An iceberg is a massive chunk of freshwater ice that has broken off from glaciers or ice shelves and floats in open water, primarily in polar regions like the Arctic and Antarctic. Comprising compressed snow accumulated over centuries or millennia, it forms when glacial ice reaches the sea and calves into the ocean. Image source: AWeith / Wikimedia
Read More »Nature 101: Icebergs – Nature’s Frozen Deadly Giants
The Bazooka, officially known as the M1 rocket launcher, was a groundbreaking American anti-tank weapon introduced in 1942 during World War II, revolutionizing infantry warfare by providing foot soldiers with a portable means to combat armored vehicles. This shoulder-fired, 2.36-inch diameter tube launched fin-stabilized, high-explosive shaped-charge rockets (like the M6) up to 200 yards effectively, penetrating up to 100mm of armor—enough to cripple German Panzers and Japanese tanks. Image source: U.S. Army Signal Corps/Wikimedia
Read More »Military 101: The Evolution of Anti-Tank Weapons in World War II
The floppy disk was a portable magnetic storage medium introduced by IBM in 1971. Initially, an 8-inch flexible disk encased in a cardboard jacket holding about 80 KB of data, it evolved into the rigid 5.25-inch version (up to 1.2 MB) in the late 1970s and the ubiquitous 3.5-inch hard-shell format (1.44 MB standard) by the mid-1980s, popularized by Apple’s Macintosh and Sony’s design. Data was written and read via a spinning disk coated with magnetic material, accessed through a sliding metal shutter, making it ideal for transferring files, distributing software, and booting systems. Image source: Wikimedia/George Chernilevsky
Read More »Technology 101: Floppy Disk Revolution: Why 1.44 MB Changed Everything
The following rare earth oxides, listed clockwise from the top center, are commonly used for tracking sediment movement and pinpointing erosion sources with high precision: praseodymium oxide (Pr₆O₁₁), cerium oxide (CeO₂), lanthanum oxide (La₂O₃), neodymium oxide (Nd₂O₃), samarium oxide (Sm₂O₃), and gadolinium oxide (Gd₂O₃). Each oxide is selected for its unique signature, enabling scientists to map sediment transport, assess erosion rates, and inform watershed management strategies to mitigate environmental degradation. Image source: Wikimedia/By Peggy Greb (US Department of Agriculture)
Read More »Economy 101: Rare Earth – Understanding the Robust Economy
Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells in the body, which can form tumors or invade tissues and organs. It arises from genetic mutations, often triggered by factors like environmental exposures, lifestyle choices, or inherited predispositions. Cancer can affect nearly any part of the body, with common types including breast, lung, prostate, and colorectal cancers. Image source: Blue Diamond
Read More »Health 101: Cancer – Quick Insights into Common Types
A cutaway view of a 2007 Toyota AA80E hydraulic automatic transmission reveals the intricate internal components that enable its sophisticated operation within a vehicle’s powertrain. This eight-speed automatic transmission, designed for optimal performance and efficiency, showcases a complex arrangement of planetary gear sets, clutches, and bands that work in unison to deliver seamless gear shifts. Image source: Wikimedia / Silverxxx
Read More »Know Your Car Basics 101: Car Transmissions: Pros and Cons, and Future Trends
Lord Vishnu, one of the principal deities in Hinduism, is revered as the preserver and protector of the universe within the Trimurti, alongside Brahma (the creator) and Shiva (the destroyer). Known for his benevolence, compassion, and role in maintaining cosmic order (dharma), He is often depicted with blue skin, holding a conch, discus, lotus, and mace, symbolizing his divine powers. He resides in Vaikuntha, the celestial abode, with his consort, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. Vishnu is renowned for his ten avatars (Dashavatara), including Rama, Krishna, and Buddha, through which he incarnates on Earth to restore balance and righteousness whenever evil prevails. Image source: Facebook
Read More »Religion 101: Part 2 – Exploring the Trimurti: Vishnu the Powerful Preserver
Dances with Wolves (1990) depicts the American Indian Lakota Sioux during the 1860s, a time when Native American tribes faced displacement due to U.S. expansion, broken treaties, and violence like the Sand Creek Massacre (1864). The Lakota were nomadic, relying on buffalo hunts, with a rich spiritual and communal life. However, the movie’s portrayal is idealized, often criticized for the “white savior” trope, where Dunbar becomes a central figure in the tribe’s story. Image source: Reddit
Read More »History 101: The Rich History of American Indians
Jayaprakash, a versatile character actor in Tamil cinema, is renowned for portraying a wide array of roles, often embodying complex, emotionally layered characters such as supportive yet flawed family men, cunning antagonists, or morally ambiguous figures, as seen in films like Pannaiyarum Padminiyum (2014), where he plays the endearing, nostalgic landlord Pannaiyar, deeply attached to a vintage car and his wife, and in Naan Kadavul (2009), where he takes on a darker role as a ruthless villain. Image source: IMDB
Read More »Tamil Movie 101: Jayaprakash: A Versatile Actor’s Journey
Conservation encompasses far more than safeguarding forests and the broader environment; it is a multifaceted commitment to preserving the intricate balance of ecosystems, promoting sustainable resource use, and protecting biodiversity for future generations. This holistic approach involves not only the protection of natural landscapes such as rainforests, wetlands, and coastal regions but also the sustainable management of water, soil, and air quality to ensure long-term ecological health. Image source: My Sabah/Sabah Forestry Department
Read More »Nature 101: Protecting Our Planet: Conservation Efforts and Solutions
The RPG-7, short for Ruchnoy Protivotankoviy Granatomet (Hand-held Anti-Tank Grenade Launcher), is a portable, reusable, unguided, shoulder-launched anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launcher developed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s as a successor to the RPG-2, with roots tracing back to World War II-era designs like the German Panzerfaust and American Bazooka. Image source: Staff Sgt. Ezekiel Kitandwe / Wikimedia
Read More »Military 101: Modern Anti-Tank Missiles: A Global Perspective
The title “father of modern mathematics” is often attributed to René Descartes (1596–1650), though the designation can vary depending on context, as several figures contributed significantly to shaping modern mathematics. Descartes introduced the Cartesian coordinate system, which links geometry and algebra by representing geometric shapes with algebraic equations. Image source: After Frans Hals – André Hatala [e.a.] (1997) De eeuw van Rembrandt, Bruxelles: Crédit communal de Belgique, ISBN 2-908388-32-4., Public Domain.Read More »Education 101: The Importance of Basic Mathematics Skills in Everyday Life