SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Science and Technology:

Birds of 11 rare species found in JharkhandBirds of 11 rare species thought to be extinct have been found during a survey of the water bodies in Jharkhand. The water bodies of Jharkhand managed to draw as many as 37,000 migratory birds belonging to 29 species last year, the survey carried out on behalf of the Jharkhand forest department found. As per the Asian Bird Survey 2015, the bird count around reservoirs and other water bodies, including 25 dams, in the state was 71,134.

The survey said most birds visited the Massanjore Dam in Dumka, where the number of winged visitors was put at 9,564, followed by Chandil at 7,896 and Udhav at 7,823 birds. The fourth and fifth spots were claimed by Tilaiya and Patratu dams with 6,460 and 5,821 bird populations respectively

The bird survey was carried out at the dams of Lotwa, Tilayia, Udhwa, Hatia, Getalsud, Patratu, Kanke, Khandoli, Topchanchi, Maithon, Panchet and Massanjore, apart from Tenughat, Konar, Budha, Gonda, Chandil, Dimna, Sitaram, Kansjore, Tapkara, Malay and dams located inside the Palamu Tiger Reserve.

The survey team also identified a couple of migratory birds from Mongolia, including Bar Headed Geese. The other species of migratory birds included White Necked Stork, Oriental White Ibis and Northern Shoveler.

Gravitational waves identifiedGravitational waves were the last prediction of Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity. The first direct detection of gravitational waves was announced on 11 February by the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO).

Using LIGO's twin giant detectors — one in Livingston, Louisiana, and the other in Hanford, Washington — researchers measured ripples in space-time produced by a collision between two black holes.

This is the first major detection by LIGO experiments after more than a decade in operation. The new discovery is truly incredible science and marks three milestones for physics:

1. Direct detection of gravitational waves.
2. The first detection of a binary black hole system.
3. The most convincing evidence to date that nature’s black holes are the objects as predicted by Einstein’s theory.

Importance of Gravitational

• To understand about GW a brief backgrounder the concept of gravity is required.
• According to Newtonian physics gravity is a force which makes two bodies with mass attracts each other.
• Einstein in the year 1915, with his radical General theory of relativity, gave a complete new perspective of gravity.
• The concept is mathematical and quite sophisticated, but can be defined simply as “Matter curves space and objects responds to that curvature.” i.e. Gravity is not a force as such, but a curvature caused in the space time fabric due to the presence of an object with mass.
• To visualize it, imagine a ball in a stretched rubber sheet, the presence of the ball causes a dip to form and the sheet curves depending on the weight of the ball, now another smaller ball, if rolled to the bigger ball follows the curved space. Roughly this is how earth revolves around the sun. Even though this analogy is not true cent percent, for visualization this will suffice.
• General theory of relativity makes prediction far beyond the familiar gravity. Few of them are; Time Dilation, in distinct but similar manner mass distorts the time too. Flow of time changes w.r.t the proximity of mass. The time that one experience near to sun is vastly different from that one do on earth. Deflection of light that we see - Gravitational Lensing.
• Dragging of space time by spinning objects- Frame Dragging. The beauty of Einstein’s work lay on the fact that each one of his predictions are physically tested and verified. There was one last incredible prediction which was never directly observed, i.e. Gravitational waves.