A sharp rise in aerodynamic drag, occurs when a plane reaches the speed of sound. For an aircraft flying at subsonic speed, the pressure waves generated by it extend in all directions, and, outspeeding the craft, transmit the disturbance uniformly. However, for supersonic speeds, the pressure field is confined to an area extending in a Mach cone from the rear …

As you stand in the middle of a playground or while you are sitting in your class, there is an immense weight right over your head, but you do not feel it! This is the weight of the atmosphere, or air, as we know it. Composed of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and other gases, it surrounds the earth like an …

The Venus Project is an organization that promotes and advocates American futurist Jacque Fresco’s visions of the future with the aim to improve society by moving towards a global sustainable social design that they call a “resource-based economy”. Such a system incorporates sustainable cities and values, energy efficiency, collective farms, natural resource management and advanced automation, focusing on the benefits …

Earlier, the power of a magnet was only measured in units of gauss. Gauss defines the number of lines of magnetic (flux density) per square centimetre emitted from the surface of the magnet. Today, it is measured in gauss-oersted energy units (GOe). While gauss refers to the number of lines of flux emitted from a magnet, oersted is the unit …

The uncertainty principle was laid down by Heisenberg, and is called Heisenberg’s principle of uncertainty. According to it, it is impossible to measure simultaneously the position and momentum/ velocity of a moving electron. If any attempt is made to measure both at the same instant, there will be uncertainty in measurement of either. This is because to measure the position …

The Treynor Ratio (reward-tovolatility ratio) was developed by Jack Treynor, one of the fathers of modern portfolio theory. The ratio measures the returns earned from a portfolio over and above the normal return that would have been earned on a risk-free investment. The formula for the Treynor Ratio is: average return of the portfolio minus average return of the riskfree …

When we were small, we used to look up to the sky and often see a white trail left by a jet aircraft. Rocket! Rocket! We used to yell, jump up with joy, clap our hands and strain our eyes as the ‘rocket’ disappeared into the horizon. Soon, the white streak would change into a broken, twisted cloud path. And …

The Time Preference Theory of Interest is also known as The Agio Theory of Interest. It was presented by Bohm Bawerk, who said that interest is an agio (reward) or (premium) for time preference. People prefer present income, present consumption and present satisfaction of wants, which means that people are impatient to spend. To induce them to postpone their consumption, …

The universal recycling symbol is an internationally recognized symbol used to designate recyclable materials. It is composed of three chasing arrows that form a Mobius strip or unending loop. In 1969 and early 1970, worldwide attention to environmental issues culminated in the first Earth Day. In response, then Chicago-based Container Corporation of America, a large producer of recycled paperboard which …

It’s a software that facilitates speed learning, particularly of languages. It’s based on an algorithm which calculates the precise moment when a person is likely to forget something she has learnt. The program would then remind her about going over that information once again, during those times. It was invented by Piotr Wozniak.