scientists use sharks

Scientists use sharks to improve hurricane forecasts

ByJustpaste.in

Scientists at the University of Delaware in the United States are investigating whether sharks can be used to improve predictions of hurricane intensity and serve as ocean-observing systems for collecting marine data.

Researchers at the University of Delaware are attaching sensors to sharks that measure ocean temperature, electrical conductivity and depth. Electrical conductivity is related to the amount of salt in the water.

According to Aaron Carlisle, a professor at the university’s School of Marine Science and Policy and the lead researcher of the study, animal-mounted sensors have been successfully used in marine research for several years particularly in areas where scientific observations are limited.

Researchers say sharks are suitable for this research because they are abundant, inhabit vast areas of the ocean and are relatively easier to access than many protected marine mammals.

So far, shark tagging has mainly been used to study their movements and habitats. However, in this new research, scientists are selecting sharks that can collect useful data for hurricane forecasting and swim close enough to the ocean surface for their tags to transmit information via satellites.

Preliminary analyses in the North Atlantic have identified shortfin mako sharks, blue sharks, smooth hammerhead sharks and juvenile great white sharks as suitable species for the research.

According to Aaron Carlisle, scientists are paying particular attention to the heat in the upper layer of the ocean known as the “mixed layer.” This layer of water plays an important role in the intensity of hurricanes because a warmer mixed layer can contribute to the formation of stronger hurricanes.

Caroline Wiernicki, a doctoral student at the University of Delaware said the shark-tagging process begins in early May, when several migratory shark species come closer to the coast after spending the winter in remote areas of the Atlantic Ocean.

Researchers travel 50 to 65 kilometres offshore in a research vessel where they deploy baited lines and typically wait two to three hours for sharks to approach. A tag is attached to the shark’s dorsal fin. When the shark swims near the surface, the tag connects with a network of satellite receivers and transmits data.

Carlisle said the tagging process is completed rapidly similar to a “pit crew” during a motor race and usually takes less than five minutes. Shark tagging is carried out under institutional animal-care oversight to minimize its impact on the animals.

The tags are attached using materials that gradually dissolve and eventually detach on their own. Before each shark is released back into the ocean, its health is examined because stress or injury could affect its natural behaviour and consequently, the reliability of the data collected.

Caroline Wiernicki said sharks are portrayed as extremely frightening animals in movies whereas in reality they are relatively calm creatures.

According to the researchers, if the project proves successful, data collected from sharks could help improve forecasts of the intensity of hurricanes approaching the US East Coast. This information could provide more reliable forecasts to coastal communities from North Carolina to Massachusetts helping them prepare for storms and improve coastal protection.

Aaron Carlisle said sharks are remarkable animals that are exceptionally well adapted to life in the ocean and there is much that humans can learn from them. If it is proven that sharks can also benefit humans, it would be a win-win situation for both.

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    Press freedom across South Asia

    ByJustpaste.in

    Press freedom across South Asia faces significant structural constraints. Media environments throughout the region share a common historical legacy often relying on inherited colonial-era penal codes alongside modern cybersecurity legislation. However, the legal frameworks and regulatory instruments used to govern the press vary across neighboring countries. Comparative Analysis by Country  Pakistan Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), and administrative policy frameworks like the Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines. Media regulation in Pakistan relies heavily on administrative controls, licensing restrictions, and broad content advisories prohibiting coverage of sensitive political or national security subjects. While constitutional protections exist under Article 19, exceptions based on glory of Islam, national defense, and public order give authorities broad latitude to issue blackout orders, manage foreign correspondents’ mobility through No Objection Certificates (NOCs), and impose structural pressure on broadcast networks.  India Information Technology Rules (2021), Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). While India possesses a large and diverse private media market, journalists increasingly face legal scrutiny under broad national security and anti-terror legislation. Amendments to digital media laws allow central authorities to demand the takedown of online content deemed harmful to state interests. Furthermore, criminal defamation suits and restrictions on access to conflict areas (such as Jammu & Kashmir) remain common mechanisms of regulatory pressure. Bangladesh Cyber Security Act (CSA)—which replaced the controversial Digital Security Act (DSA) and state information ministry directives. For years, non-bailable clauses in cybersecurity statutes were widely criticized by media watchdogs for chilling investigative reporting on corruption or state officials. Following recent political transitions, draft media reform policies have been introduced, though press operations remain tightly monitored during periods of political volatility and public unrest.  Sri Lanka Online Safety Act, Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), and Official Secrets Act. Sri Lanka’s regulatory framework expanded significantly with the passage of the Online Safety Act, which created a government-appointed commission with sweeping powers to classify online content as false statements and order its removal. Critical reporting regarding state response to economic crises or wartime history continues to face legal and physical friction in sensitive provinces. Nepal: Press Council Act and National Mass Communications Policy. Nepal consistently ranks highest in South Asia on global press freedom indices, supported by a constitution that explicitly guarantees press rights without prior restraint. However, challenges persist regarding local government transparency, criminal defamation provisions, and proposed social media regulation bills that civil society groups fear could introduce licensing hurdles for digital outlets.  Afghanistan Direct directives issued by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice and the Ministry of Information and Culture. Following the political shift in 2021, independent journalism in Afghanistan has faced near-total suppression. Women journalists are largely banned from broadcasting, international news services face widespread blocking, and all local reporting is subject to strict pre-publication censorship. Common Trends Across the Region Across South Asia, governments are increasingly shifting control from traditional print/broadcast regulators toward cybersecurity, online safety, and data protection laws to monitor digital newsrooms and independent creators. Constitutional guarantees of free speech throughout South Asia uniformly contain broad public order and national defense exceptions, which states routinely cite to enforce reporting restrictions during regional crises. Beyond direct legal action, states across the region frequently utilize non-judicial levers such as withholding state advertising funds, slow-walking accreditation, or requiring special travel permits to shape editorial stances.

  • Why you crave fried foods

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    Have you ever finished a full meal but still wanted to eat fries samosas fried chicken, or pakoras? Many people think it is simply a lack of self control but scientists say there is much more to it. Research suggests that our brain taste buds and eating habits all work together to make fried foods hard to resist. When food is fried its texture smell and flavor change.  According to research from the University of São Paulo in Brazil, frying removes water from food making the outside crispy and crunchy. At the same time proteins and starches change through a process called the Maillard reaction which gives fried foods their golden color rich aroma and delicious taste. Scientists say the brain also plays an important role.  A study published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience found that eating favorite foods activates the brain’s dopamine system. Dopamine is not just linked to pleasure it also helps the brain remember enjoyable experiences and encourages us to repeat them. This is why the smell or sight of French fries samosas or fried chicken can make you want to eat them even if you are not hungry. Experts also say that craving fried foods does not usually mean your body is missing a specific nutrient. These cravings are more often influenced by habits tempting smells emotions memories and the foods around you. Does this mean fried food is bad for your health? •Not necessarily Eating fried foods occasionally is generally not a problem.  However making them a regular part of your diet may increase health risks. In a large study by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health more than 110,000 adults were followed for over 20 years. People who ate fried foods seven or more times a week had a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and a slightly higher risk of heart disease than those who ate fried foods less than once a week. Researchers believe that weight gain high blood pressure, and unhealthy cholesterol levels may partly explain this increased risk. Experts do not recommend giving up fried foods completely. Instead they suggest eating balanced meals avoiding skipping meals and enjoying fried foods only in moderation. This approach may help reduce cravings while supporting better overall health. Scientists say the attraction of fried food comes from a powerful combination of crispy texture rich flavor tempting smell and the brain’s memory of enjoyable eating experiences. That’s why even after a full meal one hot and crispy bite can still be hard to resist.

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    Texas Airports review muslim prayer facilities

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    Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered a review of state grants given to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) over facilities provided for Muslim travelers. The governor has raised concerns about special facilities for Muslims to perform wudu, the Islamic practice of washing before prayer.  He has described the facilities as possible religious discrimination and has also asked the U.S.  Department of Transportation to review the issue. Review of state funding According to a statement from Abbott’s office, Texas will review state grants given to airport authorities.  Officials will consider whether existing funding should be withdrawn or whether the airports should be prevented from receiving future state funds. Abbott argues that government owned facilities should not provide services that appear to favor one religion over others. Facilities at two airports DFW International Airport is planning a dedicated area where Muslim passengers can perform wudu. At Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport a similar facility has already been created along with a space where passengers can pray. Abbott has asked U.S.  Transportation secretary sean duffy to have the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) review the existing and planned facilities at both airports. He has also called for possible legal or corrective action if officials find that federal rules have been violated. Governor raises religious Discrimination Concerns Abbott says both airports receive federal funding and therefore must follow federal laws related to discrimination. He argues that providing facilities specifically for Muslim religious practices could give special treatment to one religious group. He says government owned airports should provide equal treatment and should not favor one religion over another. The governor also repeated his position on social media saying taxpayer funded public facilities should not allow what he considers illegal religious discrimination. What happens next? The issue will now be reviewed by federal transportation officials and the FAA.  Their response could determine whether any action is taken against the airports or their funding. The controversy has also opened a wider debate about religious freedom equal access  and how public facilities should serve passengers from different religious backgrounds. The case could become an important legal and political discussion about whether providing religious accommodations in public spaces is discrimination or simply a way to meet the needs of different groups.

  • “A Glimpse After Twenty-One Days”

    ByJustpaste.in

    By Amar Qawi If, someday, the entire sky were covered in darkness—without a moon, without stars, without even the faintest sparkle—would a lover whose heart glows like moonlight still be able to live beneath such a sky? That day, I sat on the rooftop of my house searching for the moon. But fate had something else in store. Instead of appearing in the heavens, the moon descended into the street below to grant me a glimpse after twenty-one long days. I did not dwell much on that radiance because something similar had happened to me earlier, on the fifteenth of July. Therefore, I took it as nothing more than an unfulfilled dream rather than believing that the moon belonged to me. In truth, even considering someone as one’s possession is itself a form of poverty. Since childhood, society has taught us that air, fire, and water are the necessities of life. Yet I feel sorry for those teachers who remain unaware of a deeper truth: human beings do not survive by air, fire, and water alone. Love, inspiration, and moonlight are equally essential for the soul to remain alive. A person may survive in this highly technical age amidst bombs and weapons, but without the sight of the beloved, the soul can never truly live. Just as air, fire, and water are essential to human existence, so too is the vision of the beloved. The truth is, I was not sitting on the rooftop in search of the moon in the sky. I was waiting for that moon from whom my moonbird-like heart had been separated for what felt like centuries. And yet, even when I found that moon, it was only within my dreams. Twenty-one days after the fifteenth of July, as I walked through that familiar street, she passed by me just as a shadow silently slips along a wall in the darkness. She is my shadow, and I am her reflection. She is my reflection, and I am her moonbird. She is the full moon to me. Whenever she shines like the full moon, my heart, like a restless chakor bird, longs to fly toward her and kiss her beauty. But alas, those delicate butterfly-like wings eventually grow weary from endless flights inspired by love. When I saw her in that street after twenty-one days, the fallen Taj Mahal of my imagination began to rebuild itself. The shy poet hidden within me blossomed with the spirit of Sheikh Ayaz’s immortal lines: “O moon! Who has stolen your sleep? Surely the chakor birds have enchanted you.” Just as Sheikh Ayaz expressed, something similar happened to me. When I first met her, I had no intention of falling in love. Yet I vividly remember that when we parted, dryness had settled upon our lips while tears embraced our eyes. It was as though the Urdu poet had written about our separation: “When we parted, my poem remained within her eyes— A poem that had never yet been recited to anyone.” When she passed beside me after twenty-one days, my eyes swore by the little golden nose ornament she wore and silently recalled the beautiful verse of Shah Abdul Latif: “Who says, my beloved, that you should walk gently? Place your feet upon my eyelashes without hesitation. Leave behind all fear of causing pain, For your passage itself is my greatest joy.” When even her tongue could not gather the courage to speak to me, my own eyes, too, denied themselves the permission of truly beholding her after those twenty-one days. Love is not dependent upon union; it longs for the meeting of souls. Therefore, for a lover like me, a glimpse after twenty-one days carries no real meaning if the beloved merely passes by like a silent shadow in the darkness. In the end, I wish to encourage the young people of our society who lose their dreams and their future while chasing someone who does not value their love. As an Urdu poet beautifully said: “If you have changed, then so be it. If not you, then someone else. And if not someone else, then another.” Thus, that glimpse after twenty-one days holds no value for me if it is wrapped in deception, falsehood, and unfaithfulness. To me, that meeting means nothing if pride and arrogance overshadow love. She merely appeared in the street and passed by like a shadow. Yet even today, I continue to wait for her, because my heart still loves that moon-like beloved with the devotion of a chakor bird. Even after twenty-one days, she remains steadfast in her pride. Still, the beloved’s pride is a matter of honor for the lover, for the beloved herself is both the lover’s pride and the most precious treasure he possesses. He can be reached at alikareemshaikh123@gmail.com

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    Why marginalia is devised for conversation

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    For centuries, books were treated as sacred, untouchable artifacts. Readers were taught to open a spine with reverence, turn pages by the edges, and never, under any circumstance, mark the paper. But in the modern reading culture, a quiet revolution has taken root: marginalia is no longer viewed as defacement. Today, it is recognized as a vital form of active intellectual engagement. Marking up a book transforms reading from a passive act of consumption into an active. Reading is a two-way dialogue between the reader and the writer. When you read with a pencil, pen, or sticky tab in hand, your relationship with the text fundamentally shifts. You cease to be a distant spectator observing someone else’s thoughts. In other words, you become a collaborator. Underlining a sentence, drawing an exclamation point next to a surprising plot twist, or a counterargument in the margin forces your brain to process language at a deeper level. It requires you to articulate why a passage resonated or failed. Furthermore, annotated books serve as personal time capsules. When you reopen a novel you marked up five or ten years ago, it offers an unfiltered reflection into who you were at that exact moment in your life. You might find yourself cringing at an old marginal note. Then you agree passionately with a circled phrase, or realizing that a passage you completely ignored years ago now carries personal meaning. The book becomes a physical record not just of the author’s story, but of your own cognitive and emotional evolution. Edgar Allan Poe once wrote: ‘In getting my books, I have been always solicitous of an ample margin … for the facility it affords me of pencilling suggested thoughts, agreements and differences of opinion …’ Practically speaking, marginalia also sharpens critical thinking. Students, scholars, and casual readers alike find that tracking themes through custom color-coded tabs or brief summary notes at the end of chapters drastically improves retention and comprehension. It prevents the common phenomenon of eye-scanning where your eyes move across sentences while your mind wanders elsewhere. Annotation demands presence. Ultimately, scribbling in the margins strips away the artificial pedestal we often place books upon. It reminds us that literature is not meant to sit pristine and untouched on a display shelf. Literature is meant to be wrestled with, questioned, celebrated, and lived in. The next time you open a book that challenges or moves you, don’t hold back. Pick up a pen, claim the empty white space on the page, and join a conversation that has been taking place across centuries.  

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    Rabindranath Tagore’s statue in Edinburgh

    ByJustpaste.in

    The Sandeman House garden in Edinburgh holds a bronze statue of Asia’s first Nobel laureate in Literature, Rabindranath Tagore. Inscribed upon the pedestal supporting his likeness are his famous words, “I am a wayfarer on an endless road.” A Cross-Cultural Bridge Travelers often seek out Scotland’s capital for its ancient castles, gothic architecture, and literary heritage tied to the likes of Sir Walter Scott or Robert Louis Stevenson. However, discovering Tagore’s presence in this peaceful courtyard offers a cross-cultural bridge. The statue, unveiled to commemorate the deep-seated connections between Scotland and India. It is particularly the intellectual dialogue between Scottish polymath Patrick Geddes and Tagore himself. This monument serves as a physical testament to a global humanism that transcends geographic boundaries. Tagore’s India Tagore was far more than a celebrated poet and author. He was an uncompromising philosopher, musician, visual artist, and social reformer whose thoughts shaped modern South Asia and beyond. At the heart of his vast body of literature lies a profound critique of borders, nationalism, and sectarian division. Tagore envisioned an India, and indeed a world, defined by radical openness. In his mind, India is a sanctuary where diverse faiths, ethnicities, and cultures could coexist in mutual respect. He rejected narrow chauvinism in favor of an inclusive internationalism, advocating for a world where the mind is without fear and the head is held high. Tagore’s Literary Legacy In the contemporary geopolitical landscape, Tagore’s ideals feel relevant. Across the globe, modern youth face a climate marked by rising social polarization, cultural fracturing, and ideological echo chambers. In response, a growing movement of young activists, writers, thinkers, and students are turning back to Tagore’s literary legacy as a blueprint for unity. They are rediscovering his essays and poetry not merely as historical artifacts, but as active tools to reclaim a society rooted in pluralism and dialogue. By reimagining Tagore’s vision for a modern era, today’s generation is fighting to restore an environment where freedom of thought, artistic expression, and inclusivity thrive over division. His stance on education emphasized learning in harmony with nature and breaking down rigid academic and social silos. Young scholars and community organizers are channeling this exact ethos, utilizing art, literature, and grassroots civic engagement to rebuild cross-cultural bridges in an increasingly fragmented world. Message of Universal Brotherhood   Standing before Tagore’s statue in Edinburgh’s quiet garden, one is reminded that his journey as a “wayfarer” was never meant to be walked alone. His message of universal brotherhood, preserved in stone far from his native Bengal, serves as a timeless compass. For the youth striving to cultivate a more empathetic and open world, Tagore’s endless road remains wide open, inviting everyone to walk forward together.

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