In 2000, Actor George Clooney played the role of Captain Billy Tyne on the Andrea Gail, a ship that was doomed to get caught in the cross chairs of the perfect storm. The action-packed movie briefly showcases what a real-life meteorologist might do at places like the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida.
In our daily routine, we rely on weather applications the most. Going out to work or coming back, planning for a picnic trip over the weekend, or booking a flight for touring to another city or country, the first thing that comes into our minds is, how would the weather be on that specific date? Wouldn’t I get canceled my flight due to a storm? Or rain threats will ruin our picnic…
With such thoughts, we rush to applications on our cell phones to get the latest weather updates. These applications are an essential part of our daily lives. Still, most of us don’t know much about the science of atmospheric study, meteorology.
Many people wonder why the study of the atmosphere is called meteorology. History tells us that this name comes from the ancient Greeks. In about 340 B.E.C, the Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote a book named “meteorological”, about the information of weather and climate he found worthy in that era.
According to historic resources, Aristotle got the book’s name from the Greek word “meteoron,” which means “things high up” and refers to anything observed in the atmosphere. And it had nothing to do with the meteors (objects fall from space, as we know the word today). This term had been used for several centuries, and the researchers who study the atmosphere were called meteorologists.
Still, people who know about meteorology think it is the science of weather forecasting. However, it is more about studying the atmosphere, long-term trends in climate and weather, climate change, and their potential impacts on living beings on earth. These days, meteorologists are specifically concerned about ecosystem variations due to climate change.
In Pakistan, awareness about atmospheric studies and weather patterns is deficient. People rely on weather updates and applications but started blaming or bashing met office when a weather predictions wouldn’t go right.
Now with more sophisticated technologies and equipment, researchers cover several sub-disciplines of meteorology like climate modeling, remote sensing, air quality index, environmental Nanotechnology, and atmospheric physics. Since atmospheric changes are directly linked with the rise and fall of oceans and the sea breeze/ Al-Nino phenomenon, oceanography is now also paired with meteorology.
As it is evident that weather affects every living object on the earth, or even in space, scientists can now detect solar flares and dust that reverberate and interact with the earth’s magnetic field, incorporating changes in global weather patterns. These days, meteorology also includes hard sciences, cutting-edge technology, satellite imagery, fieldwork, and broadcasting and media.
A recent example of the significance of meteorology these days is the deadliest hurricane Ian which wreaked havoc in Florida a few weeks ago. Still, residents of Florida and adjacent under-threat states had enough time to evacuate and prepare themselves for the worst when it turned into a category four storm. All this was possible due to the warning meteorologists issued a week earlier, and the local weather station was constantly watching and monitoring the hurricane’s movement until it died.
For the last two decades, the world has been under constant threats of extreme global weather events and natural disasters. These events have generated several scientific terminologies that people weren’t aware of. Imagine that you just switch on your TV set, tune into a weather channel, and come across a catastrophic situation like a bomb cyclone or polar vortex. They and other terms are unfamiliar to laypersons but are widely used in international media, even though they are mainly wrongly explained in public.
Pakistan faced historic flooding due to unexpected torrential rains at the end of August 2022. Several meteorologists had predicted widespread rains in Balochistan and Sindh provinces. Still, the National Disaster Management Authority neither issued a warning to evacuate people nor helped them when their homes were submerged in two-to-three feet of water. This negligence resulted in a historic catastrophe that would take years or a decade for rehabilitation.
In Pakistan, awareness about atmospheric studies and weather patterns is deficient. People rely on weather updates and applications but start blaming or bashing met office when weather predictions wouldn’t go right. Scientia Pakistan brings its exclusive edition on Meteorology to make people aware of the authenticity of weather prediction models, climate change, and atmospheric studies.
We have very informative stories on weather models, the current situation in IDP camps in flood-affected areas of Pakistan, acid rains, food delivery, the environment, cloud seeding, and much more. Besides, we interviewed Dr. Perviaz Amir about the role of water in Pakistan’s agro-based economy as the flood has affected chiefly corps, and experts warn of a severe food shortage in coming months.
We are sure that this edition will give our lay audiences an insight into the significance of meteorology and how crucial it is to be aware of atmospheric study in a post-climate change era. Have an excellent read!
The sudden call from her parents makes Mariam worried. She’d been busy and had nothing cooked. Neither did she have the car today to go and bring groceries. Her only option was food delivery. She called P-mart and selected some fruits, vegetables, poultry, bread and snacks. The delivery would take less than 40 minutes, according to the app. Perfect. She checked out and went ahead to place the order.
To her utter dismay, the app canceled her order and apologized for the inconvenience due to the weather. The weather? Mariam peered outside the window to find a drizzle. So, the driver was not equipped with a shaded motorbike or a raincoat to even wand this minute amount of rain? How pathetic. She continued to panic and dialed the nearest restaurant’s number for home delivery. Unfortunately, they refused to take her order due to the ‘inconvenient weather conditions.
What was she supposed to do now?
Trends in Food Delivery
With the expansion of globalization and digitalization, food delivery systems have become highly popular. Whether it is lunches for offices, groceries, or your favorite meal at home, it’s all a click away on an app. This convenience has, for one thing, facilitated the decrease of cars and vehicles rushing to the supermarket and, thus, fuel consumption and air pollution.
Online businesses are a handy way of employment for people who prefer to work from home with flexible timings. Females have applied their culinary talents to their benefit and are a help in the family earnings. Flavor and packaging are maintained due to continuous customer feedback, and the waiting time that had to be wasted sitting at eateries is now saved as well.
Over the last decade, revenue due to food delivery has tripled all over the globe. A highly unusual increase has been observed ever since Covid-19, where people avoid restaurants and public places as much as possible. They prefer to have their meals delivered to their doorstep to save the hassle. Most orders of food businesses are online and for home delivery, about a hefty 60 percent.
In Pakistan, apps like Foodpanda, Cheetay, Bykea, etc., have made food delivery from restaurants and groceries a piece of cake. We can track orders online, and cash on delivery is also available. Besides these apps, almost every restaurant has its own delivery system. These deliveries are usually free to nearby places, whereas the apps imply a delivery fee.
Local grocery stores and cash and carry chains have developed their apps,o for most urbanized cities, to help in online shopping and home delivery. Most users find this convenient, especially with less time in the week due to school and office timings, and manually searching for all the items at a grocery shop is time-consuming.
Most restaurant chains are hosting less than half of the customers they used to have a decade ago on the premises and dealing with their growing list of online orders. In this way, market space is no more demanded by most restaurants, and it can lead to a decreased demand for commercial buildings and plazas.
With the expansion of globalization and digitalization, food delivery systems have become highly popular.
Types of Food Delivery
When we talk about food delivery, the first thing that comes to mind is the restaurant sector. But delivering agricultural outputs to factories for processing and then to the market for sale is also included in this domain.
In a country like Pakistan, where more than 70 percent of employment is dependent on livestock and farming, agriculture forms the backbone of our economy. Food delivery from farms and rural areas to factories for manufacturing and processing is done through huge truckloads. Then the manufactured and packed goods are delivered to retail stores and shops nationwide.
To simplify things, let’s divide food delivery into categories. Firstly, there is the usual restaurant meal delivery. An order is placed online or via call, prepared and packed. It is ready to eat, and the packing serves to preserve the freshness and taste. The food is delivered via a bike, usually in an insulated box. Cash on delivery is available.
The second type of food delivery is a meal kit. This type requires a weekly or monthly subscription; meals are planned and usually contain all the food groups in the lunchbox. They are healthier, customized, and typically handy to deliver to offices and workplaces. They can be delivered via a bike or a truck if ordered in bulk. Payment is usually weekly or monthly.
The third type is ingredients delivery or your usual grocery list. Fruits, vegetables, dairy, poultry, grains, pulses, and other processed edibles like bakery items, packed snacks, drinks, etc., are all included and delivered via bike in a big shopping bag. Orders are placed online, items selected, and cash is paid upon delivery. Delivery may be free if the order cost is above a specific price.
The fourth type is, of course, the transport of agricultural goods to the industry for processing and packaging and then transport to retail stores in all cities to be sold to consumers. This implies the usage of bulk transport in boxes or sacks in trucks usually.
How do severe climatic conditions affect food production and agriculture?
When we say severe climate, we mean both extremes, cold and hot. Plants and crops usually require a balanced amount of water, soil nutrients, and atmospheric conditions to grow well. If the climate is too cold, germination will not occur, and crops will have stunted growth or none. Plants will dehydrate and die if the environment is too hot and arid.
Besides extreme temperature variations, rainfall is also crucial in agriculture. Scanty rainfall is also problematic; too much rain causes floods or waterlogged soils. Crop plants face damage in both scenarios and perish.
Food production problems and food crisis are typically faced where water shortages are prevalent. Droughts, less rainfall, deforestation, arid climatic zones, and land pollution contribute to food production levels. Mountainous or hilly areas where the land is not flat also had severe climatic conditions. Rainfall is unpredictable and the climate is freezing.
Global problems like the greenhouse effect are leading to an increase in temperature. The temperature at the poles is five to ten degrees warmer than it was a decade ago. This has led to floods and glaciers. Also, crops that convert carbon dioxide into carbohydrates with three carbons, known as C3 plants, may experience a lower yield, as they require a lower temperature to thrive than C4 crop plants. C3 plants include wheat, oats, rice and cotton, while examples of C4 are maize and sugarcane.
The Impact of severe climate on food delivery systems
As far as extreme temperatures go, they do not affect food delivery over short distances. Food is insulated and carried to local places in summer and winter. However, if the food is delivered in bulk and to a far-off remote area, a warm climate poses the risk of food rotting or spoilage.
The main game changer is rainfall. Food delivery systems in Pakistan are not yet well-established and well-equipped to face the rain. Deliveries are usually stalled and delayed for several days in the monsoon season. This can cause product shortages in the market.
Food delivery systems rely on favorable weather conditions for easy transport and quality maintenance of food.
Food security and challenges
The term food security implies the state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. Climate change has mainly posed a threat to food security in two ways. Firstly, unpredictable rainfall patterns have affected water availability to crops.
Plants and crops usually require a balanced amount of water, soil nutrients, and atmospheric conditions to grow well.
Secondly, increased carbon dioxide concentrations in the air have led to a decreased nutritious value of some crop plants. Plants in a high CO2 environment absorb fewer minerals from the soil.
Solutions
The first and foremost step is to develop dams and an efficient irrigation system. This should be capable of water storage and providing a moderate amount of water to crops according to need throughout the year.
Food delivery systems should be capable of withstanding changes in rainfall and climate. E.g., raincoats, rainboots, waterproof boxes to carry the food hot and fresh, and well-organized tracking systems to navigate them.
Food delivery apps and services should also reach out to remote hilly or desert areas by establishing a well-organized and extensive network of vehicles, deliverymen, and resources. Compensation should be given to deliverymen who work on rainy or weather-constrained days to boost their morale and encourage their participation on such days.
A constant check on the weather and climate with reliable apps should help plan routes and timings of truckloads of food deliveries beforehand.
The future
More efficient apps with customer-friendly deals and options, technology applications for better food packaging and sustenance, as well as better modes of food delivery are all under consideration. An example of the latest technology for food delivery is the application of artificial intelligence like drones, robots, parachutes, etc.
Imagine opening the door to finding your pizza in the hands of a robotic delivery man! You would have to insert your money in some hole or pocket before the robot lets go of the grip on the box, and you can take it from the robot. That would indeed be interesting.
This week – global events are being hosted for World Space Week 2022– “To celebrate the advancement of science and technology, and the contributions to the betterment of the human condition”. The events start from Oct 04 -10 commemorating the launch of the First Satellite Sputnik-1 (Oct 4, 1857) and the signing treaty for peaceful use of Space (Oct 10, 1967). Remembering Pakistan, as one of the first nations to develop its space agency- SUPARCO, in 1961.
Pakistan, today is not a very scientifically advanced nation, due to its political and economical unrest, throughout the decades, pure sciences are not very popular among the youth, that is the basic thriving need for a strong space sciences program academically, in terms of research or industrially. But, few individuals or organizations, aim their best for celebrating and increasing scientific outreach and events. This year, fortunately after the end of the pandemic, we had physical events with lesser restrictions and constraints, yet I had the privilege to attend and celebrate the scientific endeavors stretched by the space community within the universities of Karachi.
NASA Space Apps Challenge 2022
Before the start of WSW 2022, I attended NASA Space Apps Challenge 2022, held on October 1-2, 2022, at Salim Habib University, a private sector university, with RaheQamar’s flagship hosted the event for the first time on a physical and massive scale, hosting nearly all the science and engineering university students, and many other college and school students participated in the NASA’s Hackathon. The event was open for participation globally in more than 181 countries and territories, and thanks to RaheQamar and Hassan Bin Zaki, who have been hosting it for the 4th consecutive time in Pakistan.
The event was open to hosting participants from as young as 06 to 65 years of age. It was a huge call for awareness of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science applications within the Space Industry. All the major cities of the country hosted the event. At Karachi, we witnessed nearly 1000+ participants present at the event venue, which was Salim Habib University, Karachi, with respect to a technical and informative event of such a nature.
Image illustrating the banners of different challenges for participants at the NASA Space Apps Challenge at Salim Habib University (SHU). (Credits: Hammad)
Photo of the audience, at the NASA Space Apps Challenge. (Credits: Raheqamar)
Photo of participants, during the judgement presentations, at the SHU. (Credit: Syed Hammad)
Participants sitting during a seminar on leadership at the SHU, (Credit: SHU)
NED Univeristy events
Later, from 04 – 06 October, a recently found Computational Astrophysics Lab at the NED University of Engineering and Technology, hosted a three-day seminar celebrating- World Space Week 2022 (Supported by NCGSA, NCBC & CIS Department), where different speakers were invited from the European Space Agency, SUPARCO, Institute of Space Sciences & Technology – Karachi University and NED’s CIS Department to give talks, present their research and discuss new ideas within the field.
The event was also attended by professionals and many students interested in the advancement of Space and Astronomy. Interestingly, the astronomical observations of the Solar System objects were held, where the participants were shown the “Craters and Mountains of the Moon and Rings of Jupiter, and its three visible Moons”, a great initiative by Dr. Ali Ismail (Chairman, CIS Department) and Ms. Hira Fatima under the arrangement of the Computational Astrophysics Lab, where she also gave her talk on the “Revolutionizing Star Clusters Research through Gaia and Machine Learning”, an interesting topic for students interested in the stellar evolution and formation of clusters.
The event also hosted renowned speakers within the field of space sciences- Dr. Prof. Jawed Iqbal (Director of ISST), Dr. Gaitee Hussein (Head of ESA – Science Division), Dr. Aquib Moin, and Engr. Absar Ahmed Khan, while interestingly for the first time Engr Mehdi Hussain (President of KAS and Founder Mareekh Dynamics) also attended the event, and disclosed his startup work and aims, how they have worked on designs that will host one of the first Martian settlers, and highlighted that how, a lot of work is needed in the engineering domain, for future colonization of the Red Planet.
The theme for this year’s WSW 2022 was “Space and Sustainability”. (Credit: NCBC, NED UET)
Chairman CIS Department of NED UET, Director ISST – the University of Karachi and other researchers at the Computational Astrophysics Lab at NCBC NED UET. (Credits: NCBC NED UET)
Students observe the Moon and other objects of the solar system after the seminar. (Credits: NCBC NED UET)
Photo of the Moon captured by the Computational Astrophysics Lab at the NCBC, showing the physical features of the celestial body.
ESA’s Science Division Head Dr Gaitee Hussain giving an important talk on Astronomy. (Credits: NCBC NED UET)
ESA’s Science Division Head Dr. Gaitee Hussain giving an important talk on Astronomy. (Credits: NCBC NED UET)
Dr Prof. Ali Ismail giving a talk on applications of Data and Machine Learning in Astronomy. (Credits: NCBC NED UET)
Students having a talk about the night sky after the observational session. (Credits: NCBC NED UET)
Prizes were also distributed to the participants of student projects, at the NED UET’s WSW 2022, the students from Karachi University, made a cosmic calendar, showing the timeline of the universe. (Credits: NCBC NED UET)
Students showing the Astrolabe at the event. (Credits: NCBC NED UET)
Another group of students briefing about their project to the judges of the Astronomy project competition. (Credits: NCBC NED UET)
One of the most interesting projects of the event, the students visualized and made a “Celestial Sphere”, showing all the constellations of the Night Sky and the coordinate system for the sky. (Credits: NCBC NED UET)
A group of students from school, who participated in the poster competition, visible in the background of the Computational Astrophysics Lab. (Credits: NCBC NED UET)
ISST seminar
The last, but the most attended seminar in the city was held at the Arts Auditorium of Karachi University, arranged by the Institute of Space Sciences & Technology in collaboration with the University’s Geography Department. The event started with Dr. Prof. Jawed Iqbal’s opening session, where he emphasized “How important for us to understand this new age of space, how Artificial Intelligence is playing its role in the field of Space Sciences, and how young students should develop skills and basic research methods” that can help them in excelling in the Space Industry and sustain in the current era of knowledge-based economy, where the space is for everyone, to work and change the world while referring to this year’s theme of “Space & Sustainability”- WSW 2022.
ISST Director – Dr Jawed Iqbal, paying the shield to Mehdi Hussain, the founder of KAS & Mareekh Dynamics at the Seminar.
The event hosted SUPARCO senior officials such as Mr Ayaz Amin, GM Laghari, and Ex-Director SEADS Colonel Retd. Abdul Sattar. From academia, the event had invited talks of Prof. Dr Sultan Hameed from Stony Brookes University- USA, Dr Aquib Moin- UAE Space Agency, Dr Javed Qamar ISST’s founder, Dr Bilal Siddiqui FRAeS (CEO & Founder of Woot Tech), the company that manufactured Foodpanda’s drone, Dr Mirza Jawad Baig- who gave an interesting talk on the Climate Change, Engr. Absar Ahmed Khan discussed one of his research analyses based on possible Martian Flight through a fixed-wing perspective.
Later within the area of Geoinformatics, Dr. Sheeba Afsar (Chairperson, Department of Geography), Rao Zahid Khalil, and Nasir Khan, explored different case studies within the area of Geographical Informations Systems. The event ended in the late evening, and a huge number of students, professionals and space enthusiasts attended the event, making it the largest seminar on Space Sciences in Karachi for WSW 2022.
Dr Prof Jawed Iqbal (Director ISST) Inaugurating the WSW Seminar at the Arts Auditorium of Karachi Univerisity. (KU Times)
Participants of the WSW Seminar at the ISST. (KU Times)
A huge number of students participated from the Space Sciences & Geography Departments at the event. (KU Times)
A group photo of the faculty and students during the WSW 2022. (Credits: Fouz Siddiqui)
TDF Magnifiscience center event
Celebrating WSW in Karachi was never this thrilling for space enthusiasts, as the city hosted events for the whole week, for its small but vibrant space community. The PIA Planetarium with the support of the Karachi Astronomical Society hosted public observations of the Moon, where a huge number of public turned out, and the city’s prestigious science centre- The TDF Magnifiscience Centre hosted Rayan Khan’s through his venture Cosmic Tribe, hosted Lunar activities for the kids, and public.
Rayan Khan (Founder of Cosmic Tribe) communicated science of the Light Pollution at the TDF Magnifiscience Center, where he trained the children, on how to fight light pollution. (Credit: TDF Magnifiscience Center)
He educated the children that why it is important to control “Light Pollution” and what efforts they can put to change the discourse of rapid urbanization, which is affecting the “Dark Skies” of the country. This week, for the first time, established that the Space Community, is active and alive, how young students intend to change the narrative of Space Sciences within the country, and how Pakistan can contribute its role in the global space race. SPACE is for Everyone!
On a scorching afternoon in September 2022, Ali Haider Sehriyani reaches the relief camp in Usta Mohammad with his son’s dead body. Three-year-old Ali Waris Jamali, like most children in this IDP camp, had been suffering from malaria.
Ali Haider is a resident of Usta Mohammad, a severely flood-affected district in Balochistan. The level of destruction means the relief camp for displaced people at the bank of the Saifullah canal is already full.
According to a recent report, more than six thousand people, including children, have been affected by malaria in Balochistan’s Jafferabad and Usta Mohammad.
Ali Haider Sehriyani says that the flood wasn’t as traumatic as its aftermath. “We are losing three to four kids daily due to malaria, diarrhoea, dengue, and skin diseases. The relief camp has a dearth of medicines and other mandatory medical facilities to save our children,” he says.
Many people in Balochistan are forced to live in makeshift shelters. Photo: Saadeqa Khan
Pakistan is experiencing its worst humanitarian crisis of a decade, spurred by torrential rains and devastating flash floods. This was the most widespread flooding in the 73-year history of Pakistan, leaving one-third of the country under water and parts resembling a small ocean.
Sindh and Balochistan provinces are severely affected; nearly 6.4 million people need immediate support. In most rural parts, people are still forced to live under open skies waiting for relief goods and shelter.
More than 300,000 houses have been entirely destroyed by the rains and floods, and livelihoods have been decimated as two million acres of farmland have been adversely impacted. Some 735,000 livestock perished, causing threats of severe food insecurity in the coming months.
About 650,000 pregnant women are living in IDP camps around the country; among these, around 100,000 pregnant women are in Sindh. And almost 73,000 women have delivery dates of next month; they urgently need skilled birth attendants, new-born care, and financial support.
Dua foundation is a Karachi-based philanthropic organisation that has been serving the rural and urban parts of Sindh for over a decade. Its General Secretary, Dr Fayyaz Alam, says that a large area is still under water, and people are forced to live in tents, camps or self-made shelters (chapters).
“Massive flooding is giving rise to the mosquito population, with water ponds serving as their breeding grounds. I recently visited district Dado, Johi, and other areas and witnessed a potential human catastrophe if it’s not appropriately and immediately dealt with. There is a severe shortage of clean drinking water as the government has provided one water filter pump to the whole district population. The contaminated water is giving rise to malaria, diarrhea, dehydration, dengue, respiratory, lung, and kidney cases at the IDP camps,” Dr Alam adds.
Three weeks after the historic flooding, Johi District Johi is still submerged in two feet of water. Photo Saadeqa Khan
According to Care Pakistan’s country director, Adil Sherazi, the floods severely affected women, girls and other vulnerable groups. Marginalized communities of Pakistan are facing the most significant challenge, including access to humanitarian assistance.
The UN Population Fund’s recently released data shows that nearly eight million women and girls of reproductive age are affected, with 1.6 million needing immediate healthcare facilities. About 650,000 pregnant women are living in IDP camps around the country; among these, around 100,000 pregnant women are in Sindh. And almost 73,000 women have delivery dates of next month; they urgently need skilled birth attendants, newborn care, and financial support.
Another statistic shows that every sixth child in IDP camps across Pakistan is suffering from malnutrition, malaria, and skin diseases. According to Save the Children Country Director Khurram Gondal, children are the most vulnerable to extreme weather events which are becoming more dangerous due to the climate crisis. Children in flood-affected areas of Pakistan urgently need more support from the international community.
The extent of relief efforts
According to the lead of the Agha Khan University flood response task force, Dr Adil Haider, providing healthy food, clean drinking water, mosquito kits, and healthcare facilities to IDPs are the top priorities of local authorities in the relief work.
AKU’s healthcare camps and mobile units in flood-affected areas have provided care to more than 52,000 people in 18 districts of Sindh and Balochistan. Among them, 1,650 were pregnant women, and 1,300 were children under five. Dr Haider adds that that some 37,000 children have received their routine vaccination so far.
Qaisar Khan Afridi, a spokesman for UNHCR Islamabad, says that as a part of a coordinated response, UNHCR has provided refugee villagers more than 71,000 emergency relief items, including camps, sanitary products, solar lamps, and sleeping mates.
“Additionally, we delivered 10,000 sacks to help households build up defences around their homes. UNHCR is also mobilising its female staff nationwide to ensure there is support for women and children among flood affected population,” Afridi adds.
Dr Sadiqa Fayyaz treats women and girls at IDP camps in Dado Sindh district. Photo: Saadeqa Khan
Dr Sadiqa Fayyaz is a Karachi-based gynecologist assisting Dua Foundation in its relief efforts along with child specialist D Sultan Mustafa. She says that there is a severe shortage of camps and medicines in district Dado.
‘Dua Foundation has delivered nearly 20,000 camps, ration bags, and 5,000 mosquito-saving kits. We have also organized two medical camps and are trying our best to facilitate IDPs. A large number of people have received financial aid under the government-led Ehsaas program, but this amount is inadequate compared to the extent of the destruction,” says Dr Sadiqa.
This is another challenging time for healthcare workers in Pakistan after successfully battling against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Haider says, “Agha Khan University is organizing free capacity-building sessions for healthcare workers. We have designated special sessions for lady health workers performing their duties in flood-affected areas as they have to deal with delivery cases in the coming months. To date, around 4,000 workers have attended sessions from around the country.”
Clean drinking water for flood-affected areas
Three weeks after the floods wreaked havoc in Pakistan, rural parts of Sindh and Balochistan are still submerged in one to two feet of water. These areas are the hub of viral diseases due to a severe dearth of clean drinking water. The Advanced Centre on Water Research at Mehran Engineering University Jamshoro has found a novel solution to this problem.
People get clean drinking water from a portable water filter pump manufactured by Faisal Mubarak. Photo: Saadeqa Khan
Dr Rasool Bux Meher, with his team, has created a low-cost water filter pump that is easy to use. According to Dr Meher, initially, his team worked on 1,000 demos on an emergency basis and provided them to the highly vulnerable districts of Sindh. Faisal Mubarak, another engineer from Sindh, has manufactured a similar portable water filter pump, and like Dr Meher, Mubarak is looking for start-up funding for widespread distribution across the country.
“Pakistan has a long way to go to recover from the current crisis and prepare for future disasters. The international community is doing its part in short-term relief efforts, but for long-term rehabilitation, Pakistan has to work on solid plans and an effective disaster management policy,” concludes Dr Alam.
Note: The article was originally published at Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, and reshared (without changes) with the author’s permission.
Harnessing the ability to control the weather may seem like the stuff of science fiction. Yet, a commonly used weather modification technique that has been around since the 1940s claims to do just that.
As its name indicates, cloud seeding aims to improve the amount of rainfall by interfering in the rain formation processes of certain clouds at the microscopic level. Glaciogenic cloud seeding employs the use of particles of silver iodide, among others, to supercool water molecules within clouds, pushing them to clump and freeze. In warmer clouds, Hygroscopic cloud seeding uses other salt-like hygroscopic materials to bring water vapor together to produce rain.
Cloud seeding is used regularly in fighting forest fires, creating hail, and diverting rainfall in critical situations. In recent times, cloud seeding has been explored as a potential tool to provide rain in drought-stricken areas. However, the fact is that cloud seeding programs’ effectiveness has been historically challenging to establish.
Experiments conducted between 1947 and 1994 in Australia could not prove that the cloud seeding hypothesis increased winter rainfall decisively.
Experiments conducted between 1947 and 1994 in Australia could not prove that the cloud seeding hypothesis increased winter rainfall decisively. The rainfall variability and naturally occurring rain impacting the reliability of the results made it impossible to reach a conclusive assessment. Any cloud seeding operations carried out during this time were challenged by subsequent research revealing the lack of reliability of results due to the interference of natural factors. The results indicated some success confined its possible effectiveness only to specific climate regimes.
Additionally, in 2010 Alpert and colleagues examined the effect of 50 years’ worth of cloud seeding operations over the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. They found that it can explain the periods of increased rainfall with changing weather patterns instead of seeding. Areas not subject to seeding showed similar signs of increased rainfall as seeded areas.
In 2021, the Israeli cloud seeding program was halted after being considered not economically efficient enough to warrant the marginal gains. Even if cloud seeding does work, when it comes to solving the complex problem of increasing water shortages around the globe, a simple solution like cloud seeding could have consequences.
This technology has been misused before for malicious purposes by those in power. The USA increased rainfall by seeding clouds during the Vietnam war to slow down and disrupt the Vietcong. In the aftermath of the Chornobyl disaster, precipitation containing radioactive fallout was redirected from Russian cities to the Belarusian provinces, where nuclear waste had fallen with rain on hundreds of thousands of oblivious locals.
Silver iodide, the rain-inducing chemical mentioned before, is also known to be toxic. Fajardo and colleagues found that repeated cloud seeding operations in a specific area could result in the cumulation of toxic material in the soil and aquatic ecosystem. They also assist in reducing the respiration and photosynthesis capabilities of organisms such as phytoplankton to a moderate extent. It could have significant harmful implications for the life in these systems.
Yet another point of contention is the evidence that making rain in one place reduces rain downstream, effectively depriving other areas of their fair and, in some cases, desperately needed share of rainfall. In 2018, Iranian officials expressed concerns regarding the cloud seeding programs of Israel and UAE, claiming that Iran was being deprived of a vital water source.
As stress related to droughts and water shortages worldwide continues to mount, seeding clouds is a possible solution to this growing problem. Despite questions about whether this technique creates enough rainfall to be worth the effort and expense, proponents argue that the 10%-25% increase in precipitation from seeded clouds is more than enough to help alleviate at least some of the effects of these issues.
The Chinese Ministry of Water Resources recently announced plans to replenish the Yangtze River’s water reserves, which have dried off in some areas. Reportedly, cloud seeding may be used to bring more rainfall to those areas. This technology was successfully used in the 2008 Beijing Olympics to divert rain away from the open-air museum.
Climate change has given rise to the most extended heat wave to date in China. It has caused hydropower reservoirs to be down to half capacity, resulting in power shortages and blackouts in the Sichuan Province.
The UAE has also been a victim of the shortage of natural rain. The growing demand for water in the country is being met mainly through unsustainable desalination plants that require large sums of money to build and run. For the past 22 years, it has spent millions in cloud seeding operations and research, believing wholeheartedly in its results. In the summer, cloud seeding missions are in full swing.
Newly patented nanotechnology developed at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi is using alongside silver iodide, believing that the new advancement produces better results. Currently, the American Mid-west is exploring cloud seeding as a way to quench the droughts spanning 40% of its area.
As the world continues to face the growing aftereffects of climate change, the need to mitigate the ramifications of global water shortages is rising exponentially. Whether cloud seeding and advancements in its field are the final solutions or not, it has become apparent that the ability to control clouds and rainfall to a greater extent is the need of the hour.
Dr. Muni Muniappan works in integrated pest management. Muniappan is a prominent researcher in the field of invasive plant species and a world renowned entomologist. His work on pest management has been highly applauded globally.
Dr. Muniappan has been involved in a range of research grants, predominately aiming to manage invasive weeds and insect pests in countries most vulnerable to their threat. In 2006, he joined Virginia Tech to lead the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Integrated Pest Management. During his last visit to Nepal in May 2022, Gobinda Prasad Pokharel talked with Dr. Muniappan about the biological invasion and pest management practices in Nepal and across the globe.
Rangaswamy ‘ Muni ‘ Muniappan, Director, IPM Innovation Lab, International Research, Education & Development. Photo Dr. Muniapann
Gobinda:How do you assess the status of invasive species invasion and trends around the world?
Invasive plants have been problem for some time and have increased in spread due to the globalization of trade and the movement of people. Invasive plants and pests are getting moved around. Often, people introduce ornamental plants without knowing their invasion threat. They don’t realize the threats, as some plants often carry small insects or fungi or microorganisms. They travel with plants and get established in new countries/regions. Sometimes the plant itself is invasive.
For example, water hyacinth has nice flowers and grows well in ponds. So, from South America it got introduced to Australia to Asia and to Africa, where it forms thick mats on the water bodies and forms thickets.. The same is true for Lantana, which has beautiful flowers. People took the plant to different parts of the world. The seeds of Lantana camara (Kande Banphada) are dispersed by birds, and it is now spreading all over Asia and Africa, where it crowds out grazing and agricultural lands.
Another invasive plant isChromolaenaodorata (Seto banmara). It was introduced by the British in 1935 in the Calcutta Botanical Garden as an ornamental plant. It escaped from the garden and spread outside aggressively in south and south east Asia, particularly in the humid tropics. Its seeds were transferred from India to Ghana or Nigeria through contaminated seeds of the forest tree Gmelina arborea, and in that process, the weed was transferred to Africa.
In 2002, he was working in Guam, and a man called and said, “My papaya tree has a white coating, can you tell me what it is?” He asked him to bring the specimen, and He checked it. It was a mealybug. It was not a problem before, but in 2002 it became a problem in Guam. He sent the specimen to the Natural History Museum, London for identification, and it was found to be a new mealybug to Guam and they told him to communicate with the US Department of Agriculture( USDA). It confirmed that the mealybug was originally from Mexico, where the bug also had some parasitoids that controlled it.
In 2006, I was working at Virginia Tech and traveling to Nepal, Bangladesh, India, and Africa. In 2008, I went to India, and saw this mealybug in the southern part of the country. I knew the species was new to India and originally from Mexico, so I went to the Indian Council of Agriculture Research and told them it’s a new mealybug to India that should be managed. They listened, but did not take it seriously. In 2010, the mealybug started moving from the southern part of India to the northern part and began attacking mulberry plants, papaya, and other plants.
When the pest started attacking mulberry plants, farmers could not use insecticides because the mulberry is grown for silkworms. Thereafter, the ICAR authorities contacted me and asked for my recommendation. Parasitoids were imported from the laboratory in Puerto Rico, cultured at Bangalore, and released to control the mealybug. Now, this mealybug is present in Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, but the parasitoid also moved with it and is controlling the pest.
Gobinda: You are the first person to alert the Nepal government about the Fall Armyworm and Tuta absoluta (South American tomato leafminer), two pests causing problems in the country. What are your observations of the pests?
Tuta absoluta(common name is south American tomato leafminer) is a South American pest. It is found all over South America. It is a small moth. It was introduced to Spain by accident in 2006. The population that reached Spain was from Chile originally, and it started to spread in Europe, then it crossed the Mediterranean Sea and reached Morocco and other countries in the northern part of Africa. Then it started to spread all over Africa. In 2013, when I came to know it started to spread in Ethiopia, I took scientists from East Africa to Ethiopia and conducted an awareness workshop.
I also took scientists from Nepal and India to this workshop to create awareness about this pest. Later, we also conducted an awareness workshop in Nepal for scientists and administrators to be prepared for its management when it invades. I gave them pheromone traps so that they could set them up in their countries to monitor the pest. As soon as the pest is found in the trap they could recognize its arrival.
Gobinda: Tuta absoluta attacks tomato and fall armyworm attacks maize. You trained Nepali researchers on these pests and their management. Why do you think these pests are still a problem?
The tomato leafminer only attacks tomato. The other crops are not affected seriously. It will go to potato but the damage is minimal. The scientists who modeled the spread of this species found that tomato transportation through trucks from one city to other cities is a major cause of the spread. This pest cannot fly long distances.
I expected Tuta absoluta will come from Africa to the Middle East to Afghanistan and from Pakistan to the northern part of India. But what happened was that it came from Africa to the Middle East. Large numbers of workers from Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and Philippines work in the Middle East and they travel once a year to their native countries, inadvertently introducing the tomato leafminer to India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. It was first found near Pune in Maharashtra. In Nepal, this pest was first found in Kathmandu, not in southern Nepal. It is possible that it got introduced from India or directly from the Middle East through the workers.
Gobinda: What is the possibility of a food crisis in Nepal or South Asia?
Well, the fall armyworm attacks maize and other crops are not affected that much. Nepal has maize growing in Terai and midhills. In middle hills it is grown as food crop, and FAW could cause severe damage to the crops unless proper control measures are adopted.
Gobinda: You have taken Nepali agricultural scientists to be trained in Ethiopia, but the problem of these pests is still alarming. What is your opinion?
The problem is when an invasive pest comes in, it is not easy to come up with an immediate solution. The immediate reaction to manage these pests with the use of pesticides. There are problems with indiscriminate use of pesticides. I went to Kapilvastu during my recent field visit looking for parasitoids in the field. One of the farmers said he had sprayed the field with a pesticide the day before. I asked what kind of pesticide he used.
He said that he had the chemical at his home. He went back to his home and brought it to show me. The liquid pesticide was stored in a mountain dew bottle. He got the chemical in a discarded bottle because he couldn’t buy the whole container of the pesticide in its original labeled container. He had no label or information on the pesticide. He had no information on the toxic nature of pesticide, the amount to be used, post entry interval, or safe disposal. This leads to misuse of pesticides, resulting in adverse impacts to human and environmental health.
When a pest gets introduced to a new place, the population goes up and it will come down in the third or fourth year after its introduction, but may or may not come down below the economic threshold level. If it does not come down then we have to introduce some interventions to bring it down below the economic threshold level. So, we are currently working on exploring for introduction of interventions that are effective, safe, and sustainable.
There are scientists with different opinions. My approach is to utilize local parasitoids, or natural enemies to supress a pest. So far, we identified two egg parasitoids of fall armyworm and are planning to produce them in large numbers in Nepal. We are establishing nucleus centres at Khumaltar and in Rampur NARC laboratories, and setting up satellite centres in provinces all over Nepal. These nuclear centres produce the parasitoids and they have human and institutional resources and knowledge. They provide training to satellite centres. The satellite centres could be related to provincial or local governments, cooperatives, or private entrepreneurs.
Gobinda: Are you focusing only on biological measures?
Gobinda: You’ve been working in pest management in different countries. What should Nepal do in the coming future to prevent invasion of pests?
Nepal needs to get prepared for future invasive pests. The country has many researchers and research institutions working in pest management. It has Plant Quarantine and Pesticide Management Centre (PQPMC). They all need to work together to develop programs to address invasive pests. We are also working PQPMC in reviewing quarantine and pesticides regulations. Chemical pesticides that are banned or whose registration has been withdrawn in developed countries should not be used.
Gobinda: In terms of pest management, we often depend on pesticides. While you are helping to culture biological control, pesticide use is increasing. What do you think of this?
It’s a good question. The use of chemical pesticides is increasing for various reasons. There are biological pesticides or natural enemies available to control pests. Some could be produced locally in Nepal. Trichoderma, for example, is a beneficial fungus. When I went to an Indian university in 2007, they took me around the campus and showed me a plant pathology building. There, they were selling Trichoderma. I asked them to whom they sell. They said they sold to farmers and there is great demand for it. Their plant pathology building was built from the sales of Trichoderma.
Unfortunately, pesticide companies often offer initiatives to agro-vets such as if they sell a couple of pesticide containers, they get one bottle of pesticide free, or other lucrative offers.. Such tactics promote sale of chemical pesticides and there indiscriminate use.
Now, Trichoderma is a very popular biological product in Nepal’s agricultural landscape. Other companies are also interested in producing this product and some are inoculating it in compost. We are encouraging some students and other youth to produce Trichoderma in their villages either to use it in their own farms or to sell to the neighbouring farmers.
The fungal, viral and bacterial bio-agents are amenable for storage, but insect parasitoids and predators have to be used within a short time. We are actively promoting use of biopesticides in Nepal.
Gobinda: In the near future do you see the arrival of new pest species in Nepal impacting the agro-ecosystem?
There is a good possibility. There are several invasive pest species in Nepal that are yet to be identified. Recently, a professor of Tribhuvan University, Bharat Babu Shrestha, who works on invasive plant species, identified a few new invasive alien plant species in Nepal, including Mimosa diplotricha. The IPM Innovation Lab project organized pest alert programs in Jhapa, Morang districts, and Kavre districts in April 2022 with the collaboration of PQPMC and Tribhuvan University. This is the first time this type of pest alert program was conducted in Nepal. The PQPMC has a mandate to work on the invasive species. We work with research and regulatory bodies to manage invasive pest species by adopting different appropriate technologies.
Gobinda: What would you like to say to Nepali researchers?
Several improvements can be made. Research and extension could be better integrated with universities, government research institutions, and regulatory bodies to work together to address problems faced by the farmers. For example, Tribhuvan University faculty have done a lot of work on identification of invasive weeds and their impact on human and environmental health, but this work needs to be integrated with management of invasive weeds by the PQPMC and Department of Agriculture.
For the management of invasive insects, NARC, Agriculture and Forestry University, and other universities should conduct research on their identification and economic damage, and work with NGOs, value chain projects, and Department of Agriculture for management activities. They have to transfer their laboratory findings to the fields for the benefit of the farmers.
Time is a simple word, though it remains truly the most mysterious and vicious phenomena, where every living and non-living ones are its victim. This antediluvian force of nature shows no mercy as it moves along every path, every corner sniffing over its wounded and marks victory over one after another. Time mystifies us with the maze of moments and wraps up in the illusion that it would last forever.
Indeed, some gets time and some even gets the time of their lives but as one stares at the clock know for sure that time is creeping in onto her/his territory. And with the fractured youth and battered adolescent, one finds her/himself feeble against the ultimate ambush of time as it calmly introduces the being to the prime truth of all.
Tirelessly, we chase the days as we make it to the journey of life as we know it. The fixture of sunrise and sunset detonates the moments, and all familiarity seems like occasions held seconds ago. There is no escape. The mystic hands of the clock never greet one at the same spot twice.
But, what if we could actually travel back in time and into the future? There has always been a great deal of interest in time travel. It has been the center of many science fictions. And frankly, who wouldn’t want to travel through time and aspire to a part of this surreal experience? Through time travel and consequently with the aid of time machine, one can explore the different periods of time, both in the context of past and of the future and in that way, one can somewhat overlook the existent that is traditionally allocated to him/her.
The idea of time travel has fascinated human beings for quite some time and from scientists to writers to artists, everybody alike fancied the idea of time travel, pondered about going back to the past as well as take a journey into the future and ultimately unlock and master the mysteries of time itself. And, the Bangladeshi author Obaidur Rahman’s book “The Mystery of Time Travel” rather timely tells the story of the spectacular journey of the phenomena now known as Time Travel.
One of the most enthralling questions that we often find ourselves asking is that whether time travel is a possibility? Indeed, this question: “Is time travel really possible?” truly stirs up peoples’ minds and here on Earth, people have always had an avid interest in this surreal, captivating, remarkable and thought-provoking aspect like the time travel.
To be honest, who doesn’t want to go back in time to the past as well as travel to the future, all via with the aid of some time machine, and eagerly explore the realities and innovations of the different thresholds of time in their own respective context?
A lot of research has been done on the science of time travel and the philosophy concerning its reality, countless books have been written, a lot of movies, documentaries, TV programs have been made and so on. And with every new scientific growth, and with every new possibility, alongside the mystique of the very nature of time travel itself, our interest in the time travel phenomena grows a little further and further.
Even though it is mostly the Western countries that are actively involved in the studies, research and experiments concerning time travel, but despite the lack of technological know-how, there is a great deal of academic interest as well as natural enthusiasm concerning this grand and an exciting scientific topic like time travel in various parts of the world as well.
And as a reflection of that, writer Obaidur Rahman, with his new book “The Mystery of Time Travel” attempted to understand and enlighten on the facts and details concerning the possibility and the reality of time travel as per easily understood scientific facts, available information, historical research, philosophy and rational human understanding.
This book is in the English language in, a very simple and easily comprehensible way, author Obaidur Rahman, describes his methodical research and skillful presentation and tries to present various scientific, philosophical, and technical aspects related to time travel in a fairly reasonable manner that surely sheds light on the logical possibilities related to time travel to the readers.
The book “The Mystery of Time Travel” consists of five chapters, in which the author analyzes many theoretical and imperative issues related to time travel, all with impressive wisdom and simplicity. Through his writing, the author Obaidur Rahman, by his book, has tried to highlight various aspects of time travel with the aid of his investigative state of mind, accompanied by both passion and rationale that truly complimented the very topic of time travel itself.
The five chapters of the book “The Mystery of Time Travel” discuss the vital and appropriate topics of time travel, like:
the variousinterpretationsn/understandings/analysis of what exactly is time travel and what time travel signifies from a scientific and commonsensical point of view.
various timetravel-themedd events throughout history, many of whichhaves mythological as well as sensible connotation to them.
our understanding of time itself from a pure scientific and philosophical standpoint.
various scientific and technological challenges of time travel from the perspective of reality and physics, where the issue of time travel paradox is discussed in detail.
a description of the ways and the few methods of the process, where time travel might actually be possible and what scientific approaches would likely enable human beings to travel to the past and future through a time machine device.
With some fascinating insights, spell bounding information and logical analysis, the book has attempted to explain various complex scientific terms and elements as easily as possible and that is one of the many features that will surely tempt the reader to be captivated by the workings of this very book.
Author Obaidur Rahman, in his “The Mystery of Time Travel”, through his penmanship, analyzed various academic subjects related to time travel such as: Physics, Astronomy, Philosophy, and History etc., all in a very competent, eloquent and scientific manner. This “The Mystery of Time Travel” book also aims to keep the reader focused on the logic of the possibility of time travel and convinces the reader on grand prospect of this almost other worldly/other dimensional phenomenon with scientific paradigm and absolute academic logic.
A large part of the book takes on discussion concerning the various thrilling and significant facets of time travel in the light of modern physics, such as:
The possibility of time travel through black holes,
The reality of time travel in Einstein’s theory and how time travel could be achieved from the perspective of Stephen Hawking’s ideas.
How to convert a wormhole into a time machine.
Can time travel takes place with the help of a spaceship that can run at the speed of light.
How gravity can open the door to time travel across the realm of space-time, and along with many other significant topics that will allow the reader to take an in-depth look at the true nature of time travel.
Needless to say, since the dawn of last century, scientists have been relentlessly researching and exploring to make time travel a reality. However, officially speaking, no specific answer or conclusive evidence has reached the public as yet in this regard. And perhaps one of the main reasons for this is the extreme secrecy of all research on time travel and time machines, which the Western countries generally maintain very seriously. However, author Obaidur Rahman, like many others, believes that, time travel is definitely possible, although the method is very complicated and almost near impossible to achieve as it challenges and distorts our conventional notion of reality.
Undoubtedly, the book “The Mystery of Time Travel” will inspire readers to be eagerly inquisitive about a fascinating subject matter of time travel. The author’s highly informative and easy-to-read account of all the fascinating facts about the science and philosophy of time travel, which is indeed a significant culmination of his dedicated research, is sure to both inform and enlighten readers on this fascinating topic.
Author Obaidur Rahman hopes that, this book of his, “The Mystery of Time Travel”, will be widely appreciated by the readers all across the globe. Readers can download the PDF version of the book fairly easily from the author’s website: (https://independent.academia.edu/ObaidurRahman26).
“The Mystery of Time Travel” is the 4th book by the author Obaidur Rahman and is published by Sleek Publications.
Undergoing the possible broadest approaches to understand the vastly different characteristics of human behaviors and experiences as wholesome. The entire process of being ‘human’ is studied in Anthropology. Anthropologists study the oldest pasts through archaeological facts to see how human societies have lived for thousands of years and how they have interacted with the natural world.
To get a deeper understanding of the subject matter, we talked with renowned Pakistani Anthropologist; Dr. Prof. Abid Ghafoor Chaudhry. He has more than 25 years of expertise as an Anthropologist in Research and Academia. Dr. Abid has three masters’ in Anthropology, Political Science & International Relations.
I think the strengthening of the Local Government System, I believe, will help bring all civic facilities to the doorsteps of local communities. Photo: Dr. Abid
Entering his room made me realize how closely he mentors his students, as he was frankly discussing societal topics with one of his students, which I found rare these days. He completed his Ph.D. from Quaid E Azam University, Islamabad. He’s a proud zealot of John Locke’s “Inductive Reasoning Methods”, and a beautiful portrait of John Locke hangs in his office at the Pir Mehr Ali Shah Agriculture Arid University – Rawalpindi, where he currently serves as the Chairman of the Department of the Anthropology.
Following are the excerpts of this highly informative and intriguing conversation with Dr. Abid.
Did anyone inspire you to become an anthropologist?
Dr. Abid: Well, in my youth at the QAU, I wanted a broader and global approach to thinking, reinventing, and grasping the world’s issues. So, I undertook Anthropology as an international and timelessly historical approach to understanding human society and its structure, where I can have a deeper understanding of how humans have been throughout history, since the prehistoric times, when humans started to use stones when they initially learned how to grow food- till today, when we have the foremost technological advancements, and the globe is changing, as of every moment. So, I became an Anthropologist to absorb things on a comprehensive and inclusive scale.
What is the most valuable anthropological work that you have done so far?
Dr. Abid: Well, working within the field is always an enthusiastic opportunity for me. I have learned a lot of historical heritage truths that our region has to offer. Fortunately, I have the opportunity to work with the Government of Pakistan, the Punjab Government, the Survey of Pakistan, Lok Virsa, the United Nations, and many diverse platforms.
Mostly, my work has been in political anthropology, where I have learned the significance of agriculture and politics being undertaken in our enriched civilization. I’m referring to the indigenous knowledge system we have acquired, created, and secured.
I have been inspired mostly by studying Jirga/ Panchayat System, where they have developed the community and family system throughout the centuries, people lived and prospered for so long, and the rights have been distributed towards the grassroots. How people linked with an agriculture-based economy for most of the modern historical period, has numerous connections with their lives politically and in form of justice, population management, and the hierarchies it had.
This has contributed to our self-sufficiency regarding food security, residential system, and overall livelihoods, which are the threats to today’s civilizations. So, summing up, I believe if managed and covered up properly through legislation and acknowledgment, this can help Pakistan claim its future development and growth as a nation from micro to overall national scale. I have done numerous papers with colleagues to highlight the solutions and advantages of this system for decades that we have enjoyed as a region for centuries.
How could we boost public interest in anthropology in Pakistan?
Dr. Abid: Well, this is one of the foremost questions I always ask my faculty and colleagues. I believe there are two most critical counterproductive problems in this regard. First, as social scientists, we have not successfully made our work very appealing or communicative. We must find ways to outreach the general public and address all kinds of audiences.
We should redefine our academic culture to be less complicated and connect anthropology and other social sciences relevant to people. Secondly, social sciences must be included in other disciplines, such as pure sciences, engineering, and technologies. This is time to initiate interdisciplinary studies, everything remains in harmony with diverse connections, and eventually, we might be able to increase the public interest and concern.
What does our anthropological history suggest? What can we gain through knowing it?
Dr. Abid: I have studied that we are the inheritors of great civilizations historically, we have had our own culture for thousands of years, and the “Indigenous Knowledge System” has benefited and supported our lives in applications of agriculture, housing, and family system. We have had self-sufficiency and as well exportation potential in history.
Our country has Indus Valley Civilization, Gandhara, Mehrgarh and so on. This is our heritage; we developed one of the most advanced systems of farming, irrigation and even modern cities in form of Mohenjo Daro, where our ancestors had planned urban cities thousands of years ago. What I learned is that we must have to develop and continue a connection with our heritage and history; in this way, we will be able to be self-sufficient and self-indulgent.
For a better future, what is more critical: New philosophy of life & Society and morals or new technologies and scientific solutions?
Dr. Abid: This was one of the critical questions. I believe that we in academia/research must start asking today because we are responsible for shaping the country’s narrative as social scientists and intellectuals. I believe the time has come to welcome “Human Sciences & Cultural Studies” together; the students and people must possess philosophical thinking and the urge to question what’s wrong and right morally while being able to find modern scientific methods at their dispense to use and embed for leading the progression and direction of our society.
I always advise my students to undertake a few courses in pure sciences. One of the other things that I remember anthropologically, there were two methods of logic being developed in earlier times, the “Deduction and Induction”, but the deduction remains popular today, from my perspective of social sciences, I believe we should be inclusive of both narratives, we must learn to see both sides and seek the overall picture, when questioning a phenomenon in life.
COVID-19 presents the potential for people and groups to become exposed to harm in new ways. How do you think that the pandemic has changed our lives?
Dr. Abid: Yes, COVID has certainly impacted our lives to a massive turnout. Thousands of people died after it spread, and many lost their jobs. Subsequently, we also relied on data to counter this catastrophe; we went to undergo “Smart-Lockdowns” and became one of the top countries globally to tackle the impact of the pandemic. On the other hand, I believe that we have reached a higher level of comfort and convenience while including technologies in our lives, especially the online methods that have been boosted since the pandemic.
We can reach millions through social media. We can deliver distance learning programs to students sittings anywhere in the world. We have seen services such as Foodpanda, Bykea and others transforming our daily lives. We have services to call and use in our pockets through cell phones. We are saving our time and fuel by working from home, the human lives have improved to quite an extent, I have observed, through digitalization. So, there are both consequences in this matter. Indeed, we also have to develop our healthcare system for convenience.
Political anthropology examines and compares the diverse systems of social control. What do you think about the power structure in Pakistani society?
Dr. Abid. Power structures/hierarchies have been very complex in Pakistan since its creation. Today, Pakistan is divided into various power divisions. At first, we have federal and then provincial levels. But, in addition, we have four further administrative segments; i-e, divisions, districts, tehsil and union councils. I think the strengthening of the Local Government System, I believe, will help bring all civic facilities to the doorsteps of local communities.
Like the traditional “Panchayat System”, the local government system is the relevant forum where local issues and legal matters can be solved and accessible to every citizen. To me, the development of Pakistan means strengthened local communities so they could be free to plan and implement locally conceived remedies for problems the communities face. Devolution of Power shall help allow people to witness development on a sustainable basis.
The boredom was killing her. Jemima was tired of all her usual activities of the summer. She was fed up with watching Netflix, done with all her reading lists, was not motivated to make more paintings and it was too hot to go outside or in the kitchen to bake. She was musing over her practically dull life when her mother’s suggestion brightened up her mood.
“Let’s get you a pet. I think it would be a good experience for you to take care of a living thing for a change.”
The very same afternoon, as Jemima entered the pet store with her mother, she was met with an array of sounds, smells and a terrific sight. Birds of all sizes with sharp eyes and funny beaks squawked and screeched at her. Cats with furry tails and sly eyes meowed at her. Little playful puppies wagged their tails and woofed from their cages, trying to grab her attention. All of them seemed too noisy or demanding, and a bit overwhelming.
The shopkeeper gave a laugh at her expression and guided her to another section of the store, which was full of aquariums of different sizes with fish of every shade, size and texture you could possibly imagine. This part of the store seemed magical to Jemima, who stood transfixed in front of the biggest aquarium, which held about fifty or so goldfish. The way they rhythmically wriggled their bodies through the water, their shiny skin sparkling silver light and their little mouths popping open and close as if reciting a mantra was so mesmerizing.
It was difficult choosing from the fish. All of them were eager to touch her finger which she placed onto the glass, trying to nibble at it. It made her bubble with laughter to see these little creatures move about in the water. After a good half hour, there was one that caught her eye. The goldfish was of a slightly lighter orange with her underside, fins, and some of her face pearl white. It reminded Jemima of the swirls on a lotus cheesecake dessert,
Lotus, she thought. Perfect.
“That one! That one over there is perfect!”
……….
Over the next few days, Jemima became an expert in fish caring. She would spend most of the hours beside her fish in her little bowl, fuss over changing her water, putting some pebbles at the bottom and feeding her. Lotus would swim about busily, uninterested in Jemima’s attention or of her imitating fish faces through the glass.
To Jemima, it felt like the fish was ignoring her. She complained about it to her mother.
“Well, Jem, I told you a fish would be a bit boring for a pet. I guess she just misses being with her family.” Her mother suggested.
That got Jemima thinking. She knew that animals did not have the cognitive capabilities of humans, but did fish have feelings? Did they need their family members close by to stay safe and connected? Surely, they must feel awkward in a bowl of water and some rocks with some human peering over them every few minutes. She opened her laptop to find out more.
To her surprise, she found out that fish were cognitively intelligent organisms that could exhibit emotions and feelings as well. She found the book of Jonathan Balcombe, an author and head of an animal welfare organization and started skimming through it. Within a timespan of a few minutes, she became familiar with many new concepts about fish.
Fish can feel pain and they choose their environment according to their mood and pain. In an experiment, zebrafish were divided into two groups, one injected with a pain-inducing acid and the other with just saline water. Both groups were then given a painkiller injection. The fish that were given the acid moved to darker and barren parts of the experimental tank where there were no rocks or coral and preferred to stay alone.
Probably like I want to be shut up all by myself in my room when I’m feeling hurt, thought Jemima.
Fish could also remember and recognize human faces, according to another study. When a group of underwater scientists regularly swam to a school of fish, these fish started recognizing them. They would come to the humans to be petted, turn over and be playful just like your pet dog would be. Fish in aquariums can also learn tricks taught by their human owners like flipping, swimming in circles, chasing small floating toys or jumping through hoops.
Like animals in a circle, thought Jemima. I wonder if I could teach Lotus a trick or two. And I wonder if he recognizes my face yet and feels happy to see me.
Fish also communicated with each other in different ways. One amusing example given was of the herrings, who passed gas from their anus and made sounds which they used to communicate each other. Jemima burst forth into peals of laughter after she read the term ‘flatulent communication’.
Every fish was bound to have a personality of its own. In a school of fish, some are bolder and more adventurous, and they tend to lead the group, while others are observed to be timid and remain within the center of the group.
I wonder what sort of fish Lotus is, Jemima thought. She seems to be bored and longing some adventure, I guess.
Fish were extra quick and efficient learners; they could learn to use tools and employ tricks for their benefits, like squirting a jet of water above the surface to capture an insect.
I must get small marbles, and hoops and other fish toys for Lotus, Jemima promised herself.
Fish are social animals and stay happy with fellow friends and fish. Although they do not have facial expressions, you can tell by their restlessness or different behavior that they’re yearning for a partner.
Jemima closed her laptop. A wave of grief and guilt washed over her as she looked over at Lotus swimming around in its bowl.
Over the next few days, Jemima shifted her fish into a bigger bowl with pebbles at the bottom and small plastic plants bought from the gift shop. She got small floating plastic rings as well, which she threw one by one to Lotus. To her surprise, the fish swam through the hole of each loop, flipped over and them wagged its tail, as though happy and excited.
“Well, someone other than me was also definitely bored.” Jemima laughed.
She made a short and simple documentary on ‘fish have feelings too’, recording Lotus sad in her initial boring bowl and then Lotus in her new bowl with the toys and pebbles, flipping and tossing around happily.
After the summer break, she showed the video to her whole class and teacher, explaining about what she’d learnt about fish psychology. Her teacher was proud of her and exclaimed at her having a productive summer break.
………..
One thing that gnawed at Jemima though was the fact that Lotus was still alone. She decided what to do, although it was a difficult choice for her. The following weekend, she went to the beach with her family. She took Lotus with her in a jar.
“Are you sure, Jemima?” her mother asked her again.
“Yes, mom. Lotus deserves to be happy like all of us too. And free.”
She opened the jar and Lotus swam to the surface. Jemima lovingly stroked the fish’s head with a finger and whispered,” Stay happy. I’ll never forget you!”
She toppled over the jar, and Lotus fell into the vast water, disappearing among the waves. Jemima stood there peering, and after a few seconds, the little fish came up to the water. It was moving its mouth as if thanking her. Jemima smiled and turned away.
A team of researchers at Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) has done a ground breaking reseaarch on the local production of third-generation biofuel or bioenergy. This team of researchers led by Dr. Faiza Nadeem from the department of Biotechnology, used textile wastewater as a nutrient source to generate algae biomass for biofuel production”.
According to Dr. Faiza, “with different chemicals draining from wastewater, the biochemical makeup of algae could catalyze those chemicals and regulate the composition of waste chemicals for reuse and meet regulatory standards.” To recycle wastewater, she and her team extracted indigenous algae from seawater, as well as, freshwater from different regions of Pakistan, and further examine its utility in the wastewater of the textile industry. The algal species has not been disclosed yet.
The primary aim of this research is to generate massive amounts of biofuel with a cost-effective method and increase water sustainability. Dr. Faiza further mentions that “If the authority permits biofuel for commercial use, instead of petrol or diesel, the cost would decline by 10 times.”
Significanse of biofuel in todays’ world
At present, the fuel price is hiking up at a significant rate, and it’s not just Pakistan. Countries around the world are experiencing such increments and searching for an alternative way to cope with fuel prices. Among many, countries like Brazil and the US, are generating biofuel from edible sources, such as sugarcane and corn, respectively.
In contrast, Pakistan would be facing a food shortage crisis if implemented such methods for energy sources. In fact, as per stats of 2018, around 21.9 percent of Pakistan’s population is below the poverty line. Additionally, Pakistan has an inadequate area to grow plants, for biofuel production, as the population is continuously expanding exponentially.
On the other side, the textile industry, among the top 3 major contributors to the country, utilizes gallons of water, draining with it dyes and other chemicals which require immediate treatment, before the water is disposed of the water body or to be reused. Among others, biofuel extraction from algal biomass (a.k.a third-generation biofuel) has been proven the efficient way for Pakistan.
Like other phytoorganisms, algae require certain nutrients, along with inorganic carbon sources, which are usually carbon dioxide and sunlight to grow their biomass and produce around 70 to 80 percent lipid content for biofuel production. The climate and environment of Pakistan, composing lots of carbon dioxide and sunlight exposure could be the place to cultivate algae at a low cost. The budget that would be required for biomass growth is for nutrients.
