113 items in this section. Displaying page 9 of 12
Can You Speak Dolphin Language?
Mastering a language is not an easy task. Different countries have different languages, and each language in turn has different dialects. For instance, the Hindi usage, in Uttar Pradesh, is drastically different from the Hindi spoken by the Koli fisherfolk of Maharashtra. In fact, in smaller towns, there is a subtle shift in the spoken language, every few kilometers! Can You Speak Dolphin Language? [Illustration by Shiju George] Recent studies show that dolphins are no different from us....
Birds Which Eat Their Feathers
We all know that birds use their feathers to line their nests. But have you ever heard of a bird eating its own feathers? It is a bird which lives in water and is called the great crested grebe. It eats its own feathers and feeds them to her young ones too. And, it always prefers soft feathers, which it sheds throughout the year. Scientists believe that its feather-eating habit is linked to the process with which it throws waste....
The Plastic Menace
Heavy rains lashed Mumbai city a few months ago, the worst rains in decades. The downpour literally brought the city to a standstill. And all because of discarded plastic bags. Plastic bags or polythene bags are essentially made of petro-chemicals. These bags are very thin and in a strong wind can fly away from garbage bins and land on drains and rain-water channels. The bags then clog the drains as they do not let water to flow through....
Mr Fly Rubs his Hands with Glee
Have you seen a housefly rubbing its hands together? It is almost as if it were washing its hands. It actually is. Not with water though. When the housefly rubs its hands together, it is cleaning them. And, if you have the food it has cleaned itself on, you are in for a bad time. Nothing can save you from a bout of diarrhoea or dysentery after that. Mr Fly Rubs his Hands with Glee [Illustration by Shridevi] The whole body of the housefly, including claws and padded feet, is covered with sharp hairs....
Whose River?
Whose River? This is a true story. Villages around the famous tiger reserve of Sariska in Rajasthan, had always faced droughts and water shortages. So the villagers, along with an NGO, decided to build small check dams called johads to trap rainwater. The men and women of all the villages gave voluntary labour and even contributed their own money to build the johads. The water table slowly began to rise. Forests began growing again....
The Wonderful World of Insects
What is an Insect? Insects are found all over India from the icy Himalayas to the burning sands of the Thar Desert. They are found in the murky depths of rivers and lakes, and in the grass in your neighbourhood park. In fact, insects are everywhere-flying in the air, hidden among leaves and flowers, buried deep in the ground and even swimming in the water! Some insects are so small that you may not be able to see them while others like certain beetles are as big as a mouse....
The Vultures are Dying
What’s all this hullabaloo about ‘making connections’? You must wonder why Gobar Times harps on ‘making connections’. Another favourite mantra is – ‘be informed’. Such boring stuff, isn’t it? No tree-plantings, painting competitions, ‘queez’. No ‘Save the cuddly leopards’. Instead, we’re asking you to spare a thought for the bald, wrinkled, smelly vulture. The vultures of Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, till recently, numbered 2000. Now there are just four. Did I hear someone mutter, “Good riddance”?...
The Tree is an Invisible Heater
Have you ever noticed that bare winter tree in your garden, in the park or in school? Without leaves the tree looks so cold and dry, but surprise of surprises, it keeps the grass below warm. So much so that the tiny blades never get any frost on them. In contrast, grass in parks without trees to protect them are usually in white frosty disguise in winters. Why is that so? You would never believe it but that leafless tree acts like a heater to the grass below....
The Exotic Peacock
Come monsoons, and we immediately think about the beautiful peacock, dancing in the rain, with its luscious tail spread out behind it. Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful birds in the world and a native of the Indian sub-continent, it is not surprising that the Peacock was anointed as the national bird of India in 1963. The Exotic Peacock [Illustrations by Neelima Bhushan] Hailing from the pheasant family, these exotic birds are cherished for their colourful plumes and eggs....
A Beautiful Ship in the Sky
In the boundless ocean of space, a beautiful ship sails serenely around the sun. Our earth – Lovelier than the moon, this fragile ship travels one hundred and sixty thousand kilometres every hour. Space is full of countless such ships. But our Earth is special. It is the only ship which carries life – the only ship with voyagers on board. Four hundred thousand different kinds of life make their home on Earth. Together, they make it beautiful and precious....