing two people at the same time ;-)

Add caption

What if we had two moons?

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Sat, 30 May 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Most of the planets in our solar system have more than one natural satellite. For instance, Jupiter, the largest planet has 67 moons, Saturn-62 moons, Neptune-14 moons and even our close neighbour, Mars has 2 moons.
Our planet has just one moon orbiting it. What if we had a second one? would it be fun or disastrous?

Well, astronomers believe that having two moons would have two major effects on our planet. The first is the instability of the "Tides" (the rise and fall in sea level). It is caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Sun and Moon. So adding a second moon would increase the rate of the tides. At some times. the sea level would be so high (you would think its a tsunami) it would be extremely difficult to travel by water. Living near a beach would be a bad idea too. At other times, there wont be any noticeable change in the water level.
The other major effect is that we would experience more solar eclipses than usual. . .imagine everywhere just becoming dark often.
Other effect which is minor is that we would have nights been brighter than usual. Just like adding a second torch in a dark room. So it would be more easier for night creatures to navigate, and more easier for their prey to detect them...lol.
Now i wonder how it would feel like to live in a planet like Jupiter with 67 moons!!

Inventions by Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Thu, 28 May 2015 18:47:00 +0000

Who says kids can't be innovative? these five inventions were all dreamt and actualized by kids.

1. Braille: Braille is a writing system for blind and visually impaired people. Its a system that consists of small raised dots that can be read with the sense of touch.
This life-changing invention was created by 15 year old Louis Braille in 1824, who lost his sight in an accident. With this writing system, the blind can read books and even computer screens.

2. The Calculator: At the age of 18, Blaise Pascal invented the first Mechanical Calculator named Pascaline. Though not initially accepted because it was believed it would make people become lazy, it was later made commercially available 200 years after its design.

3. Ice Pop: This was an invention 'by accident'. In 1905, 11 year old Frank Epperson left a mixing stick in a glass of powdered soda and water. Due to the cold temperature that night, he woke up to find a frozen pop, which he initially called 'Episcle'. After patenting 'Popcicle' in 1923, it has gone on to be a Kid's delight.

4. The Trampoline: This gymnastic apparatus which has been incorporated into the olympics was invented by George Nissen in 1935 alongside his gymnastic coach. It is now also used in flight and Astronaut training and of course. . . for recreational purposes.

5. Ear Muffs: This simple but ear-warming piece was invented by 15-year old Chester Greenwood. The idea came to him after he got tired of having cold ears while ice-skating in his area. He made a wire loop and requested his grandmom to sew fur (soft hair from some animals) on its ends. He kept working on the model and finally obtained patent rights in the 1870s. This piece of device was used to keep the US soldiers' ears warm during the World War.

Google honours Sally Ride

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Tue, 26 May 2015 18:18:00 +0000

She should have been 64 today. And Google had animator Nate Swinehart create a doodle in her remembrance.
Sally Kristen Ride was an American Physicist and Astronaut. She was the first American woman in Space. She's also the youngest american astronaut to achieve that feat.
The doodle tells us a bit of Sally's life, her journey aboard the spaceshuttle and her passion for helping kids who have interests in Science and Technology.
ln case you didn't notice it or somehow missed it, here it is!

The life cycle of a bee in 60 seconds

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Sun, 24 May 2015 19:27:00 +0000

This amazing video is part of a project by Anand Varma who was asked by the National Geographic to shoot a video-story based on the bees.

Self healing concrete

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Fri, 22 May 2015 10:55:00 +0000

Ever since the Roman Architectural Revolution, concrete has gone on to become the world's most popular building material. It is being viewed as a form of artificial sedimentary rock and it has a life span of approximately 100 years.

But no matter how carefully mixed, all concrete at some point would eventually crack and under some conditions, those cracks could lead to a building collapse.
The problem is that when there's a crack in a concrete, it allows water to leak in. If this water gets to the steel bars in the concrete, it could lead to corrosion and if they corrode, the structure collapses.
It was this problem, put to Hendrick Jonker in 2006 by a concrete technologist that led to this amazing invention. Making reference to how a bone heals itself through mineralization, Jonker who is a microbiologist, discovered that mixing concrete with limestone-producing bacteria, led to an automatic patching of any cracks.
The bacteria used was bacillus bacteria which can survive up to 200 years without oxygen and food. This bacteria is activated when it comes into contact with water and then using the calcium lactate added to the bacteria capsule as food source, it produces limestone which as a result, seals up the crack.
This invention called "bioconcrete" has earned Jonker a finalist spot for the European Inventor Award 2015.

MIT students designed solar car

noreply@blogger.com (Emmanuel) — Mon, 18 May 2015 20:22:00 +0000

The project which was started in 2011 has recently been completed by 27 students of the school who make up the SolarMobil team. And No!, its not students from the world famous Institute of technology, Massachusetts, but Manipal, in southeast India.

early version of the car

The prototype called SERVe (solar electric road vehicle) which is designed with mobility and commercial viability, weighs about 590kg and its a two seater car which can reach up to 60kmph with a top speed of 30kmph.
It is a joint project involving the Manipal University, and Tata Power Solar- India's largest solar company.

The vehicle feature customized solar panels provided by the Tata Company which is light weight and highly efficient. The panel covers the roof in a custom-curved design which ensures the aerodynamics of the car is not compromised.

It also includes an High End Battery System consisting of a Li-ion Battery pack which allows a speed of 150km on a full charge, and a Battery Management Monitor which ensures proper health and safety.

The battery and power system are controlled by a student-programmed Raspberry Pi (a single-board computer) which acquires data from the battery management system, maximum power point tracker and various other sensors to ensure proper functioning of all the systems.
With all these in place, we can only say "good job" to the students and hope the project aim is met i.e. becomes commercially available.