18

Know the scientist

Nikola Tesla (1856–1943) is a Serbian inventor he held approximately 300 patents.
and scientist best known for his discovery of the
rotating magnetic field, the basis of most
alternating-current (AC) machinery. He also
Throughout his career, Tesla discovered,
designed and developed ideas for a
number of important inventions. They
Fun facts
invented the Tesla coil, which laid the include radar technology, X-ray * Koalas and humans have identical
foundation for wireless technologies and is still technology, the three-phase system of fingerprints
used in radio technology. electric power transmission, remote control
It is hard to distinguish them, say experts. Fingerprints are
Tesla was born in Croatia, Europe. He and others that form the basis for many of
complex patterns of ridges on finger tips caused by the folds of the skin.
attributed his interest in science to his mother, our modern appliances. A number of his
They improve grip and enhance sensitivity to touch. Koalas feed by
Djuka Mandic, who invented small household inventions were not patented. Interestingly,
climbing onto eucalyptus trees, reaching out and grasping tender leaves.
mechanical appliances and tools in her spare Tesla never won a Nobel Prize.
Scientists feel their fingerprint features may have evolved as an
time while her son was growing up. Now that you have read Tesla’s bio.
adaptation to grasping, just as those of our hominid ancestors who
In 1884, Tesla moved to the United States to Try answering the following questions.
climbed trees.
work under famed inventor Thomas Alva 1. Which famous inventor hired Tesla to
Q: What other animals have fingerprints like humans?
Edison (the developer of direct current). Several work on his inventions?
__________________________
months later, the two parted ways due to to _____________________________ PHOTO: NAPOLEON SARONY/ A: Chimpanzees and gorillas
conflicting interests. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Tesla established his own laboratory, Tesla 2. Tesla designed AC electricity supply
Electric Company, in 1887. Later that year, he system. What is the full form of AC here? Alternating-current * Size of a baby octopus
won patent to many of his inventions. Overall, _____________________________ Answers: 1. Thomas Alva Edison. 2.
A baby octopus at birth is about the size of a flea. An adult
giant Pacific octopus is 16 ft long and weighs around 50 kg.
An octopus lays thousands of eggs and dies shortly after
they hatch. When the eggs hatch, baby octopuses
called larvae emerge. They drift in plankton
and feed on other animal larvae until they
Fun with numbers mature. However, their survival rate is
very low.
Q: How many hearts does
In the sequence of an octopus have?
____________________________
numbers given, A: Three hearts - one circulates
blood around its body and the
find the number other two pump blood through
its gills.
7053
Answer:

Journal Writing Heritage trail Picture story

Come up with a witty caption for this picture
Dear Diary, Read the clues and guess the UNESCO World Heritage Site
I listened to the song.................... 1. It is a freshwater ecosystem in

Travis Lindquist/Getty Images/AFP

It reminded me of someone/something Siberia, Russia and the deepest
and oldest lake in the world.
very special in my life. 2. It contains one-fifth of the
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- world’s liquid freshwater and is
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- the largest continental lake by
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- volume on Earth.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. It is home to thousands of
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- species of plants and animals,
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- many of which are endemic to the
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- region and to the Buryat tribes
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- who reside on the eastern side of
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- the lake.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. The area’s biodiversity and
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- water quality are endangered due
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- to pollution, poaching and
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- indiscriminate development.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. It was designated a UNESCO
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- World Heritage Site in 1996 in Look who is enjoying a happy meal! An Eastern Gray squirrel eats
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- recognition of its diverse flora and some seeds and nuts from a bird feeder shaped like a picnic bench
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- fauna. attached to a tree. Write a caption that can sum up the picture in
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- a few words. Be creative!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Answer: Lake Baikal
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What’s the good word? The W Corner

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Many words have more than one meaning. In
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- the sentences below, write down one word that fits
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
both the descriptions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Journey; to stumble.
AP

FILE PHOTO: REUTERS

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ___________
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. A water fowl; to move head
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- to avoid being hit.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ___________
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Moving hand as a greeting; India’s Saikhom Mirabai Chanu
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- curling water breaking on the FILE PHOTO: AP
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- shore.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ___________ WHY do weightlifters apply white powder in their hands?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. A winged insect; to move Have you ever wondered why weightlifters dab their
their hands while lifting the heavy weights.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- through air. hands in some white powder before they go to lift
compromised and the bar doesn’t move in
Imagine and write. You may even type a ___________ weights? Do you think you can guess the answer?
don’t sweat. Thus, their grip isn’t
note and mail it to us at Write down in the space provided and check with
promote dryness and ensure their palms
school@thehindu.co.in. We will select a 5. Wash basin; to submerge. the answer to see if you have got it correct.
powder. By rubbing chalk powder, lifters
few for publication when we resume ___________ ______________________________________________
their turn at lifting weights is chalk
printing In School broadsheet. ______________________________________________
weightlifters apply in their hands before
Answer: The white powder that
Answers: 1. Trip, 2. Duck, 3. Wave, 4. Fly, 5. Sink. ______________________________________________

Published by N. Ravi at Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860, Anna Salai, Chennai-600002 on behalf of THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD., and Printed by D. Rajkumar at Plot B-6 & B-7, CMDA Industrial Complex, Maraimalai Nagar, Chengleput Taluk, Kancheepuram Dist., Pin: 603209. Editor: Suresh Nambath (Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act).
Regd. TN/ARD/17/2012-2014 RNI No. 1001/1957 ISSN 0971 - 751X Vol. 143 No. 97
● ● ● ●

CM CH-CH
YK