The metallic Sabbath

By Abhisek

Black Sabbath is a name that requires no formal introduction. The band had a vision of a darker, heavier and gothic rock n' roll. The psychedelic era was fading away when they emerged as four youths from Birmingham who were disillusioned by the flower power. By 1970, their "Paranoid" was making circles in the radio airplay, and Black Sabbath was declared as the harkers of a new period of Rock music.

It seems rather a coincidence that the heavier distortions of the band was due to the guitarist Tony Iommi's missing fingers, who down-turned his guitar due to ease of playing. Although initially panned by critics as unoriginal and amateur, the band was the first true original Heavy Metal band.

They had always been overshadowed by their most notable rival and the "biggest band of the 1970s" - Led Zeppelin. While Black Sabbath could never outsale or outperform them, they must never be seen in the same light as countless Zeppelin imitators. Both were larger-than-life bands in their own rights.

Black Sabbath's influence crossed over heavy metal and influenced the likes of Soundgarden and G'N'R. Numerous popular culture reference only epitomize their lasting influence.

The departure of Ozzy Osbourne in 1979 was the virtual death of the soul of Black Sabbath. Several line-up changes never catapulted the band to their original stature. However, the reunion and touring of the original founding fathers of Heavy Metal music in recent times seems to have captured the imagination of old-school fans and made Black Sabbath what it originally was- the blackest, scariest and heaviest prophets of Rock music

The Voyage of the "VOYAGERS"

Voyager goes interstellar

Posted by: Avirup Basu

Dept: Science and Technology

Voyager 1 is a 722-kilogram (1,590 lb) space probe launched by NASA on September 5, 1977 to study the outer Solar System. Operating for 36 years and 11 days as of 16 September 2013, the spacecraft communicates with the Deep Space Network to receive routine commands and return data. At a distance of about 125 AU from the Sun as of August 2013, it is the farthest manmade object from Earth. The primary mission ended on November 20, 1980, after encounters with the Jovian system in 1979 and the Saturnian system in 1980. It was the first probe to provide detailed images of the two planets and their moons. As part of the Voyager program, like its sister craft Voyager 2, the spacecraft is in an extended mission to locate and study the regions and boundaries of the outer heliosphere, and finally to begin exploring the interstellar medium. On September 12, 2013, NASA announced that Voyager 1 had crossed the heliopause and entered interstellar space on August 25, 2012, making it the first manmade object to do so. As of 2013, the probe was moving with a relative velocity to the Sun of 17.037 km/s (38,110 mph; 61,330 km/h). The amount of power available to the probe is decreasing over time; by 2025, it will no longer be able to power any single instrument

"We made it! We are in interstellar space," said Voyager scientist Ed Stone of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, speaking at the briefing.  Solar storm aftershocks at the edge of the solar system provide confirmation that the Voyager 1 spacecraft made the passage on August 25, 2012, space agency scientists said Thursday.  On that date, Voyager 1 passed beyond the fringes of the sun's outward-flowing solar wind and into the interstellar space between the stars.  "It is an incredible event, to send the first human object into interstellar space," says study lead author Donald Gurnett of the University of Iowa in Iowa City. "It’s not quite the moon landing, but we are where the solar wind ends."

Finding the Solar System’s Edge

The solar wind flows outward from the sun traveling at one million miles (1.6 million kilometers) an hour, a bath of energetic particles that's blasted off the solar surface and into space, where it surrounds our star like a bubble.   At its edges, the solar wind piles up into the "interstellar wind," a cloud of cooler charged particles that suffuse the thin vacuum of space between stars. Since 2004, Voyager 1 had been traveling within the boundary region between the solar wind and the interstellar wind, which is the cooked-off debris of thousands of exploded stars in our Milky Way galaxy.   Knowing exactly where the solar wind ends and where interstellar space begins has been an open question among space scientists for more than four decades, says Stone.   Since an instrument for directly detecting that transition died in 1980, the researchers have had to rely on indirect measures of magnetic and electrical activity from other instruments aboard Voyager 1 to find an answer.   One key to identifying this boundary is the difference in the density of charged particles between the solar wind and interstellar space, as it is about 50 times greater in the latter region.  Looking at a pair of solar storms that caught up to the spacecraft last October and then again last April, Gurnett’s team reported that measured changes in electrical activity around Voyager correspond to interstellar space.   As the storms passed the spacecraft, they triggered spikes in electrical and radio waves that uniquely corresponded in frequency to the spacecraft having entered the more densely charged interstellar space.  Based on that increase, the team extrapolated the entry date for Voyager 1 into interstellar space as August 25, 2012.   "The spacecraft doesn't feel anything traveling into interstellar space. We can only detect the transition because of its instruments," says Stone, who was not on the study team.  The new report confirms an analysis made last year that found that Voyager had entered interstellar space, based on indirect measurements.  Stone finds the new report convincing: "Nature has finally given us a nice set of solar storms which show us that Voyager is now out in interstellar space."    Surprise! Galaxy, Sun's Magnetic Fields Aligned  Scientists were surprised by NASA's finding that the galaxy's magnetic field is apparently aligned in the same direction as the sun's, forming a "magnetic highway." Space scientists had generally assumed that the galaxy's magnetic field would have some other direction.   The alignment had stymied attempts to use magnetic measurements to determine a starting line for interstellar space.   "We have a lot to learn still, I think, is what it means," says Voyager scientist Stamatios Krimigis of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, who reported the magnetic highway results last year.   Along with Voyager 1's measurement of increased galactic cosmic rays (the solar wind serves to partly shield the solar system from these high-powered rays), the new results have Krimigis "absolutely convinced."  "In the same way that Sputnik carried us out of the Earth's atmosphere in 1957, Voyager has now carried us outside the sun's atmosphere," Krimigis says. "It is quite an achievement in the short time that we have had spaceflight."   Given the estimated lifetime of the plutonium battery aboard Voyager 1, its last signals should be heard on Earth around 2025, Stone says. The spacecraft will eventually pass within 1.7 light years (about 16.1 trillion kilometers) of another star in 40,000 years, according to Voyager project manager Suzanne Dodd of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.  The spacecraft's twin, Voyager 2, which explored Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, is also still kicking, now some 9.55 billion miles (15.36 billion kilometers) from the sun on its own journey.  "It has really been an exciting 40 years for the mission, and the next 10 years should be exciting ones as well," Stone says. "We are still exploring places we have never been."

Source: National Geography

Graphene could make the internet a hundred times faster

Graphene could make the internet a hundred times faster

Posted by: Avirup Basu

dept: Technology

The use of graphene in telecommunications could dramatically accelerate internet speeds by up to a hundred times, according to new research by scientists in the University of Bath's Department of Physics.  In a paper published in Physical Review Letters, researchers from the Centre for Graphene Science at the Universities of Bath and Exeter have demonstrated for the first time incredibly short optical response rates using graphene, which could pave the way for a revolution in telecommunications. 

 Every day large amounts of information is transmitted and processed through optoelectronic devices such as optical fibres, photodetectors and lasers. Signals are sent by photons at infrared wavelengths and processed using optical switches, which convert signals into a series of light pulses.  Ordinarily optical switches respond at rate of a few picoseconds – around a trillionth of a second. Through this study physicists have observed the response rate of an optical switch using ‘few layer graphene’ to be around one hundred femtoseconds – nearly a hundred times quicker than current materials.  Graphene is just one atom thick, but remarkably strong. Scientists have suggested that it would take an elephant, balanced on a pencil to break through a single sheet. Already dubbed a miracle material due to its strength, lightness, flexibility, conductivity and low cost, it could now enter the market to dramatically improve telecommunications.  Commenting on the report’s main findings, lead researcher Dr Enrico Da Como said: “We’ve seen an ultrafast optical response rate, using ‘few-layer graphene’, which has exciting applications for the development of high speed optoelectronic components based on graphene. This fast response is in the infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum, where many applications in telecommunications, security and also medicine are currently developing and affecting our society.”  Co-Director of the Centre for Graphene Science at Bath, Professor Simon Bending added: “The more we find out about graphene the more remarkable its properties seem to be. This research shows that it also has unique optical properties which could find important new applications.”  In the long term this research could also lead to the development of quantum cascade lasers based on graphene. Quantum cascade lasers are semiconductor lasers used in pollution monitoring, security and spectroscopy. Few-layer graphene could emerge as a unique platform for this interesting application.

Source: www.bath.ac.uk

The Cream of Rock 'n' Roll

Eric Clapton is and will be remembered as a Rock God. This great man has written classics like
'Layla' and 'Tears in Heaven'. But his 'Sunshine of your love' towers over it all. This song proclaimed the beginning of more robust sound.....a hark to the new era of Hard Rock.
Cream began as a blues band in the erstwhile mid-1960s London Blues Scene. As the Summer of Love of 1967 set in, Cream went on in flying colours. The lyrics became more ambitious, the sound more stiffer. Soon however, the band broke up in 1968.
Cream popularised Acid Rock and  set the blueprint for Hard Rock bands. Their approach to the guitar made a whole bunch guitarists to take the riffs hard to harder. Cream set new standards for Rock 'n' Roll. They were our there for 3 years, but left more impact than many 30 year old bands can.

Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity

Posted by: Deep Paul

Dept: Fitness

You know exercise is good for you, but do you know how good? From boosting your mood to improving your sex life, find out how exercise can improve your life. 

 

 

 

Want to feel better, have more energy and perhaps even live longer? Look no further than exercise. The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore. And the benefits of exercise are yours for the taking, regardless of your age, sex or physical ability. Need more convincing to exercise? Check out these seven ways exercise can improve your life.

No. 1: Exercise controls weight

Exercise can help prevent excess weight gain or help maintain weight loss. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn. You don't need to set aside large chunks of time for exercise to reap weight-loss benefits. If you can't do an actual workout, get more active throughout the day in simple ways — by taking the stairs instead of the elevator or revving up your household chores.

 

No. 2: Exercise combats health conditions and diseases

Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent high blood pressure? No matter what your current weight, being active boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol and decreases unhealthy triglycerides. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly, which decreases your risk of cardiovascular diseases. In fact, regular physical activity can help you prevent or manage a wide range of health problems and concerns, including stroke, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, depression, certain types of cancer, arthritis and falls.

 

No. 3: Exercise improves mood

Need an emotional lift? Or need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk can help. Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed. You may also feel better about your appearance and yourself when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.

 

No. 4: Exercise boosts energy

Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance. Exercise and physical activity deliver oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and help your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you have more energy to go about your daily chores. 

 

No. 5: Exercise promotes better sleep

Struggling to fall asleep? Or to stay asleep? Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. Just don't exercise too close to bedtime, or you may be too energized to fall asleep.

 

No. 6: Exercise puts the spark back into your sex life

Do you feel too tired or too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Regular physical activity can leave you feeling energized and looking better, which may have a positive effect on your sex life. But there's more to it than that. Regular physical activity can lead to enhanced arousal for women. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don't exercise.

 

No. 7: Exercise can be fun

Exercise and physical activity can be a fun way to spend some time. It gives you a chance to unwind, enjoy the outdoors or simply engage in activities that make you happy. Physical activity can also help you connect with family or friends in a fun social setting. So, take a dance class, hit the hiking trails or join a soccer team. Find a physical activity you enjoy, and just do it. If you get bored, try something new. 

 

The bottom line on exercise

Exercise and physical activity are a great way to feel better, gain health benefits and have fun. As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. If you want to lose weight or meet specific fitness goals, you may need to exercise more. Remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have any health concerns.




Source: Google.

Poster's comment: Live healthy. Stay fit. All the best...... :)

Parallel Universe.

<<<Parallel Universe>>> Infinite

WARNING!!!! Highly Recommended.... Please keep a glass of water or emergency medicine in case you faint while reading it. The article is completely non-fictious. It’s a fact.

          The universe we live in isn’t singular. That is the universe isn’t “uni”. It’s “Multi”... Multiverse. For many years scientist have been coming up with more and more theories about how the universe works. None of them were able to satisfy all the physical laws until the M theory was born. The most revolutationary theory in the History of physics. The idea seems to be quite bizarre cause it predicts the presence of parallel universes. This doesn’t means that Albert Einstein is still alive or may be it is.....!! Don’t panic. Parallel universes exist infact the number of universes isn’t finite but infinite. There are infinite number of parallel universes separated by a very small distance apart. The distance is so small that it can’t be measured. The question comes why we can’t feel them or even feel their existence. To explain this let me introduce to you with the String Theory. It states that everything in this universe is made up of tiny strings. These strings vibrate with there own frequencies. Bizzare!! Isn’t it? Well the fact is that we can’t experience the existence of parallel universe is due to the reason that the vibration doesn’t match.

What are there in those universes that are parallel to each other?

n The Universes may consist of you, me, or any other human being. May be they consists of spirits, May be some diff forms of substance. Whatever it is we don’t know.

Is there any connection between those universes with our one?

n May be yes. May be no. We don’t know. Let’s take an example. You go to a brand new place. You explore it. While exploring, you feel that you have came here before. But it’s evidient that you haven’t. Now why does it occur? May be there is a connection between the worlds. May be we have visited the other world virtually in dreams. The connection between the worlds is such that we don’t know but we are aware that there must be a connection that makes us feel that we have visited. The phenomenon is known as déjà-vu. But the explanation is different by scientists. But no correct explanation is present. Any idea why? The string theory may be an answer. May be in dreams we can produce vibration or may be we don’t  But why such a thing occur?   

The string theory predicts the existence of multiple parallel universes but it fails to explain the birth of ours “THE BIG BANG THEORY”. The M theory comes to the rescue. It’s an advanced version of the string theory or let’s say a higher theory. The major part is that it says our universe are membrane. Similarly other universes are also membranes. When two of them collide, BIG BANG-------!!! Though the theory is not yet proved, but research is going on.

          Now friends, we are not alone. We are infinite. May be you are infinite. May be I am infinite. May be BNS is infinite all separated by a tiny gap.

----Avirup Basu......infinite!!!! 

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The band who got no 'Satisfaction'

The Rolling Stones, "The greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world" did everything a band could possibly do. They topped Singles and Albums chart a lot of times, set attendance record at concerts, went in and out of jail, got drug busted, went high and dropped low.....
But they did one thing most bands can't do. They went on. The Stones rolled on. Despite all that they had to go through, despite failed marriages and the burden of old bones and stiffer competition at every generation, they did it.
Today the reputation of the band has not diminished. It is still the best band ever to many. This is not any other band. They are the blueprint, the example, the definite band.