Louis Pasteur’s gifts to the world

Pasteurised milk, rabies vaccines, fermentation and a whole lot more. These were the gifts Louis Pasteur gave the world. Also called the Father of Microbiology and Immunology, Pasteur was one of the greatest scientists of the 19th century.
Born in a tiny village in France in 1822, Pasteur’s academic career actually took off under the influence of a brilliant chemistry teacher. Pasteur believed that science should have practical uses and went on to found the science of microbiology, or the study of organisms that are invisible to the naked eye. In fact, many of Pasteur’s greatest discoveries were based on the requests for help by wine and silk merchants, and his solutions to their problems, along with his work in fighting fatal diseases like rabies, made him a hero.
For instance, his most famous discovery, that of fermentation and decay, occurred when a vinegar manufacturer asked Pasteur to find out why the process of fermentation sometimes went awry. The problem was happening with both vinegar as well as wine. When Pasteur researched this predicament, he found that when wine aged properly, it contained round yeast cells. If the process went wrong, then the cells changed shape and became long and narrow. He had discovered that there were two types of yeast cells — one which helped the fermentation process and the other that spoilt the product.
Even as the scientific world absorbed this miracle, Pasteur went on to discover that heating wine to about 60 degrees Celsius killed the unwanted yeast. This method was soon applied equally to other liquids, especially to milk, and became known as "pasteurisation" after its inventor. Pasteur discovered the existence of life without oxygen: "Fermentation is the consequence of life without air". The discovery of anaerobic life paved the way for the study of germs that cause septicemia and gangrene, among other infections. Thanks to Pasteur, it became possible to devise techniques to kill microbes and to control contamination.
In 1881, Pasteur turned his attention to the combating of a deadly disease, in the shape of rabies, which was killing hundreds of people and animals in Europe every year. Careful studies showed Pasteur that brain tissue from infected animals could be turned into a vaccine. Four years later, in 1885, he experimented on a young boy who had been bitten by a rabid dog. The boy recovered. Going on from there, he proved that vaccination could help an animal to develop immunity to infecting bacteria.
Louis Pasteur’s discovery of the rabies vaccine had made him a star, and accolades, donations and rewards poured in even from political leaders like the Tsar of Russia and the Emperor of Brazil. The funds collected went to finance the Pasteur Institute, which was built in 1895. Pasteur died the very same year and was buried at the Institute.
He was the Father of Microbiology and Immunology.
Timeline....................
* 1822: Born in Arbois, France

* 1843: Begins his studies at the Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris

* 1854: Becomes Dean of The Faculty of Science at the University of Lille

* 1857-65: Studies the fermentation process

* 1865-70: Studies pebrine, a disease affecting the silkworm

* 1877-1887: Pasteur employed the fundamentals of microbiology in the battle against infectious diseases. He went on to discover three bacteria responsible for human illnesses — staphylococcus, streptococcus and pneumococcus.

* 1881: Begins work on rabies disease and proves the effectiveness of the anthrax vaccine

* 1888: Becomes Director of the Pasteur Institute

* 1895: Dies. Pasteur Institute is completed

Why does our nose run?

Have you ever wondered why our noses run? Why do we constantly have to reach for a handkerchief when we catch a cold? Our noses run when we have a cold, cry or when it’s cold outside.
A cold is essentially a viral condition. When we catch a cold, the mucous membrane that lines the inside of our nose becomes irritated by this virus. The tissues of the membrane instinctively try to repair the damage done by the virus by increasing the production of water from the blood. They also increase the production of white blood cells, or leucocytes, that help to protect the body and actually attack the source of irritation. Further, the mucous that is produced by the membrane is continuously being moved towards the opening of the nose by the action of cilia, which are numerous tiny hairs present inside the nose. This is why our noses run when we catch a cold.
When we cry, the tears produced by the tear glands in the eyes overflow from the narrow tube that is connected to both the nose and the eyes. As a result our eyes water and our noses run. In this case the excess tears from our eyes flow out via the nose!
If you’re outside on a particularly cold day, you will notice that your nose begins to run. This is because the air in your nose is much warmer than the air outside and water droplets come together and condense. These drops mix with your mucus and run out of your nose!
Interesting ‘nose’ expressions
* When Raja decided he was not going to the party, he was just cutting off his nose to spite his face because he was the one who would lose out on having a good time (make things worse for yourself usually because you are angry).
* The teacher told Shalini that she had to keep her nose clean if she wanted to stay in school (stay out of trouble).
* He had been keeping his nose to the grindstone for three months because he wanted to do well in the board exams (work hard for a long period).
* Ram has managed to lead the principal by the nose ever since he got into senior school (persuade someone to do anything you want).
* Rita looks down her nose at people who she feels are not as clever as her (think of as worthless).
* My mother paid through the nose for a new car (pay too much). We hope these expressions will spur you on to look for many more such ones associated with the ‘nose’!

Improve Your Language

Here are some more commonly made grammatical mistakes.
a) Amount, number
Correct usage: You will require the right amount of money.I was surprised at the number of people that attended the gathering.
Point to remember: Use the word amount to refer to quantity and number for things that are countable.The most common mistake of this kind is to refer to an “amount” of people instead of a “number” of people.
MoreNote: The word “more” can be used either way: you can eat more food and also drink more juice.
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b) Less, fewer
Point to remember: These are often confused because they both mean the opposite of more. But more has two meanings: Greater amount and greater numberLess means not as much Fewer means not as many
Correct usage: Sheila earns less (not as much) money for her work.Sheila sells fewer (not as many) products than Jatin. It’s the units of time and money which are treated as amounts: less than an hour, less than five rupees. Only when you are referring to specific coins or bills would you use fewer: “I have fewer than fifty stickers left to complete my collection.”Note: The use of the word lesser is incorrect. Please use less than…
c) An historic, a historic
You should use “an” before a word beginning with an “H” only if the “H” is not pronounced: An honest effort; it’s a historic event.And also, and, also‘And also’ is redundant; say just ‘and’ or ‘also.’
d) Anxious, Eager
Correct usage: I am very anxious about my sick mother.I am eager to receive my present.
Point to remember: Anxious has to do with worry while eager means looking forward to.
e) Any where, anywhere
‘Anywhere,’ like ‘somewhere’ and ‘nowhere,’ is always one word.
f) Apart, a part
Correct usage: Six months after they were married, Seema and Raja decided to live apart.Seema always claimed that Ravi would be a part of her life forever.
Point to remember: Apart (single word) implies separation while the two-word (a part) signifies union!

Learn about our National Symbols

Symbols are created to unite people using either a visual vocabulary, or by creating verbal representations of a nation’s goals, values or history. India, for example, is a country that is home to people with diverse backgrounds, religions, cultures and traditions. Binding all these together is our National Anthem and our National Flag. And this is what sets us apart from other nations and gives us a sense of individuality and pride in our motherland.
Symbols should be cherished and preserved by all of us for they are what makes us unique and what makes us proud to be Indian. Here are some facts on some of our other national symbols:
The national animal
The Tiger is symbolic of India’s wealth of wildlife. Its combination of grace, strength, agility and enormous power has contributed to making it our national animal. Sadly however, this magnificent beast is in danger of extinction today.
The national flower
The Lotus symbolises divinity, fertility, wealth and enlightenment. It occupies a unique place in our art and mythology and is held in the hands of numerous Gods and Goddesses. This is a flower that rises above the dark depths of the water to spread its beauty for everyone to see — therefore it is considered a symbol of triumph.
The lotus also symbolises purity of heart and mind.
The national bird
The Peacock is India’s national bird because it is symbolic of beauty, grace, pride and mysticism. Depicted in the company of Gods and Goddesses, the peacock is protected by a Parliamentary statute as well as under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
The national fruit
The Mango, cultivated in India since time immemorial, is our national fruit. We have over 100 varieties of the fruit that come in a range of colours, shapes and sizes. Our heritage is full of tales, songs and sketches of the mango tree. The poet Kalidasa sang its praises, Akbar was so taken up by the fruit that he planted a grove of mango trees. The mango tree is also as a symbol of life and is thus used in puja ceremonies or to decorate the doorways of homes. It heralds the season of spring and is considered the Creator’s blessing. And who can forget that the paisley takes its inspiration from the mango?
The national tree
The Banyan tree that towers over its counterparts and has the widest reaching roots of all known trees that in turn have the ability to give birth to new shoots, is our national tree. The Banyan, is capable of regenerating and is therefore thought of as immortal. Old pictures depict our sages sitting under the shade of this leafy tree holding their councils and meetings. It is not surprising therefore, that this is one of our national symbols.