Scales are the remnants of the bony armour which enveloped the very earliest fish. Fish have scales as a protective coating for the skin. In fact, not all fish have them. But we usually think of a fish as a cold-blooded, aquatic animal that swims by means of fins, breathes by means of gills, and is covered with scales. Scales …
Read More »What are crop circles?
Crop circles are patterns that appear in fields. The pattern is created when certain areas of the crops are tamped down, but others are left intact. The edge is so clean that it looks like it was created with a machine. Even though the stalks are bent, they are not damaged. Most of the time, the crop continues to grow …
Read More »What are copepods?
Copepods are another group of small crustaceans which live in the sea. They are better swimmers than the freshwater water fleas and use their legs as well as their antennae to propel themselves through the water. Copepods drift in enormous numbers in the upper levels of the sea. Together with other minute creatures they form plankton on which all other …
Read More »What are consumer and capital goods?
In industry, people talk of two kinds of manufactured goods. First, consumer goods, such as clothes and washing machines, which are bought by people. Second, capital goods, including machinery and tractors, which are bought by firms and used to produce other goods.
Read More »What are BTL advertisements?
Below-the-line (BTL) ads refer to a marketing technique in which nonconventional, non-media route is taken to promote a product or service. Usually, it has a limited target group. It includes promoting through e-mail, SMSes, ringtones, direct mail, MMS, freebies, quizzes, interactive sessions, etc. It is different from above-the-line (ATL) ads which take the route of TV, radio, cinema, banners, or …
Read More »What are birds of prey?
Birds of prey are those that feed wholly or mainly on meat taken by hunting. They catch other birds, and small animals, for their food. There are two chief families, the hawks and the falcons. The hawks include eagles, such as the bald eagle (symbol of the United States) and the golden eagle. The falcons are smaller but share the …
Read More »What are Bankura Horses?
The vibrant tradition of folk art in West Bengal’s Bankura district includes a variety of clay handicrafts. The district’s most famous product is the Bankura Horse, a very stylised figure with a long neck and elongated ears, in warm terracotta colours. Artisans have used the same techniques of hollow clay moulding and firing for generations. Sizes vary from minute, palm-sized …
Read More »What are auroras?
The beautiful patterns of green and blue lights that occur in the atmosphere of the polar region are known as auroras. Although there are several mythological stories related to auroras, in 1716, perhaps the first scientific research on auroras began in Europe. They occur in the mesosphere, which is present about 50 to 80 miles above sea level. They are …
Read More »What are Arihants?
The term Arihanta is made up of Ari, meaning enemies, and hant, meaning destroyer. Consequently, Arihanta means destroyer of enemies. In this case the term enemies refers to passions such as anger, greed, ego, and deceit which are internal enemies, because they defile the true nature of the soul. A soul can only reach the state of Arihanta by overcoming …
Read More »What are aphids?
Have you ever heard your parents complaining about greenfly on the roses or other plants in your garden? Well, the proper name for greenfly is aphids. They are insects, and can be very harmful to plants if they are not dealt with because they suck out the sap from the stem of the plant and make it grow stunted or …
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