FOOTPRINTS

Did you know? The magnitude 9.0 earthquake that struck Japan in 2011 , was so powerful, that it shortened Earth's day by 1.8 microseconds and shifted it's figure axis by 17 centimeters .  

The Felicity Ace , a massive Panama-flagged cargo ship carrying thousands of Volkswagen Group vehicles, including Porsches, Lamborghinis, Audis caught fire near the Azores islands in the Atlantic ocean. The ship was on it's way to the port of Davisville in the US state of Rhode Island when the tragedy struck the vessel.  The ship's 22 crewmembers were evacuated by the Portuguese Navy and Air Force. The sip was left unmanned and adrift. Under the maritime law, the ship is now "finders keepers".  It is now believed that the ship had around 3,965 Volkswagen Group vehicles on board which includes the 1,100 Porsches and 189 Bentleys. The detailed numbers for the rest of the luxury vehicles are yet unknown.  

Did you know? 68% of people suffer from phantom vibration syndrome - the feeling that one's phone is vibrating when it's not.  Other terms for this concept include   ringxiety ,   fauxcellarm  and   phonetom   .   According to Michael Rothberg, the term is not a syndrome, but is better characterised as a tactile hallucination since the brain perceives a sensation that is not actually present.  Phantom ringing may be experienced while taking a shower, watching television, or using a noisy device. Humans are particularly sensitive to auditory tones between 1,000 and 6,000 hertz, and basic mobile phone ringtones often fall within this range. Phantom vibrations develop after carrying a cell phone set to use vibrating alerts. Researcher Michelle Drouin found that almost 9 of 10 undergraduates at her college experienced phantom vibrations. (Note : The above mentioned percentage value may not be accurate and may change)  

 Did you know? There is an abandoned ship in Sydney, the SS Ayrfield , that now houses fully grown mangrove trees and has earned the Floating Forest name by the locals.

DID YOU KNOW? The runway of the Gibraltar International Airport has a road crossing it. Gibraltar International Airport or North Front Airport is the  civilian airport that serves the British overseas territory of Gibraltar.  The runway is owned by the Ministry of Defence for use by the Royal Air Force as RAF Gibraltar . Civilian operators use the civilian-operated terminal. National Air Traffic Services hold the contract for provision of air navigation services at the airport.  

Did you know? The smell after rain is called Petrichor . It is caused by the water from the rain along with certain compounds like ozone, geosmin and plant oils.  Actinomycetes, a type of bacteria found in soil, secrete a compound called geosmin , which is released from the soil into the air due to raindrops.  

Above mentioned are the top 10 Indian states having the highest number of electric vehicles.  

 

 

Wishing you a Happy New Year !  May this year be filled with new adventures and good fortunes.

Christmas is the season of joy, of gift-giving, and of families united. Merry Christmas May this day be a magical and a blissful one to you and your loved ones.  

Acrophobia is a mental health condition in which the individual experiences an intense fear of heights . It is a type of anxiety disorder.  

Achluophobia is the fear of the dark . 'Achulo' is the Greek for darkness and 'phobia' means fear.  

The figure-eight shaped curve referred commonly by the name "infinity symbol" can also be called as a lemniscate .  

The hashtag (pound sign) has a much more official-sounding name, octothorpe . "Octo" refers to the eight points, while the origin of "thorpe" is still up for debate.  

The division sign that we use is technically called an obelus .