CULTURAL QA 12202301
Q1 Why are there no insects in the oceans?
KR Insects are hexapod invertebrates of the class Insects. They are
the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous
exoskeleton, a three-part body, three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes,
and a pair of antennae.
Insects now comprise over 75% of all described animal species
and exhibit not only a rich variety of form, color and shape, but also a
range of ecological adaptations unexcelled by any other group.
Nevertheless, they have generally failed to establish themselves in the
world’s seas and oceans*. Some speculations as to why insects are so rare
in marine habitats have been based on a single postulated obstacle, such as
the low concentrations of calcium in seawater*. Others have been based on a
complex combination of biological, physical and chemical factors. How such
factors may have operated to exclude most of an otherwise highly successful
group of animals from the most extensive biotope on earth *is still not
understood*. (If so Why G without reading foreclose some subject to fill
pages in some format dinathanthi style Q and A?)
Actually, some insects are associated with the sea. Even on the open
ocean, thousands of kilometres from land, we can find Halobates, which,
however, spends all its life on the sea surface. As far as we know, no
marine insects remain submerged throughout their lives. (The report
that Pontomyia
(Chironomidae) is permanently submarine is erroneous.)
About 3%, some 25,000 to 30,000 species of insects, are aquatic or have
aquatic larval stages. Of these only a fraction, perhaps *several hundred
species, are marine or intertidal*. [KR NOT ONLY ONE} Nevertheless,
certain marine insects are of considerable economic or medical importance.
Man’s progress and the development of millions of acres of coastal land
around the world have been impeded by saltmarsh mosquitoes, midges and
tabanid flies, some of which not only bite man but may also carry human
diseases. Many beaches are at times rendered unsuitable for recreation
because of an abundance of these biting insects, or of various seaweed
flies or beach flies which, though they do not bite, may occur in such
large numbers (hundreds of thousands per kilometer) that they constitute
quite a nuisance. Although we have considerable information on saltmarsh
mosquitoes and midges, especially those aspects relevant to the control of
these pests, our knowledge of the basic biology, physiology and adaptations
of even the most intensively studied species is still far from adequate.
Q2 What are the most valuable scientific discoveries ever?
KR Such things had happened on earth including children playing
with I world war bombs. Later it was discovered. But every discovery is not
a remarkable science .
Q3 What are some mind-blowing facts that sound unreal but are
actually true?
G The crime rate is so low in the Netherlands that they have closed 23
prisons since 2004 because they don’t have enough criminals to fill them
KR The reason is different; The Dutch justice system is cutting the
prison population by offering specialist rehabilitation to people with
mental illnesses. Since 2014, this has allowed 23 prisons to be shut,
turning them into temporary asylum centres, housing and hotels. For
example, child rearing is an offence but now mothers are asked to stay home
and show improvements, so it is not crime rate, but avoidance of prisons.
Andaman prison was closed here also .
G In 1963 a Turkish man was renovating his home. After knocking down a
wall in his basement he found a tunnel. He followed the tunnel and
discovered an ancient underground city called Derinkuyu which once had a
population of 20000 people
KR A tunnel-like structure, dating back to the 13th or 14th century,
was accidentally discovered earlier this week when the Archaeological
Survey of India (ASI) was digging to build a pathway at Siri Fort’s
children’s museum, in south Delhi.
G ****In 2009 an autistic artist named Stephen Wiltshire was able to
draw the New York City skyline from memory with a pen after taking a
helicopter ride for just 20 minutes
KR Amrit is a young artist of INDIA on the autism spectrum. She
established an incredible connection with colours, patterns and rhythms at
an early age. With little to say in person, Amrit speaks through her
paintings with unbridled clarity.
Q4 How many Humans existed on the entire earth 60,000 years ago?
KR G keeps rolling such unverified African theory, in spite of
repeated reasons adduced; then he cannot escape from liability of owning as
reproducer; when some one old hank, abuses, against Adi Shankara, will not
G, tell him, to apply the same rule? NO; he will not; because his actions
stop with feigning.
2 How did the appraiser knew that there were only so m any? Any
evidence?
K R IRS 11223
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Gopala Krishnan <[email protected]>
Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2023 at 14:23
Subject: [iyer123] CULTURAL QA 12-2023-01
To: <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>, <
[email protected]>
*CULTURAL QA 12-2023-01*
*All the BELOW QA are from Quora DIGEST to me on 01-12-2023.*
*QUORA ANSWERS NEED NOT BE 100% CORRECT ANSWERS.*
*Compiled and posted by R. Gopala Krishnan, 80, on 01-12-2023.*
*Q1 Why are there no insects in the oceans?*
*A1 Gary Meaney, author of Zoology's Greatest Mystery (2022) Jul 17*
*Scientists have described over one million distinct species of insect thus
far, and it’s estimated there may be as many as ten million species*
* Insects likely represent 90% of the animal life on this planet. They can
survive the blazing heat of the Sahara desert and the infamous Dry Valleys
of Antarctica. *
*Despite all this, there is only one type of insect capable of inhabiting
the Earth’s most abundant habitat: the open ocean.*
*The insects in question? Sea skaters.*
*Sea skaters represent one genus, Halobates, which contains some forty-odd
species. Of these, the vast majority dwell on the coasts. However, there
are five species which somehow eke out an existence offshore, on the open
oceans, and they are the only truly “marine” insects. Despite being the
Earth’s largest habitat, the pelagic zone is effectively a desert. What
nutrients there are quickly sink to the abyss, so this ocean is one of the
most extreme and unforgiving environments in the world.*
*Thankfully, our insect friends are amazingly well-adapted to deal with all
the challenges of life on the waves. For the most part, they do not swim;
rather, they walk atop the surface of the ocean! This gravity-defying feat
is made possible by a variety of enigmatic features. The two rear pairs of
legs are exceptionally long, spreading the sea skater’s minuscule weight
(about 0.005 grams) across a wide area, so as not to break the surface
tension. Snowshoes use the same principle.*
*Furthermore, sea skaters are extremely hydrophobic - they repel water,
that is. This is crucial for preventing drowning. Each insect’s body is
coated in a special double-layered system of hydrophobic hairs. When we
study the short forelegs of a sea skater, we notice these tiny claws. These
actually function as grooming structures, used to spread a kind of wax
secreted by the abdomen all over the body, to keep the hairs at the correct
angle!*
*This grooming behaviour is what’s going in the photos below. You can see
the skater stroking its body all over with its limbs.*
*Sea skaters don’t make a habit of venturing underwater, but when they do,
they are equipped with the tools to make it back to the surface alive. The
innermost layer of the coat I mentioned above is composed of short,
densely-packed, mushroom-shaped hairs, termed microtrichia. They’re just
about close enough to be watertight, but also far apart enough to allow a
layer of air to be entrapped around the sea skater’s body.*
*This bubble of air is known as a plastron. Should an unfortunate sea
skater be submerged beneath the waves, the plastron forms and functions as
an oxygen tank, giving it enough time to breathe as it uses its powerful
hind legs to propel itself back up to the surface. This same strategy is
used by the great diving beetle, a much more well-known aquatic insect that
inhabits freshwater rivers and lakes.*
*Another thing to consider is that, when you’re less than four millimetres
long, the ocean becomes a much more hazardous and turbulent environment
than it might seem to us giants. At this scale, even a single raindrop is a
hurtling meteor that might engulf and drown you. A wave a moving mountain.
What’s more, there is absolutely nowhere to hide from predators. Due to all
this, sea skaters have to be incredibly agile. They have no wings (which
would be redundant once wet), but they do have extremely strong and
muscular hind legs.*
*To evade incoming hazards, they jump. And boy can they jump, thanks to an
ingenious technique. Before takeoff, a sea skater will press its bodyweight
down onto the water, bending the surface downwards. Then, they release, and
the surface becomes a supercharged trampoline, launching the bug to
impressive heights with a staggering acceleration of 400 metres per second
squared!*
*So, to answer your question, there are insects in the ocean. The logical
extension of this question is, of course, “why aren’t there more?”. The
answer is illustrated by everything I’ve just written about: being a marine
insect requires a vast arsenal of highly specialized and sophisticated
adaptations, and a body plan quite far removed from that of any typical
insect.*
*Bizarre as they are, sea skaters may offer some invaluable insights for
humanity. Their hydrophobic qualities are being studied in the hopes that
they may inspire new water-repellent technologies! Doubtless we have much
more to learn from nature. On that note, I hope you enjoyed this answer *
*Q2 What are the most valuable scientific discoveries ever?*
*A2 Anjali Tomar, Lives in India (1997–present)Nov 5*
*An Australian man found a strange rock while he was looking for gold. He
took it home and kept it on a shelf for years. He recently discovered that
it was a rare 4.6 billion-year-old meteorite.*
*David Hole found the meteorite in 2015 at Maryborough Regional Park, the
site of the famous Australian gold rush in the nineteenth century.*
*David thought that the rock contained a gold nugget and he tried to crack
it open. When he was unable to open it, he put it up on a shelf for the
next six years.*
*When David decided to take it to the Melbourne Museum recently, he had no
idea what he was going to discover.*
*Experts at the Melbourne Museum told him that the strange rock was
something that travelled from space - it was a meteorite.*
*Dermot Henry, a geologist at the museum, said that in his 37 years of
working in the area, he had only come across two genuine meteorites.*
*"It had this sculpted, dimpled look to it. That’s formed when they come
through the atmosphere, they are melting on the outside, and the atmosphere
sculpts them," Dermot told The Sydney Morning Herald.*
*The rock which is now known as the Maryborough meteorite weighs 17
kilograms. It is quite heavy as it is filled with very dense forms of iron
and nickel.*
*Henry used a super-hard diamond saw to slice the edge off, revealing a
cross-section of little silver raindrops.*
*"Meteorites provide the cheapest form of space exploration. They transport
us back in time, providing clues to the age, formation and chemistry of our
Solar System," Henry said.*
*He added that the lack of weathering on the rock suggests that it has been
on Earth for less than 200 years.*
*Q3 What are some mind-blowing facts that sound unreal but are
actually true?*
*A3 Mark Coatse, Studied Psychology & History (Graduated 2005)
Updated 2y*
*The crime rate is so low in the Netherlands that they have closed 23
prisons since 2004 because they don’t have enough criminals to fill them*
*Back in the 90’s Denzel Washington paid the fees for a young aspiring
actor who couldn’t afford to go to Oxford’s summer theatre. That young
actor was Chadwick Boseman (R.I.P). Chadwick publicly thanked Denzel at the
AFI life achievement awards in 2019*
*In 1963 a Turkish man was renovating his home. After knocking down a wall
in his basement he found a tunnel. He followed the tunnel and discovered an
ancient underground city called Derinkuyu which once had a population of
20000 people*
*****In 2009 an autistic artist named Stephen Wiltshire was able to draw
the New York City skyline from memory with a pen after taking a helicopter
ride for just 20 minutes*
*Princess Diana was known for ignoring royal protocols. She would often
ride the tube. At theme parks she would refuse preferential treatment and
make William and Harry wait in line like everybody else*
*The blue Nelson lake in New Zealand has the clearest body of water known
to man with visibility in the lake of up to 260 feet*
*The record for the biggest car theft of all time was 1000 Volvo cars. The
cars were ordered and delivered then the invoice was ignored and to this
day has still not been paid. The cars were ordered by and delivered to
North Korea*
*In 1963 the Bronx zoo opened an exhibition titled “the most dangerous
animal in the world,” it was a mirror*
*2 muggers in New York City once tried to mug former heavyweight champion
of the world Jack Dempsey (who was in his 60’s/70’s at the time). It ended
as you might expect with both muggers unconscious. The dates and
circumstances leading to the event are a bit uncertain although Dempsey did
reference the incident in his book*
*My personal favourite: In 1996 an avid birdwatcher in Devon, England spent
a whole year hooting at owls and then recording their responses unaware
that it was one of his neighbours pretending to be an owl and hooting back*
*My note- *** I am thrilled by the hidden special abilities of autistic
persons. *
*Q4 How many Humans existed on the entire earth 60,000 years ago?*
*A4 Barry McGuinness, B.Sc., M.Sc. Updated Nov 25*
*Perhaps 100,000 in Africa, plus a few thousand elsewhere, which is
surprisingly small. This is based on our DNA. Unlike our chimpanzee
cousins, all humans today have virtually identical DNA. In fact, a
population of chimps can have more genetic diversity than all 8 billion
humans.*
*Our minuscule genetic diversity, especially among non-Africans, indicates
that at some stage, around 60-70,000 years ago, the breeding population
outside Africa dwindled to a very low level — maybe 2,000. This is known as
a population bottleneck, and it has an effect on genetic diversity going
forward.*
*This bottleneck occurred as a wave of modern humans had begun migrating
out of Africa. Those migrants became the ancestors of all non-African
populations today.*
*But while the African population remained steady, it looks like the
out-of-Africa migrants came close to being wiped out at least once. So it
was a very small number that gradually populated the rest of the world,
taking a much reduced gene-pool with them.[1]*
*As a consequence, the genetic diversity found in non-Africans represents
only a subset of that found in Africa.[2]*
*Why the migrations?*
*It has been suggested that a dramatic change to the environment had been
caused by the Toba supervolcano eruption 74,000 years ago, the biggest
eruption in 2 million years, which left entire regions devastated by ash
and a hypothetical ‘volcanic winter’.[3]*
*Computer simulation of ash deposit thickness (cm)[4]*
*New evidence, though, suggests that East Africa appears to have been
relatively unaffected [5]*
*and populations in Southern Africa survived well enough.[6]*
*Q5 What are the health benefits of ginger tea?*
*A5 Teamedical, Experienced Medical Team Sep 2*
*Ginger tea is one of the world's most popular beverages, enjoyed for
centuries in many cultures and often prescribed as a medicinal cure. From
aiding in digestion to relieving nausea to reducing inflammation, ginger
tea offers a wide range of health benefits.*
*One of the most widely accepted benefits of ginger tea is its ability to
aid digestion. Ginger helps promote the production of stomach acids, which
is important in breaking down food and absorbing nutrients. It also helps
to soothe an upset stomach and can reduce or eliminate bloating, gas, and
cramping.*
*Ginger tea can also help to reduce inflammation, which in turn helps with
a whole array of health benefits. This is due to its high levels of
anti-inflammatory compounds, such as gingerols and shaogals. The combined
action of these compounds helps reduce inflammation in the body, which can
assist in relieving the symptoms of conditions like arthritis and joint
pain.*
*Ginger tea is also known for its ability to reduce nausea and vomiting. It
is especially beneficial for those suffering from morning sickness or
chemotherapy-induced nausea. The active compounds in ginger act on the
digestive system to reduce nausea by calming the stomach muscles and
inducing fluid secretion in the intestines.*
*Finally, ginger tea can help to boost the immune system and reduce the
risk of illness. Ginger is rich in antioxidants, which help to protect the
body from free-radical damage and boost the immune system. It is also
loaded with powerful anti-viral and antibacterial properties, which can
help to reduce the risk of infection.*
*Ginger tea is a delicious and versatile beverage with a wide range of
health benefits. Its ability to aid digestion, reduce inflammation, reduce
nausea, and boost the immune system make it an excellent choice for those
looking to improve their overall health. Give it a try today and experience
the many health benefits of ginger tea for yourself!*
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