7 Mind-Blowing Science Facts

• There are several advantages of having two eyes (Human) instead of one. It gives a wider field of view. A human being has a horizontal field of view of about 150 degrees with an eye and about 180 degrees with two eyes. The ability to detect faint objects is enhanced with two detectors instead of one. Some animals, usually prey animals, have their two eyes positioned on opposite sides of their heads to give the widest possible field of view. But our two eyes are positioned on the front of our heads, and it thus reduces our field of view in favor of what is called stereopsis. Shut one eye and the world looks flat two-dimensional. Keep both eyes open and the world takes on the third dimension of depth. Because our eyes are separated by a few cms, each eye sees a slightly different image. Our brain combines the two images into one, using the extra information to tell us how close or far away things are.

• The hypothalamus plays an important role in the release of many hormones. For example, when the level of growth hormone is low, the hypothalamus releases a growth hormone-releasing factor that stimulates the pituitary gland to release growth hormone.

• Darwin's theory of evolution tells us how life evolved from simple to more complex forms and Mendel's experiments give us the mechanism for the inheritance of traits from one generation to the next. But neither tells us anything about how life began on earth in the place.

• An electric current always produces a magnetic field. Even weak ion currents that travel along the nerve cell in our body produce magnetic fields. When we touch something, our nerves carry an electric impulse to the muscles we need to use. This impulse produces a temporary magnetic field. These fields are very weak and are about one billionth of the earth's magnetic field. Two main organs in the human body where the magnetic field produced is significant, are the heart and brain. The magnetic field inside the body forms the basis for obtaining the images of different body parts. This is done using a technique called Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

• Denmark is called the country of winds. More than 25% of their electricity needs are generated through a vast network of windmills. In terms of total output, Germany is the leader, while India is ranked fifth in harnessing wind energy for the production of electricity. It is estimated that nearly 45,000 MW of electrical power can be generated if India's wind potential is fully exploited. The largest wind energy farm has been established near Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu and it generates 380 MW of electricity.

• India is lucky to receive solar energy for a greater part of the year. It is estimated that during a year India receives energy equivalent to more than 5,000 trillion kWh. Under clear sky conditions, the daily average varies from 4 to 7 kWh/m2. The solar energy reaching unit area at the outer edge of the earth's atmosphere exposed perpendicularly to the rays of the sun at the average distance between the sun and earth is known as the solar constant. It is estimated to be approximately 1.4 kJ per second per square meter.

• New plants are grown by removing tissue or separating cells from the growing tip of the plant. The cells are then placed in an artificial medium where they divide rapidly to form a small group of cells. The cells are transferred to another medium containing hormones for growth and differentiation. The plantlets are then placed in the soil so that they can grow into mature plants. Using tissue culture, many plants can be grown from one parent in disease-free conditions. This technique is commonly used for ornamental plants.