Do you Know ?

First Nobel prize winner for

Literature - Sully Prudhomme, France (1901).

Peace - Jean Henri Dunant, Switzerland & Frederic Passy, France (1901).

Physics - Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen, Germany (1901).

Physiology & Medicine - Emil Adolf Von Behring, Germany (1901).

Chemistry - Jacobus Henricus Van't Hoff, Netherlands (1901).

Economics - Ragnar Frisch, Norway & Jan Tinbergen, Netherlands (1969).

First person to win two Nobel prizes - Marie Sklodowska Curie (first in Physics, 1903 and the second in Chemistry in 1911).

World's first

First criminal to be executed by electrocution - William Kemmler in Auburn Prison of New York (1890).

First sex change operation in the world - George (Christine) Jorgenson (1952).

First human heart transplant by Dr. Christian Barnard (1967) on Louis Washkanskym, lived 18 days.

First test tube baby - Louise Brown. In Lancastershire, England. Patrick Christopher steptoe, English obstetrician, together with Robert Edwards, biologist, succeeded in his first human invitro fertilisation (1978).

World's first Television service - The British Telecasting Corpoation (BBC) started from Alexandra palace with three hours of program a day (1936).

First US President to speak on Television - Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was the first US President to ride in a car, first American to get the Nobel prize for peace, first and only US President sworn in for a fourth term (1939).

First pilots to fly around the world non stop and non refueled - Jeana Yeager and Dick Rutan, they achieved this in a specially designed aircraft named the Voyager (1986).

First Known person to survive the jump off of Niagra falls - Sam Patch (1829).

First man to set 600 mi/h land speed record in a car - Craig Breedlove (1965).

First solo transpacific balloon flight - Steve Fosset (5430 miles, 1995).

First couple to conquer together Mt Everest - Andrej & Marija Stremfelj, Slovenia (1990).

First and only supersonic airliner - Concorde (New York- London, now not operating).

Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide. It is commonly used as a versatile cooling agent. Dry ice sublimates, changing directly to a gas at atmospheric pressure. Its sublimation and deposition point is -78.5 °C (-109.3 °F). Its enthalpy of sublimation (ΔHsub) at -78.5 °C (-109.3 °F) is 571 kJ/kg (245.5 BTU/lb). The low temperature and direct sublimation to a gas makes dry ice a very effective coolant, since it is colder than ice and leaves no moisture as it changes state.(Although it can carbonate food that is near).

History

In 1835 the French chemist Charles Thilorier published the first account of dry ice. Upon opening the lid of a large cylinder containing liquid carbon dioxide he noted much of the carbon dioxide rapidly evaporated leaving solid dry ice in the container.

Manufacture

Dry ice is readily manufactured Carbon dioxide-rich gas is pressurized and refrigerated until it changes into its liquid form.

The pressure is reduced. When this occurs some liquid carbon dioxide vaporizes, and this causes a rapid lowering of temperature of the remaining liquid carbon dioxide. The extreme cold makes the liquid solidify into a snow-like consistency.

The snow-like solid carbon dioxide is compressed into either small pellets or larger blocks of dry ice.

Applications

Dry ice is commonly used to package items that need to remain cold or frozen, such as ice cream, without the use of mechanical cooling. In medicine it is used to freeze warts to make removal easier. In the construction industry it is used to loosen floor tiles by shrinking and cracking them, as well as to freeze water in valveless pipes to allow repair.

In laboratories, a slurry of dry ice in an organic solvent is a useful freezing mixture for cold chemical reactions.

Safe handling

Dry Ice temperature is extremely cold at -109.3°F or -78.5°C. Always handle Dry Ice with care and wear protective cloth or leather gloves whenever touching it. An oven mitt or towel will work. If touched briefly it is harmless, but prolonged contact with the skin will freeze cells and cause injury similar to a burn.

Storge

Store Dry Ice in an insulated container. The thicker the insulation, the slower it will sublimate. Do not store Dry Ice in a completely airtight container. The sublimation of Dry Ice to Carbon Dioxide gas will cause any airtight container to expand or possibly explode. Keep proper air ventilation wherever Dry Ice is stored. Do not store Dry Ice in unventilated rooms, cellars, autos or boat holds. The sublimated Carbon Dioxide gas will sink to low areas and replace oxygenated air. This could cause suffocation if breathed exclusively. Do not store Dry Ice in a refrigerator freezer. The extremely cold temperature will cause your thermostat to turn off the freezer. It will keep everything frozen in the freezer but it will be used up at a faster rate. It is the perfect thing if your refrigerator breaks down in an emergency.

Burn Treatment

Treat Dry Ice burns the same as a regular heat burns. See a doctor if the skin blisters or comes off. Otherwise if only red it will heal in time as any other burn. Apply antibiotic ointment to prevent infection and bandage only if the burned skin area needs to be protected.

Disposal

Unwrap and leave it at room temperature in a well-ventilated area. It will sublimate from a solid to a gas.

Electricity in India is 230 to 240 V AC, 50 Hz and sockets are the three round pin variety.

One lakh means 100,000 and one crore is 10 million.

Major English national dailies include Hindustan Times, Times of India, Indian Express, Pioneer, Asian Age, Hindu, Statesman etc. Current affairs can be read from magazines like Frontline, India Today, the Week, Sunday and Outlook. For travel related articles refer Outlook Traveller.

The national (government) TV broadcaster is Doordarshan. Other major channels available are BBC, CNN, Discovery, Star Movies, HBO and MTV. FM radio is also popular with quality music. All India Radio (AIR) nationally transmits local and international news.

Indian Festivals

Mar/Apr
Mahavir Jayanti : The Jain festival commemorates the birth of Mahavira, the founder of Jainism.

Ramanavami : Hindu temples all over India celebrates the birth of Rama. In the week leading up to Ramanavami, the Ramayana is widely read and performed.

Easter : The Christian holiday marks the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Apr/May

Buddha Jayanti : This triple blessed festival celebrates Buddha's birth, enlightenment and attainment of nirvana.

Eid Milad un Nabi : This Islamic festival celebrates the birth of the Prophet Mohammed.

June/July

Rath Yatra (Car festival) : Lord Jagannath's great temple chariot makes its stately journey from his temple in Puri (Orissa) to during this Hindu festival.

July/Aug

Naag Panchami : This Hindu festival is dedicated to Ananta, the serpent upon whose coils Vishnu rested between universes. Snakes are believed to have power over the monsoon rainfall and keep evil away from homes.

Raksha Bandhan : On the full moon day girls fix amulets known as rakhis o the wrists of their (not necessarily blood-related) brothers to protect them in the coming year. The brothers reciprocate with gifts. Some people also worship the Vedic sea god Varuna.

Aug/Sep

Independence Day : Celebrates on 15 Aug, marks the anniversary of India's Independence in 1947. Main venue is Red fort, New Delhi.

Ganesh Chaturthi : This joyful festival celebrates the birth of the popular elephant-headed god, Ganesh, and has particular verve in Mumbai. On the last day of the festival clay idols of Ganesh, the god of good fortune, are paraded through the streets before being ceremoniously immersed in a river, sea or water tank.

Janmastami : Celebrates the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna. Devotees fast all day until midnight and in Mathura (birthplace of Krishna in Uttar Pradesh) the festivities last longer.

Shravan Purnima : On this day of fasting, brahmins replace the sacred thread looped over the left shoulder.

Sep/Oct

Navratri : This Hindu festival leading up to Dussehra is dedicated to the goddess Durga who beheaded a demon. Goddess Lakshmi and Saraswati, of wealth and learning respectively, also gets special praise. Hindus takes part in rituals, fasting and prayer; then after sundown there is folk dancing with sticks, dandiya raas. Some regions also have nightly garbas (folk dancers without the sticks). You can enjoy the celebrations in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Dussehra (Durga Puja) : This festival celebrates Durga's victory over the buffalo-headed demon Mahishasura and often ends with the burning of the images of the demon king Ravana and his accomplices, symbolic of the triumph of good over evil. It's also known as Ram Lila (life story of Rama), with fireworks and re-enactment of the Ramayana. It is mainly celebrated in West Bengal with mass submersions of Durga idols.

Gandhi Jayanti : It is the birth anniversary (2 nd Oct) of the Father of the Nation - Mohandas Gandhi - with prayer meetings at Raj Ghat, Delhi.

Onam : State festival of Kerala celebrated with folk dance and sadhya (lunch with variety of curries).

Oct/Nov

Diwali (Deepavali) : During this happiest Hindu festival, oil lamps are lit to show Rama the way home from exile, sweets are given, and fireworks let off. The festival lasts five days. On day one, doorsteps are decorated with rangolis/kolams (chalk/rice flour designs); day two celebrates Krishna's victory over the tyrant Narakasura; three is spent worshiping Lakshmi; four commemorates the visit of the friendly demon Bali; and on day five men receive an auspicious tikka (forehead mark) from their sisters.

Ramzan (Ramadan) : This 30 day dawn to dusk fast marks the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the month during which the prophet Mohammed had the Koran revealed to him in Mecca.

Nov/Dec/Jan

Nanak Jayanti : The birthday of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, is celebrated with prayer readings and processions.

Christmas : Christians celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Christ on 25 Dec.

Eid al Adha (Bakrid) : This Islamic occasion commemorates the Propjet Ibrahim's readiness to obey god even to the point of sacrificing his son.

Losar : Tibetan New year celebrated mainly in Mc Leodganj (Himachal Pradesh) with teaching sessions by Dalai Lama.

Jan/Feb

Republic day : It is the anniversary celebration of India's establishment as a Republic on 26 Jan 1950. The military parade along Rajpath in Delhi is the main attraction. Beating of the Retreat ceremony is celebrated three days after the Republic day.

Pongal : This four day festival marks the end of the harvest season. It's observed on the first day of the Tamil month of Thai, which is in the middle of January. Festivities include boiling-over of a pot of pongal (a mixture of rice, sugar, dhal and milk), symbolic of prosperity and abundance. On the third day, cattle are decorated and fed the pongal.

Vasant Panchami : Books, musical instruments, and other related objects are placed in front of the goddess Saraswati to receive blessings. Mainly celebrated in West Bengal and is traditional to wear yellow dress.