What Scientists Know About Jewel Beetle Shimmer

Iridescent green beetles could provide a blueprint for light reflecting materials. That's the conclusion of scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta who recently discovered jewel beetles change color because of the light reflecting properties of the cells that make up their external skeletons. They say the finding could be important for industries such as car manufacturers that look to reflective light paints for automobiles. When light hits a surface that's difficult to see through, the surface either scatters, absorbs or reflects the light to produce colors. In the case of the jewel beetle's external skeleton, its five, six and seven sided cells spontaneously arrange themselves to reflect light at certain wavelengths that produce green, yellow and red colors.

Research suggests the cells come from spontaneous arrangement of glucose-like particles called chitin molecules that form as cones like those in a cholesteric liquid crystal. When these cones solidify, they preserve their structures and produce colors as light hits them from different angles.

The beetle's structure also forms helices similar to a cholesteric liquid crystal in that its straight cells sit on or are used to form the curved structure of its external skeleton. Research shows that when the pitch of the helix of cholesteric liquid crystals is close to the wavelength of visible light, they reflect light with specific wavelengths, leading to brilliant metallic colors.

Miniature optical devices and photonics such as those envisioned for microlasers and implantable medical sensors could benefit from the finding. Scientists already are studying ways to commercialize and apply materials that have properties similar to jewel beetles.

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion

OTEC, or ocean thermal energy conversion, is an energy knowledge that changes solar radiation into electric power. OTEC systems use the ocean's natural thermal gradient—the information that the ocean's layers of water have unlike temperatures—to drive a power-producing cycle. As long as the temperature between the warm surface water and the cold deep water differs by about 20°C (36°F), an OTEC system can produce a significant amount of power. The oceans are thus an enormous renewable resource, with the potential to help us generate billions of watts of electric power. This potential is predictable to be about 1013 watts of base load power generation, according to some experts. The cold, deep seawater used in the OTEC process is also rich in nutrients, and it can be used to culture both marine organisms and plant life near the shore or on land.

The economics of energy production today have delayed the financing of a lasting, continuously operating OTEC plant. However, OTEC is very hopeful as an alternative energy resource for tropical island communities that depend heavily on imported fuel. OTEC plants in these markets could provide islanders with much-needed power, as well as desalinated water and a variety of mariculture products.

Poisonous plants to humans

Many native and exotic plants are poisonous to humans when ingested or if there is skin contact with plant chemicals. However, the most common problems with poisonous plants arise from contact with the sap oil of several ever-present native plants that cause an allergic skin reaction—poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.

Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac release oil, urushiol, when the leaf or other plant parts are bruised, damaged, or burned. When the oil gets on the skin an allergic reaction, referred to as contact dermatitis, occurs in most exposed people as an itchy red rash with bumps or blisters. When exposed to 50 micrograms of urushiol, an amount that is less than one grain of table salt, 80 to 90 percent of adults will develop a rash. The rash, depending upon where it occurs and how broadly it is spread, may significantly impede or prevent a person from working. Although over-the-counter topical medications may relieve symptoms for most people, immediate medical attention may be required for severe reactions, particularly when exposed to the smoke from burning these poisonous plants. Burning these poisonous plants can be very dangerous because the allergens can be inhaled, causing lung irritation. Outdoor workers may be exposed to poisonous plants.

Prevention
Workers can prevent contact with poisonous plants by taking these steps:
• Wear long sleeves, long pants, boots, and gloves.
o Wash exposed clothing separately in hot water with detergent.
• Barrier skin creams, such as a lotion containing bentoquatum, may offer some protection before contact.
o Barrier creams should be washed off and reapplied twice a day.
• After use, clean tools with rubbing alcohol (isopropanol or isopropyl alcohol) or soap and lots of water. Urushiol can remain active on the surface of objects for up to 5 years.
o Wear disposable gloves during this process.

First Aid
• Immediately rinse skin with rubbing alcohol, specialized poison plant washes, degreasing soap (such as dishwashing soap) or detergent, and lots of water.
• Rinse frequently so that wash solutions do not dry on the skin and further spread the urushiol.
• Scrub under nails with a brush.
• Apply wet compresses, calamine lotion, or hydrocortisone cream to the skin to reduce itching and blistering.
• Follow the directions on any creams and lotions. Do not apply to broken skin, such as open blisters.
• Oatmeal baths may relieve itching.
An antihistamine such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) can be taken to help relieve itching.

Benefits of Yoga

Yoga is recognized to increase flexibility; yoga has position that triggers different joints of the body. Including those joints that are not acted upon with usual exercises routines.

Yoga in addition increases the lubrication of joints, muscle and tendons. The well-researched yoga positions exercise the different tendons and ligaments of the body.

Yoga also massages every organs of the body. Yoga is possibly the only exercise that can work on through your internal organs in a methodical manner.

Yoga acts in a healthy way on the various body parts. This stimulation and massage of the organs in turn benefits us by keeping away disease.

One of the far-reaching benefits of yoga is the eerie sense of awareness that it develops in the person who is practicing yoga of an impending health disorder or infection.

Yoga provides a complete detoxification of the body. It smoothly stretches the muscles and joints as we massage the various organs, yoga ensure the best blood supply to various parts of the body.

Yoga is also an excellent way to tone your muscles. Muscles which have been sagging and weak are stimulated repeatedly to shed excess fats and flaccidity.