Tejasvi Pens Down

If I swallow a watermelon seed, a new watermelon will grow in my stomach, right? Just kidding! It is a good thing that we have seedless watermelons. What....if there are no seeds. how do we make more of them? These days, you see way more seedless fruits than seeded. Seedless grapes, oranges, watermelons, come to mind. But, natural bananas have seeds in them, so do cucumbers. The fruit is, by nature, a matured ovary around a seed; the flesh of a watermelon or apple is a part of that ovary. So, if it's not natural, then what is a seedless fruit? Seedless plants have been around for milllennia. Some strains of grapes were documented in ancient Roman times that didn't produce seeds. And in 1872, seedless navel oranges were brought to the US from Brazil. They were sourced from a clump of freak orange trees, accordin to an article of the New York Times, from 1902. And, thanks to the American farmers, they grow everywhere today. So, it seems that the seed gene of watermelon has a re...

  Avast iceberg almost the size of Greater London has broken away from the Antarctic ice shelf near a British research station, the British Antarctic Survery (BAC) said on February 26. Scientists had been expecting the iceberg to break loose for a while. Cracks have been appearing in the Brunt Ice Shelf for years, but the movements of ice is complex and often unpredictable, so the BAS has been keeping a close eye on developments and erring on the side of caution. It's not yet clear whether the iceberg will remain in the area or float away.

  The world-record price for a children's car was paid at an RM-Sotheby's auction in Paris on Saturday Febuary 13, 2021, when a Ferrari 330 P2 Junior by French coach-builder De La Chapelle went for €120,000 (Rs.1,03,94,223.82/-). The highest price ever paid for a children's car at auction came quite unexpectedly as it was fetched against an official estimate of between €5,000 and €10,000, with a bidding war driving the hammer price 10 times high its estimate. The final price of €120,000 was reached by the addition of RM-Sotheby's 20 percent buyer's premium.

  Tamil Nadu's Chadalavada Anandha Bhavani Devi made history on Sunday, March 14 as she became the first-ever fencer from India to qualify for Olympic Games. Bhavani secured a spot for the Tokyo Olympics at the World Cup in Hungary. Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju took to Twitter to congratulate the Indian fencer. The 27-year-old Bhavani has been trained by SAI coach Sagar Lagu in SAI Training Centre, Thalassery.

Have you ever seen a yellw penguin? Well, Yves Adams, a wildlife photographer revealed that h spotted a yellow penguin during an island trip in South Georgia. He took to his Instagram to share pictures of the rare creature and said that it was the first time ever that he spotted a yellow penguin. Sharing the story, Adams revealed he won nature's lottery after he spotted te beautiful creature. Adam's team initially attributed the colour mutation to being albino. Only later, in discussion with ecologists on the expedition ship, did they consider that  the condition could be more complex. His team contacted Hein van Grouw, curator at the UK Natural History Museum's Department of Life Sciences, who said the penguin could be an 'ino-bird' or a 'similar mutation'.  

Pigs can't fly, but they can swim for sure. Also called the Big Major Cay, the Pig Island is a tiny, uninhabited island in Exuma that lies in a remote corner of the Bahamas. On this island, you will see something incredible! You will be witness to dozens of feral pigs that can swim. Can you believe it? Barely anyone had heard of the Pig Island before. No one is quite sure as to how the pigs got to this island. Some say the pigs were left by sailors who intended to cook them, while others assume the pig swam to safety after a nearby shipwreck. If you are lucky enough to visit this island, you will see pigs swimming in the ocean, right up to your boat, to greet you and pose for pictures. Millions of tourists visit this mysterious island every year. Those who found pigs hanging around the beach soon began feeding them. Some clever pigs learnt that by swimming up to the incoming boats, they got fed first. That has made these adorable creatures very popular. Some tourists also love to s...

Myth or Truth? Every child has grown up with the warning that swallowed chewing gum would get stuck inside his/her stomach for seven whole years. Althrough, it is an old tale told to children to stop them from chewing too much gum and swallowing it, there is some truth behind this statement. Chewing gum is primarily mde of natural or synthetic materials (gum resin), flavourings, sweeteners and preservatives. It's a proven fact that there are many parts to chewing gum, some that the body can digest and others that it cannot. Your body absorbs the sweeteners and preservatives but cannot break down the gum resin. The undigested gum is pushed down through your digestive tract by your body and its journey ends when you go to the bathroom and defecate. Swallowing too much gum or several smaller pieces of gum very quickly can be harmful to you. When combined with other undigested food, it can cause blockages in your intestines. This causes stomach aches and in worst cases, it causes a tri...

  The quokkas are the happiest and funniest animals in the world. The quokkas live in the Rottnest Island in southwest Australia. These cute creatures always seem to be super-happy because of their huge smile. Quokkas may look tiny in photos, but they are actually about the size of a small cat. Quokkas store fat; they can also go for months without water. They are peaceful with each other. Unlike their boxing kangaroo relatives, quokkas are not territorial and are very happty to share space, food and shelter. Quokka mothers have no more than two babies a year; though one is more common. The babies are called joeys. They act so cute and cuddly and seem like they love you, but the truth is, they just want what's on your plate. They are still adorable. They come right up to you. They are really friendly and love people.

  A gaint pyramid, a palace made of snow, a mysterious maze and beautiful ice sculptures. No, it is not a fairytale! It is Snowlandia in Zakopane. A popular tourist attraction, Snowlandia is a snow labyrinth that lies in The Ski Resort of Zakopane, Poland. It is the world's largest labyrinth of snow, located at the foot of the Wielka Krokeiw Mountains, which is the country's largest ski jump. Laid out from 60,000 snow blocks with a  height of 2 metres, Snowlandia is a unique and magical spot guaranteeing thrills and fun in the snow near the Tatra National Park. In Snowlandia, you can also find amazing igloos. Snowlandia has many more attractions. It is no surprise that tourists flock to visit this amazing place, while in Zakopane. Tourists, especially kids, get excited and have great fun while they visit this snow maze. Actually, this snow labyrinth has every chance of official recognition and getting into the Guinness Book of Records.

  GDP (Gross Domestic Product) refers to the total value of all final goods and services produced within a country during a particular year. It represents the total amount of all the finished goods and services produced in a country within a financian year. For example, if wheat is sold at Rs 8 per kg to a flour mill, that sells flour to a biscuit company, that then uses the flour to make biscuits. Hence, the value of the biscuits would be counted, not the same as th value of flour. This is because the value of biscuits includes the value of intermediate goods and their production. Importance: ~GDP is very important for economy. ~GDP gives you an idea about the standard of living of the citizens of the country. ~It also tells you about the average productivity of the citizens of the country. ~It gives you an idea about their earning potential. ~GDP gives you an idea about how and where to tax people. ~It gives you a direction about the need to upgrade the skills of people....

Since 2015, International Yoga Day is celebrated every year on June 21. The United Nations has marked the day to raise awareness about the many benefits of practising Yoga for people all over the world. The date was chosen because June 21 is the longest day in Northern Hemisphere. The word Yoga has originated from the Sanskrit word Yuja which means 'to join or to unite.' It symbolises the union of body and mind. Yoga practice has been dated to pre-Vedic Indian traditions, known to help cure mental and physical diseases and maintain fitness. Apart from physical and mental relaxation, Yoga also helps develop strength, flexibility and immunity. This is especially important in times of the ongoing pandemic when the mental and physical health of people has come under dire stress. Theme  As per UN's website, the theme for this year's Yoga Day is 'Yoga for Well-Being' and how the practice of Yoga can promote the holistic health of every individual. Due to coronavirus p...

  You might have noticed in movies and also in real life that whenever there is a fire inside a building, the glass windows crack and break. The openings of the windows in the walls of the room on fire play a key role in the spread of fire. Windows are those parts of the buildings that generally have less resistance to fire in comparison to that of the walls. During a fire,  there is a increase in temperature inside the room. The glass pane is not subjected to uniform heat from the fire. Glass windows are fitted within the frames, and the thickness of the frame is larger in comparison to that of the glass pane. There is an intense heat flow that is suddenly experienced on one side of a glass pane. As a result, the heat focussed on the central region of the glass causes it to expand. While the edges of the pane happen to be relatively cooler,  which induces stress in the material. This shifting gradient is known to shatter the glass to pieces.

  1)Culinary Leaves ~Leafy Vegetables 1.Cabbage 2.Spinach 3.Fenugreek ~Flavour-enhancing Leaves 1.Mint leaves 2.Curry leaves 3.Bay leaves ~Non-edible leaves suited for Plating, Grilling and Wrapping 1.Banana leaves 2.Lemon leaves 3.Bamboo leaves 2)Medicinal Leaves 1.Tulsi 2.Ardusi 3.Giloy 3)Decorative Leaves 1.Caladium leaves 2.Coleus leaves 3.Money plant 4)Auspicious Leaves 1.Betal leaves 2.Mango leaves 3.Bael leaves 4.Tulsi leaves 5.Asopalav leaves 5)Commercial Uses 1.Tobacco leaves 2.Henna leaves 3.Coconut leaves

  Deep in the ocean, are beautiful and majestic sea creatures about which many mystery facts have began to be discovered. Let's uncover a few fishy facts about them. Stingrays ~Stringrays are flat, damond-shaped fish with at least one sharp, venomous 'string' or 'barb' under its long, skinny tail. There are around 70 species of stringrays in the world. ~Size - Stringrays may be as small as a few inches or grow up to 5 to 7 feet in length. ~Habitat - Stringrays thrive in shallow waters and warm climate and are found around the globe. Being shy creatures, they spend most of their time hiding on the ocean floor. ~Food - Stringrays are carnivorous and feast on small crabs, molluscs, snails, oysters and clams. ~Defence - Only when a stringray is scared or feels threatened, it uses its sharp string to 'poke' its enemy. ~Are stringrays poisonous to humans? Human deaths caused by stringray venom are extremely rare, because though the venom results in excruciat...

  The Red-lipped Batfish is a marine anglerfish that inhabits the waters surrounding the Galapagos Islands in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean. The red-lipped batfish is often found on the sand and rubble bottoms near reef edges up to about 120 metres deep. True to their name, they have extremely bright red lips. The body colour of the red-lipped batfish is light brown stripe on top of their head, a white stomach, and skin with large and spiny knobs (a rounded lump). Red-lipped batfish primarily feed on small fish, crustaceans and molluscs. These fish reach up to about 25 centimetres in length. Despite their strange appearance, red-lipped batfish are not harmful to humans. Red-lipped batfish have no direct threats. But, rising sea temperatures and coral bleaching pose a threat, as it would alter its natural habitat and may cause a decline of its  natural food source.

  Soon after the first Summer Olympics in 1896, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) proposed a separate winter competition. But the Scandinavian countries, already competing in what was called the Nordic Games, were reluctant. Germany planned the Winter Games in 1916. But World War 1 prevented any Olympic competition that year, and it was another 8 years before the IOC could gather enough support for an organised winter event. They called it the International Winter Sports Week, and it began on January 25th 1924 in Chamonix, France, an outline ski resort in the slopes of Mont Blanc, the highest European mountain peak. The International Winter Sports Week ended on February 5th 1924. It was such a success that a year later, the IOC formally amended its charter and established the first Winter Olympics in Germany. The Winter Olympics wa one of the grandest stages of athletic competition. And, it all began in the quiet mountain-town of Chamonix.

Aishwarya Sridhar is an avid wildlife photographer from Maharashtra, who became the first Indian women to win recognition at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards organised by London's Natural History Museum. Aishwarya Sridhar's  photo  'Lights of Passion' was chose from 50,000 entries from over 80 countries. The photograph shows a tree illuminated with fireflies. She was very thrilled when she got to know her image, Lighs of Passion, had won the highly commended award. Since childhood, Aishwarya was passionate about wildlife. When she spotted her first tiger in th wild at the age of 11 probably, that's when she had made up her mind that nature and wildlife was her field of interest. Aishwarya had always aspired to become a wildlife photographer. And, she did indeed!  

  Emperor penguins are truly beautiful birds. The largest of different species of penguins, emperor penguins grow about 45 inches tall. Adults have a white stomach and a black head, back tail and wings. They also have yellowish-golden markings on the sie of their head and neck. They inhait Antarctica, Earth's southernmost continent, where tempeatures drop to as low as -60 degrees Celsius. To survive in such low temperatures, these brilliant birds  have special adaptations. They have large stores of insulating body fat and several layers of scale like feathes that protect them from icy winds. The huddle in large groups to keep themselves, and each other, warm. By the time the female lays her egg, she develops a big appetite. She passes the egg to the male before journeying up to 80 kilometres into the open ocean, where she can feed her hungry tummy on fish, squid and krill.

  Everyone knows that Mount Everest is the tallest mountain on Earth. But, this is actually true, only if you measure the height of the mountain from the sea level. If you measure it from base to  summit, it is actually the world's second tallest mountain. The first place goes to Mana Kea in the Hawaiian Islands - a one million-year-old dormant volcano that last erupted 4,000 years ago. Its peak is only 13,802 feet above sea level. As the bulk of the mountain is under water, from  base to summit, it is 33,500 feet tall. That makes Mauna Kea almost 1 mile taller than Mount Everest. Because of its altitude and thin and clear air, it is a great place to see the stars. So, Mount Everest might not be the tallest or the farthest from Earth's centre. But, it is still the go to mountian for the extreme climbers worldwide.