ASTONISHING PLANET-----EPISODE#02

Episode#2

6. Salar De Leonie: Bolivia

Antarctica is an attraction to many of us since childhood, when we come to know about continent is fully covered with ice. The only living form we can see there is penguin. Salar de Leonie beats the fantasy due to it flatness and considered as the smoothest surface of the earth. But this white surface is not of ice, its salt. Located in country of southern America, it is the world largest resource of natural salts. These salts include chlorides of lithium, sodium, potassium and magnesium. Salt flats are ideal for calibrating the distance measurement equipment of satellites. The salt surface has high reflectivity for ultraviolet light with a very little variation. Formation of plateau is supposed to be the result of uplift of Andes Mountains. Train services are provided to the visitor to enjoy the trip to the mirror land reflecting beautiful colors of nature.

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7. Hillier/ Pink Lake- Australia:

During acid-base titration process, we used to get the light pink solution as the end result. Everyone just wait curiously for the moment when liquid change its color from blue to pink. Nature provides a fantastic view of this Blue-Pink combination in Hillier Lake. This pink is not the end result of titration. In fact the scientist could find out the reason behind this pink color. It is supposed to be algae or bacteria or micro organism in water. Located in Southern ocean, lake is surrounded by a sand dune covered with vegetation providing a mesmerizing view. The pink color is because of concentration of  salts that are non toxic, the lake host marine life and visitor could enjoy a dive. The lake is discovered in 19^th century and has been identified by Birdlife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA) because it supports significant numbers of native and migratory birds.

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8. Lake Retba, Senegal, East Africa.

Hillier lake is not the only pink lake in the world. There are more natural reservoirs can be seen with different shades of pink. Hillier lake is a light pink or bubble pink shade, while the Lake Retba is known for its strawberry/ reddish pink color. Secondly water Hillier Lake is pink in all season, even if you take a glass of water, it appear as perfect pink juice. Whereas the pink color of Lake Retba can only be seen in dry season. It is located near Atlantic Ocean. Pink color is because of algae concentration is water. Salt extracted from lake by locals are used for cooking and preserving foods. There is variation of color with time. It change from pinkish to the brownish shade.

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9. The Red Lake: Bolivia

You might be thinking that today’s episode is more about different colors of lake. Our planet is covered 70% of water. Water has healing property. It washes out dirt as well as tears. Additional of natural color in water is a relieve or therapy. This unusual color of water appeal the site, a camera could not capture it as actual. Red lake Bolivia is located near Chile. It hosts the rarest species of flamingo across the world. The red lake is surrounded by white pool give a stunning view. The lake changes it color from red to blue with change of season, just inverse of titration process.

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Leaving you in the bewilderment and curiosity and compiling episode#3 of the series. Enjoy reading episode#2, For episode#1 click ASTONISHING PLANET episode#01.
Wait for episode#3, you can have a GLIMPSE OF UPCOMING EPISODES OF ASTONISHING PLANET.

Brain in Heart?

Heart has a brain?

A heart study tells that a tiny brain is in the heart itself. A collection of neurons is in the heart’s nervous system that interconnects with the brain. The heart has 40,000 neurons that is small amount as compared to billions of neurons in the brain. This is the reason that the heart is involved in our feelings. The heart is intelligent, differently. Sometimes the interpretation that is done primarily by the brain is led by the heart. The neural signals that the heart sends to the brain affect how we think, learn, decide, feel, perform, become frustrated, enjoy, care, and love. That shows, the heart is not merely a blood-pumping organ. It’s beyond that!

Heart is powerful?

The heart continuously talks with the brain. Heart is an energetic organ, hormones from heart go into a person’s blood stream, pulse waves are created at every beat of the heart. Magnetic energy of the heart is 5000 times more powerful than the brain. Magnetic energy of the heart can be measured at a distance of 6 feet from the body.  

Heart has memory?

Memory is not just ‘saved’ by the brain alone. Memory is distributed across the body’s neural system. Heart is another organ of keeping & retrieving memory. After a heart transplant in many cases, the patients feel changes in their liking of food or basic personality or even their memories. The taste, personality, & memories are considered solely to come from the brain. How those who receive somebody else’s heart have these mindful changes in them? It is because of the same fact that heart has a little but complex nervous system. For centuries, the heart is considered as the core organ of emotions like love or hatred etc. The technology is now proving that the heart literally takes part in shaping a person’s feelings. The heart has its gigantic role in how we experience the surroundings, develop & deliver our feelings. This heart-memory theory is explained in The Heart’s Code by Paul Pearsall.

Heart can understand?

This theory of brain in the heart is still controversial. Neurosurgeons & cardiologists have to work in coordination with each other to come up with an ascertained theory of the heart-brain. As for us, should we wait for a perfect theory? Yes! as a good curious human being, we should keep an eye on the latest research of our interests. But what else can we learn? The theory suggests that the heart’s energy is unbound by space & time. We have to feel this energy. We have to understand that the energy is from a source that itself is unbound by space & time. We have to learn how to use the brain in our already planted ‘spiritual heart’. How to see through the sight of our heart? How to perceive the world? Is the world just about matter? Is it just about the lifestyle? We have to understand the importance of this ‘brain’ in our heart. We have to think with heart-brain & see with the heart-sight in order to set our goals of life & in order to contour our priorities in life.      

See also: Neurocardiology

Studied by,

Engr. Ayesha Alam Khurram      

In The Neighborhood

I live in a neighborhood where many services are available in any nearby home. For the twenty’15 Eid I got my perfect mehandi design in my neighbor’s house. She definitely took out time to apply mehandi to many girls/ladies in the neighborhood. She doesn’t have a parlor; she doesn’t put notices or banners or packages anywhere. This is just the happiness that she can give to her neighbors from her precious time. For the Eid I got my dresses ready from another neighbor. That was so handy especially for me as I don’t like travelling or going to far away spots. I got my kids’ haircut from the third neighbor.

If these ladies would just think about themselves, their cooking, their families and children they would never offer these little happiness to me and to others. They are not professionals but their services are worth it. I come out of my home take a few steps and these ‘musts of Eid’ are available without any hassle, rush, queue, & appointment. Most importantly, I am in comfort zone and relaxed.  In Ramadan if I had to go far for mehandi, haircut and dresses, it would have been very tiring and time consuming for me. These girls and ladies are offering happiness to others by sparing their time and effort.

At my ammi’s neighborhood, my nephew went to a summer camp during summer vacations offered by a lady in the neighborhood. Long ago, I used to go with my friend to learn stitching from a lady at her home. Also long ago, my sister went to cooking classes during her vacations. Those were in the neighborhood too. There are few ladies/girls who offer tuition to school kids in the neighborhood as well.

The point, I am trying to make is that all these examples are of those ladies who have families and are busy. But their small effort & time are beneficial for the neighborhood as a whole. They do not advertise their services; they do not put signboards in front of their homes. They are utilizing their skills to comfort the society. I am sure these works give them freshness and they don’t have time for lazy stuffs like sitting on couch for an extra-long TV / internet, sleeping in then feeling sick, thinking meaningless for hours, chatting & gossiping. Because…they have something meaningful and better to do.  A little work of such kind definitely gives them satisfaction that they are not useless and they add happiness to others lives.

How well can we take our part and understand our roles for blossoming happiness in the chaotic society? Can we step out of our comfort zone that just revolves around us and our home? What is the purpose of our lives? Which work can offer some happiness to others, to the world & to the next generation? We don’t have time for others right now as we are too busy in our own selfies. Not now, then when?

Just a little effort can bring change in our mood, our home and our society. It’s not about the money always. It’s about that awe & that passion which we can spare for our own benefit!

See also: When will she become an entrepreneur? 

See also: Technopreneurship 

Experiences & thoughts by,

Engr. Ayesha A. Khurram          

The Ugly Duckling

Learning to draw in Paint. 
Inserting paint art in Ms Word. Writing & designing in Ms Word.

Also see: Storm at Night

Written & designed by,

Asma Khurram

Pentagons in Paint

Learning geometry in Paint. Pentagons.

Also see: Paint Stars

Paint art by,

Hafsa Khurram

Everlasting Gardens

A dream of every soul!

Wishing,

Engr. Ayesha Alam Khurram

ASTONISHING PLANET-----EPISODE#01

Episode#01

People always have urge to Land on moon, visit planets of Mars and Venus and exploring a new Universe. This quest of nature led them to the moon and the space. Mean while, the people of third world living a plain life not even aware of the astonishing and adventurous places other than what they have offered to watch in movies. Their life circulates about, for males, petrol prices to Pakistan team performance in WCT20 and for females, Kitchen to the Star plus Drama “Saas bhi Kabhi Bahu thi”. News bulletins add chilies to the wounds of depression. All what we need is Inspirations to get our self energized to fight against dramatic routine life. Now, the question is, from where we can get “Inspiration”? Does an instant Energy Drink really boost our energy instantly or dosage of anti depressant help us to get out of it? Inspirational quotations or stories might work up to some extent. After a thorough research, I come up with a solution. And the solution is Nature. We are living in a wonderful and astonishing planet. Once you start discovering, you will feel like a never ending journey of spiritual inspiration in an energized sea. Due to lack of resources, many of us may not find opportunity to visit physically but I have tried to compile a little data here. You might not find a sea to swim but at least know where to dive in. I will share my experience and provide you the “diving point references”; you can either explore further or share more of it with us. Note: from “diving point reference” I mean the astonishing place of the planet Earth which takes us to the sea of Inspiration. 

1.    GREAT BLUE HOLE- BELIZE:

The Great Blue Hole is ranked as number one on the list of "The 10 Most Amazing Places on Earth" by Discovery Channel in year 2012. It is a deep cave of limestone formed when the sea level was low. Formation of this vertical cave is resulted from natural process of rock weathering and quaternary glaciations, started to form about 150,000 years ago. The Great Blue Hole is a paradise for scuba divers. The circular hole of 300m diameter and 125m deep is located 70km off the coast of Belize on a lighthouse reef. Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System is declared as World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. The hole is submerged with crystal clear water and due to its depth it appears dark blue as compare to surrounding water which is less deep and shows turquoise color. The turquoise color water is surrounded by dense rain forest of mosses and ferns. Myriad species of marine life including tropical fish and spectacular coral formations can be seen there. These species includes Caribbean reef shark, nurse shark, bull shark, black tip shark, hammerheads and parrotfish. Blue Hole is discovered by French marine explorer Jacques Cousteau in 1971. Scientist relates a theory of Mayan’s (Mesoamerican) declination with it. Analysis shows that the water at the depth of hole contains aluminum and titanium which are result of drought and heavy rain fall in the region which has wiped out the civilization of Mayan. This theory is still under discussion. 

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2.    HOT SPRING POOL OF BLOOD-JAPAN:

Japanese Island Kyushu is famous for its nine hells. Most astonishing one is Red Pool of Blood located in the town of Beppu. Japanese word for hell is “Jigoku” (18 layers of hell), so the place is known as “Beppu Jigoku. The red color of the pool is because of the presence of iron oxide, sulfur and alum in high concentration. Pool is look like boiling plasma at average temperature of ±90⁰. Heat gets more severe in summer and sizzling red steam affects the nearby areas. Color of the pool varies at different locations and time because of varying concentration of iron acids and salts. Pool is known to be in history since 8^th century. Bus and train facilities are provided for tourist for taking a Trip to Hell. Pudding and other foods cooked in pool’s steam are served to the visitors of Beppu Jigoku. Soil enriches with iron salts is used as an ointment for skin diseases and foot treatment of athlete. Resort is declared as International Spa and Cultural City in 1950.

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3.    GIPPSLAND LAKE- AUSTRALIA:

Gippsland Lake is famous for its bioluminescence water. It is actually a network of lakes fed by rivers. The lake system consists of three magnificent lakes- Lake King, Lake Victoria and Lake Wellington served by Avon, Mitchells, Tambo, Thomson and Nicholson Rivers. There is long story behind the luminescence of the lake. It was a huge bush fire started in Victoria in December, 2006. Due to dry season of autumn fire continues for several days and burnt a vast area. The heavy rain fall of winter 2007 washed the ashes in to the rivers. This increase the nitrogen contents of the river. Further the warmness of summer season allowed rapid growth of micro organism in water. This alga differs from normal green algae Synechococcus and scientist named it as Notiluca Scintillans. The algae Notiluca Scintillans looks dull red in day light, while it shines at night. Lake hosts rare species of marine life including humpback whales, bottle nose dolphins and Burrunan dolphin. Also it is home for bird migrated from Siberia and Alaska and recognized as Important Bird Area (IBA) by Bird Life International.

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4.    DERVAZA CRATER- TUKMENISTAN:

Dervaza Crater or the Door to Hell is a hole of 69m wide and 30m deep burning since 1971. Different theories are there about formation of this crater. The locals called it result of a natural collapse of ground enrich with natural gas. The popular story is the digging of barren dessert by geologists in search of natural oil, but they came up with huge emission of natural gas. Since the set up was not ready for extraction and purification of gas, and toxic gases would harm the surrounding, so scientist decided to burn it. Scientifically this process is known as flaring. Soviet Engineers underestimated that it would burn in few days or week but the high pressure emission of gas continues the fire since last four decades. On an expedition in November 2013, George Kuorounis was set out to the first person to land on this burning hell. He was supported by a team of riggers and funded by National Geographic. Kuorounis shared his experience in a program series “Dye Trying” on National Geographic Channel. The recorded temperature of the hell was about 1000⁰C, still there was no smoke inside.  Kuorounis found presence of bio organism in the soil sample. Scientists are working on the mystery of life presence in such a scorching environment. 

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5.    SHIMSHAL LAKE- PAKISTAN:

Shimshal lake is located at Hunza , Pakistan. It is the only heart shaped lake in the world. After the hard work of cutting mountains and road work completion by engineers in 90’s, this valley got connection with other town. Shimshal Lake is supposed to be discovered in 2003. Many folk stories are related with this mesmerizing lake between the ices Tops Mountains and glaciers. It is 3100m above the sea level with a population mere in hundreds. Shimshal attract tourist due to it adventurous glaciers riding.

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...(to be continued)

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