How technology is used to keep in touch with loved ones?



Technology has received its share of criticism over the years, especially when it comes to social interaction. With the advent of computers and smartphones, many of us have been accused of spending less time with friends and family, and more with gadgets. However, the same technology can be used to keep in touch with loved ones. Here’s how:



Send them a mail



While writing a letter is always an option, you can send your loved ones an email as well. It gets delivered in an instant and is versatile, allowing you to incorporate images and documents. Share your vacation pictures or tell them how the year has been for you and wait for a reply.



Email is a quick and hassle-free way of connecting with your loved ones.



Connect on video



Video calling is one of the best technologies available to us. It helps bring those staying far away closer to us, and is more personal than chat or email.



Use one of the many video calling software on your phone or laptop to call and connect with your loved ones. You’ll feel like they are right next to you.



Send E-greetings



Gone are the days when we shared greeting cards with friends and family on special occasions. However, technology has added its own twist to those cards, enabling you to customize them and send them electronically. There are several e-greeting sites online. You can choose the ones you like and send them to your loved ones.



Alternatively, you can use your design skills to create your own greeting card and mail it.



Send them a gift



With the boom in e-commerce, you can easily send a gift to your dear ones. Not sure about what they like? Browse their social media accounts or ask common friends.



Alternatively, you can send them an e-giftcard which will enable them to buy whatever they want from an e-commerce site.



Share memories



With the availability of cloud storage, you can collaborate with your loved ones and create a repository of photographs of everyone in your circle. It will stay forever, and you can always browse through them for a walk down memory lane.



 



Picture Credit : Google


Scientists Get First-Ever Measure of Blue Whale Heart Rate



Scientists for the first time have measured the heart rate of the world’s largest creature. The blue whale, which can reach up to 100 feet in length and weighs 200 tons, is the largest mammal to have ever lived and possesses the largest heart of any living creature – around 180 kg. It lowers its heart rate to as little as two beats per minute as it plunges under the ocean surface for food. Its highest heart rate – between 25 and 37 beats per minute – occurs when it returns to the surface to restore oxygen levels. These extremes suggest that the blue whale’s heart is “working at its limit”. A more robust cardiovascular system is not likely, and the research may explain why no species on Earth has grown bigger than the blue whale, since the energy needs of a larger body might surpass what’s biologically possible for a heart to accommodate.



 



Picture Credit : Google


“Plastic eating” bacteria discovered by Indian scientists



Researchers at Shiv Nadar University in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, have identified two strains of plastic-eating bacteria which have the potential to decompose polystyrene – a key component in Single-Use Plastic (SUP) items such as disposable cups, cutlery, packaging materials, etc.



The bacteria species, Exiguobacterium sibiricum strain DR11 and Exiguobacterium undae strain DR14, were isolated from the wetlands adjoining the University. Upon coming into contact with the polystyrene, the bacteria strains use it as a carbon source to create biofilms – an assemblage of bacterial cells which grow as communities – allowing for targeted action of enzymes that alter the physical properties of polystyrene and initiate natural degradation.



India consumes about 16.5 million metric tonnes of plastic annually. Of the 300 million tonnes of plastic discarded every year, only about 10 per cent gets recycled. Researchers note that the use of both indigenous and genetically-modified bacteria could lead to eco-friendly, alternative clean-up methods for plastic waste.



 



Picture Credit : Google


Vijayawada College use QR codes for plant conservation



In an effort to save local plant species around Vijayawada, the Department of Botany at the Siddhartha College of Arts and Science tagged trees in the college grounds with QR (Quick Response) codes that give students information about the tree – from its scientific name to its medicinal value. Students only need to scan the code using their smartphones.



“Students now do not have the time to learn about the things around them via books. To keep up with the digital trend, we collected the database of all the trees in the college and assigned QR codes to them, making it easier for everybody to learn about a plant or a tree at the tip of their fingers,” said Ch. Srinivas Reddy, Head of Department, Botany.



The department has also brought in a few trees found mainly in the forests of the region, like the Gloriosa superb, and the Gyrocarpus americanus (or Nalla Poniki), used to make the famous Kondapalli toys.



“The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) categorizes the status of every plant species ever year. If we mention the status in the QR code, whether species is vulnerable, endangered or nearing extinction, we hope it will encourage people to grow more of these trees and conserve them,” says Srinivas.



 



Picture Credit : Google