New Science

New science can change subconscious programming quickly, contrary to popular belief it doesn't take years to change, it can happen in a matter of hours. What I am about to share in this life changing, to boost the power of the mind, and to achieve top performance.

To understand the new science we have to realize that each person has two minds, the conscious and the subconscious. The conscious mind belongs to you, but your subconscious belongs to society, family, schools, and anyone who had a hand in molding your programming as a child. The subconscious mind receives images, information, whether good or bad, and records it and implant the new information permanently in the subconscious. This is done while you're sleeping and suddenly you're a different person than you were the night before. Why? The new information that been programmed to change your belief and the way you think, and you can't erase it. You are continuously evolving with new information, and the recordings play back over and over again.

This playback is the most important influence in the success or failure of a person's life. Though a person is not consciously aware, these tapes are constantly on, controlling the directions and limitations of life. The secret to overcome self defeating thoughts and behaviors is to change these tapes. How can that be done? Remember the recordings are permanent. DVD's and E-books are ineffective in altering or changing the mind set in the subconscious, with only 30 minute sessions. They speak mainly to the conscious mind that quickly forgets. Furthermore, the conscious mind can only remember for 20 seconds, process about 3,000 bits per second and can only handle one or two tasks at a time. On the other hand, the subconscious can remember many things indefinitely, can process over 38 billion bits per second and is multi-task orientated.

The subconscious retains over 16,000 hours of negative or useless information, that's equivalent to 16 years. If a person hired you to do a job, such as demolishing a wall, and asked if you were capable of doing it in a few hours while he ran errands. The problem is you do not have a paint brush with you, you don't have the right tools to do the job. So what would you do? What some people would do is paint the wall to give it a beautiful finish and try to convince the owner that he should keep the wall intact because it's more appealing to the eye. Many self-help gurus that are self-appointed experts try to convince you as the painter and there programs are weak and ineffective just as the paint brush. Many programs lack the knowledge, energy, and techniques to change subconscious programming.

Since its conception in 2006, 21st G Factor, has empowered Entrepreneurs to strive to exert knowledge, power, leadership and development. Entrepreneurs will have the ability and skill set to formulate one's marketing thumbprint or their DNA in the marketing industries.

Using the systems will help reconfigure the ability to think as a high end marketer to formulate concepts and lead others to a level of wealth.

New Solar Energy

Today by the word ‘CRUNCH’ we don’t mean chocolate like perk or wafers, it cruelly indicates ‘CRISIS’ and it has proved to be the most threatening and famous word of the previous year as well as the present year. Almost all the world has fallen in the ditch of financial crunch, food crunch and energy crunch.

Economists and financial experts all over the world are thinking hard about the ‘way out’. Un-like the rest of the world, Pakistan observed energy crunch in the form of ‘long unannounced load shedding hours’, which affected not only the individuals but also the businesses operating within Pakistan.                      The need of the hour is to think like a true leader and entrepreneur in order to solve this energy crisis.

SOLAR ENERGY or Solar Cell is the key idea which gives a light of hope towards finding the solution of this ‘energy crises. Solar cells are not very famous in Pakistan and still a lot of research is needed to be done on these solar panels in order to reduce high costs. Although solar cell is very expensive but in my opinion this cost can be reduced by doing more research on these solar cells. Solar panels are successfully used and applied in many other countries of the world like, Germany and France.

The positive point about solar cells is that after the initial investment there are no electricity bills afterwards. Houses and factories having solar cells will not face long hour load shedding and like this industrial as well as the agricultural sector will flourish. Solar cells are believed to be a wise life time investment.

When we think about the major stopping factor in this business idea, which is its high purchasing cost, we might feel that we can’t afford making a solar cell. But let me remind you dear country fellows…if we can make an atom bomb then we can make a solar cell as well suiting and assisting us in many ways.

Business can run with innovation and new ideas. And a successful businessman is the one who has the ability to see the old things in a new combination for new uses.

Being a young entrepreneur mind student/professional we should come up with solutions and ideas in order to assist our country.

And it’s a famous business quotation that;
‘An idea to which all agree at once without resistance is not a good business idea’

Innovation and new things always bring resistance, uncertainties, doubts and objections…but even then it does not prove that the innovative idea is defective and impractical. Everything is possible only if we dare to believe and act.

With solar energy there is no need of the burning of natural resources and no pollution is caused.

Government should take initiative in this solar energy and solar cell plan and business idea in order to make it successful and to reduce and control the energy crisis with in Pakistan. Remember developing countries like Pakistan can’t afford the aftermath of this energy crisis so we should start looking for alternatives and energy producing methods which may benefit the country in the long run.

Kismat & Muqaddar

I’ve been thinking for a long time that both ‘kismet’ and ‘muqaddar’ are two names of a same thing, but later I found a difference and relation in both the terms. I’ve asked my friends about this difference, and they replied with variety of interesting views, which I’ll share later.

The debate started with the point that if ‘kismet’ and muqaddar’ are the names of same thing then why it is said that ‘kismet is made by an individual’ (insaan apni kismet khud banata hai) and ‘muqaddar can’t be changed’ (muqaddar ka likha koi nahi mita sakta). This made us all to think about the difference of both the terms, and everyone has come up with some really good points. This difference of ‘kismet’ and ‘muqaddar’ can be in variety of dimentions. I tried to relate both the terms in some systematic way. And here goes my explanation. In my opinion ‘kismet’ is something combination of ‘hardwork’ and ‘opportunity’. It is all about how well you manage a particular situation, how well you organize different activities of life and how effectively you order or arrange patterns and schedules along with constructive ideas and activites. For example ‘A’ appeared in exam and scored good marks. A’s success can be termed as his ‘kismet’ here which he made himself by availing an opportunity (appearing in exam) and hardwork. In case if A would have missed any of these two components, he won’t have scored high score and hence couldn’t have made ‘kismet’, for instance he won’t have scored high score if he had not appeared in the exam but worked hard or if he had not worked hard but appeared in exam.

On the other hand ‘muqaddar’ is series of ‘kismet’ combined with some predetermined routines or schedules, i.e. birth, death etc. These routines and schedules are divine in nature and are difficult to change. For example one cannot edit his birth or death time, but between these two ends (birth and death) he can have access to perform activities in his desired way (but not always *). ‘Muqaddar’ in my opinion is a complete schedule of one’s activities during his life span, and these activities are scheduled by the creator. Point is to be noted here that only activities are scheduled by the creator, not the way of performing them, as Allah SWT has blessed humans with ‘wisdom’ and allowed them to select the way of their own choice to perform those predetermined activities. For example a crises comes in one’s life (may be as a result of his own deeds or may be as a result of some unknown factors), it may be considerd as predetermined, but strategies one will use to come out of this crises are not predetermined, these strategies depend completely on that individual. In a nut shell, opportunities and crises are smaller parts of one’s life, and by handling all these at individual level he makes his ‘kismet’ and the sum total of these opportunities and crises of one’s life is his ‘muqaddar’.

I’m of the opinion that if one can bring a change in ‘kismet’, he can bring change in ‘muqaddar’ (to some extent) as well. Here Muskan asked me that how can ‘muqaddar be changed, while one’s birth, death and ‘rizq’ are predetermined. As far as birth and death are concerned I agree but for rizq I’ve a little disagreement. I’d like to quote some text of my readings of some good times when I used to read about historical events. I’ve two different stories in my mind and I’ll just summarize them. First one is about a labrour in the times of Hazrat Mosa A.S and Pharaoh. Pharaoh used to be very cruel with labourers. Labourers used to have very less wages and most of the time their wages were stopped for unknown reasons as well, in this situation it was very difficult for them to have food atleast once in a day. And most of the time they used to have food after two or three days. There was one labourer (I don’t remember his name) among all who was in worse condition, he had four children, and a wife. He never had a tummy full of food. Once his neighbour was having very good meal but he and his children were hungry more than ever before, so he asked his neighbour for some food but he hid fearing that may be he won’t have anything to eat on the next day. One day the man asked Hazrat Mosa to ask his God that why he’s having so much scaracity of food throughout his life. Mosa asked God and replied to the man with God’s answer that ‘it’s written in his muqaddar that he’ll have very less to eat throughout his life’. The man then asked Mosa to request God to give the whole food of his life to him at once. When Mosa forwarded his request, God wanted the man to have another look at the request because if he’s given the entire food supply of his life at once he’ll not be able to have food any more. At this man said that it’s no problem for him, because he wants to feel the pleasure of ‘no-hunger’. So the man was supplied with the complete food of his life. The man and his family ate till they were no more hungry. Some of the food was still left, so the man wanted to give that to his hungry neighbour (who once refused to give him the food). Man’s wife protested by holding that it’s the final supply from God and he’ll never have any food supply after this, so he should keep this safe for next meal, but the man replied that he requested God to give him food enough to make him feel the pleasure of ‘no-hunger’, and God did so, now he has nothing to do with the remaining food. So he gave that food to his neighbour.
Mosa have not been there for a long period and after some years he got back there he was told about a generous person who daily distributes free food among poor. When Mosa visited him he was amazed to see that he was same person who once asked God for the food of his whole life at once. Mosa asked the god about this mystry and God said, ‘I’m indebted by this person. As I promis to reward a person with 70 times the food which he shares with other needy people,and this person has made me indebted. When I gave him his entire food supply at once, he shared a part of it with his needy neighbour, so I gave him his 70 times share at it. And each time I give him his share of reward he shares it with other needy people so I keep on giving him.

That man had changed his ‘muqaddar’ by selecting a way himself and by requesting his creator. Here I’ve found a tool for changing ‘muqaddar’, and that was ‘request’. We can call this request ‘dua’. In the above story the request was taken to the god indirectly by his prophet by in the contemporary situation whereby we don’t have that facility the direct communication with the creator is the only possible way. I think ‘dua’ has a lot to do with ‘kismet’ and ‘muqaddar’. I don’t mean that dua alone is the way out, but ‘dua’ has a greater pscychological effect on events. And it’s human nature that when one finds himself helpless, he contacts his creator (whatever the person’s belief is, he asks his creator to help him out). Lets take an example of a general organization whereby a manager is leading a group of workers, he assigns them some tasks, (For workers these tasks are predetermined bu t the efficiency of work depends on the way worker selects to get them done), and if a worker comes up with something extraordinary that gimmicks the attention of manager, it’s normal that manager will reward him (if not in monetary terms then I think a word of appreciation will also be a reward for the worker). Now this was a professional example, but when it comes for the dealing of God with his creatures (especially humans) the element of love also comes under discussion which was the base of the creation of this universe. This love makes a stronger bond between two and when an individual does something extraordinary good with the predetermined task, God rewards him. Sometimes manager changes some predetermined tasks on request of workers, and it depends on the pleasant relationship of both and effectiveness of request, similarly many times God changes one’s ‘muqaddar’ on his request (dua) and this depends entirely on the effectiveness of dua and person’s reputation before Him.

When we talk about the importance of ‘dua’, a question arises in the mind that what type of language should be used to communicate with the creator. I think ‘dua’ has two parts; one is its content and second is medium. Content of ‘dua’ includes the subject matter and demonstration, and medium for ‘dua’, in my opinion is wireless. Acceptance or rejection of ‘dua’ depends on its purity and demonstration. Here came another contradiction of thoughts in my mind which I forwarded to Khuram. Question was, “Is it necessary for ‘dua’ to be in particular language?’ if yes then what about those people who don’t know that particular language? And if no then can we offer namaz in language of our own choice?”

Khuram replied to me with a very interesting answer. He said that according to orthodox people namaz can only be in Arabic and Turkish people can offer namaz in their own language. I won’t go in the details of these two facts instead I’d present the thought which came in my mind laters. I think, ‘namaz’ is ‘ibadat’ which is ‘bandgi’ and ‘dua’ is one of its part, not the whole ‘ibadat’. Now this part of ibadat has no particular format, (one can request in the way he wants), but the whole ibadat is not free format. ‘ibadat’ does not only mean to forward the requests of people to the creator but also to make him disciplined. And in order to keep this discipline one format of Namaz has been given which is in Arabic. I further think that if one offers namaz by understanding its meaning he can be disciplined more.

Proceeding Muskan’s question of changing ‘muqaddar, I’d like to quote another story in order to explain another dimention of the relationship of ‘kismet’ and ‘muqaddar’. I read this story in a monthly magazine. This story was about a school teacher who used to have an income which was hardly enough to meet his expenses. He once heard about a mountainous range where iron turns into gold, so he decided to have two months leave without pay from school and to visit those mountains with some chains of iron in order to turn them into gold. Aiming to turn iron into gold he went on two months journey. He pulled those heavy chains on the mountains for two months but found not single part of it turned into gold. This made him very disappointed and he decided not to work hard any more and to return back to his school job. When he got back into his village, he sold all those chains. He had a look on his appearance and decided to buy new clothes as the clothes he was wearing were tattered. His shoes were also in very bad condition but he didn’t have more money to have a new pair of shoes so he decided to get them mended. When he went to the shoe mender he found that small nails beneath the soul of the shoe were turned into gold. And when he sold that gold in the market, the amount he got from it was exactly equal to his two months salary. The writer of the story concluded that whatever the amount of hardwork one does, he gets only what is in his ‘muqaddar’. But I disagree to this, for I think amount of hardwork alone is not the requirement for changing ‘muqaddar’. Or we can say that ‘hardwork’ can’t change ‘muqaddar’ until it’s on appropriate place and time. If hardwork is on an inappropriate place or time, it’s useless. For instance if that school teacher would have done some part time job instead of going on mountain, he would surely have earnt more money than that he had earnt from school.

“Kismet’ and ‘Muqaddar’ are the themes of endless debate, having variety of dimentions. Saying that I’ve concluded this and that will be untrue, as this debate has just started. But I’d like to summarize my idea in few words. In a nut shell, I’ve come up with the idea that ‘kismet’ and ‘muqaddar’ are two different things but they are related to each other in some contexts, and success or failure of one’s aims and strategies depends on this relationship at a great extent.

Solar Energy

Today in Pakistan we are facing shortage of almost every basic need of life like water, gas, and especially electricity. It is the worst conditions we are facing now a days. The reason for that is…well we all know “THE REASONS” don’t we!!! Few days back I was reading an article in a local newspaper which was about getting electricity like many European countries which is from “Wind Turbines”. It’s a very good idea and we must have to think other ways of energy to meet our needs. Another idea which I’m going to discuss here is “SOLAR ENERGY”. As we all know that summer season is longer than winter in Pakistan. So it means we can get more and more sunlight. In my view Solar Energy Systems will be more successful in Pakistan than any European country because thankfully we can have more sunlight than Europe. Many scientists and engineers from all over the world are working in this field. Some say that it’ll be very costly, YES it’ll be but only in start as like everything when it’s new its price is high but when the competition arises then prices goes down its simple economics. We've used the Sun for drying clothes and food for thousands of years, but only recently have we been able to use it for generating power. The Sun is 150 million Kilometers away, and amazingly powerful. Just the tiny fraction of the Sun's energy that hits the Earth (around a hundredth of a millionth of a percent) is enough to meet all our power needs many times over. In fact, every minute, enough energy arrives at the Earth to meet our demands for a whole year - if only we could harness it properly and preserve it.

Here are some techniques that are being used in many parts of the world to get energy from the sun light.

Solar Cells (really called "photovoltaic" or "photoelectric" cells) that convert light directly into electricity. In a sunny climate, you can get enough power to run a 100W light bulb from just one square meter of solar panel. This was originally developed in order to provide electricity for satellites, but these days many of us own calculators powered by solar cells. Solar cells provide the energy to run satellites that orbit the Earth. These give us satellite TV, telephones, navigation, weather forecasting, the internet and all manner of other facilities.

Solar water heating, where heat from the Sun is used to heat water in glass panels on your roof. This means you don't need to use so much gas or electricity to heat your water at home. Water is pumped through pipes in the panel.

The pipes are painted black, so they get hot when the Sun shines on them. This helps out your central heating system, and cuts your fuel bills. However, in very cold places especially in winter season you must remember to drain the water out to stop the panels freezing. Solar heating is worthwhile in places like California, Australia, South East Asia (Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh) where you get lots of sunshine as I mentioned it earlier.

Solar Towers One idea that is being considered is to build Solar Towers. The idea is very simple - you build a big greenhouse, which is warmed by the Sun. In the middle of the greenhouse you put a very tall tower. The hot air from the greenhouse will rise up this tower, fast - and can drive turbines along the way. This could generate significant amounts of power, especially in countries where there is a lot of sunshine and a lot of room, such as Australia.

Advantages

• Solar energy is free - it needs no fuel and produces no waste or pollution.
• In sunny countries, solar power can be used where there is no easy way to get electricity to a remote place.
• Handy for low-power uses such as solar powered garden lights and battery chargers

Disadvantages

• Doesn't work at night. (Positively thinking it’ll cut our huge fuel and energy bills into half if we even have the solar energy system in day time. So that’s make it a negligible disadvantage.)
• Very expensive to build solar power stations.
• Solar cells cost a great deal compared to the amount of electricity they'll produce in their lifetime.
• Can be unreliable unless you're in a very sunny climate. In the United Kingdom, solar power isn't much use except for low-power applications, as you need a very large area of solar panels to get a decent amount of power. However, for these applications it's definitely worthwhile.

Is it renewable?

Solar Power is renewable. The Sun will keep on shining anyway, so it makes sense to use it.

Why “THE PROFESSIONALS” from Europe and America etc. I’ll suggest that to lower the cost we should use our own manpower which is cheaper and hardworking. By the Grace of ALLAH we are blessed with everything in our country like skilled manpower, raw material and especially more and more SUN LIGHT!!! As I mentioned earlier Europe like UK and many other countries are facing problem with less sun light but By the Grace of ALLAH we don’t have to face it. We just need good management of these things and work with diligence. INSHALLAH we’ll be successful. Pakistan will be successful. LONG LIVE PAKISTAN!

Back in Time

Impossible - Columbia University scientists believe it is never possible to travel back in time.

The urge to hug a departed loved one again or prevent atrocities are among the compelling reasons that keep the notion of time travel alive in the minds of many.

While the idea makes for great fiction, some scientists now say traveling to the past is impossible.

There are a handful of scenarios that theorists have suggested for how one might travel to the past, said Brian Greene, author of the bestseller, “The Elegant Universe” and a physicist at Columbia University.“And almost all of them, if you look at them closely, brush up right at the edge of physics as we understand it. Most of us think that almost all of them can be ruled out.”
The fourth dimension

In physics, time is described as a dimension much like length, width, and height. When you travel from your house to the grocery store, you’re traveling through a direction in space, making headway in all the spatial dimensions—length, width and height. But you’re also traveling forward in time, the fourth dimension.

“Space and time are tangled together in a sort of a four-dimensional fabric called space-time,” said Charles Liu, an astrophysicist with the City University of New York, College of Staten Island and co-author of the book “One Universe: At Home In The Cosmos.”

Space-time, Liu explains, can be thought of as a piece of spandex with four dimensions. “When something that has mass—you and I, an object, a planet, or any star—sits in that piece of four-dimensional spandex, it causes it to create a dimple,” he said. “That dimple is a manifestation of space-time bending to accommodate this mass.”

The bending of space-time causes objects to move on a curved path and that curvature of space is what we know as gravity.

Mathematically one can go backwards or forwards in the three spatial dimensions. But time doesn’t share this multi-directional freedom.

“In this four-dimensional space-time, you’re only able to move forward in time,” Liu told LiveScience.
Tunneling to the past

A handful of proposals exist for time travel. The most developed of these approaches involves a wormhole—a hypothetical tunnel connecting two regions of space-time. The regions bridged could be two completely different universes or two parts of one universe. Matter can travel through either mouth of the wormhole to reach a destination on the other side.

“Wormholes are the future, wormholes are the past,” said Michio Kaku, author of “Hyperspace” and “Parallel Worlds” and a physicist at the City University of New York. “But we have to be very careful. The gasoline necessary to energize a time machine is far beyond anything that we can assemble with today’s technology.”

To punch a hole into the fabric of space-time, Kaku explained, would require the energy of a star or negative energy, an exotic entity with an energy of less than nothing.

Greene, an expert on string theory—which views matter in a minimum of 10 dimensions and tries to bridge the gap between particle physics and nature's fundamental forces, questioned this scenario.

“Many people who study the subject doubt that that approach has any chance of working,” Greene said in an interview . “But the basic idea if you’re very, very optimistic is that if you fiddle with the wormhole openings, you can make it not only a shortcut from a point in space to another point in space, but a shortcut from one moment in time to another moment in time.”

Cosmic strings

Another popular theory for potential time travelers involves something called cosmic strings—narrow tubes of energy stretched across the entire length of the ever-expanding universe. These skinny regions, leftover from the early cosmos, are predicted to contain huge amounts of mass and therefore could warp the space-time around them.

Cosmic strings are either infinite or they’re in loops, with no ends, said J. Richard Gott, author of “Time Travel in Einstein's Universe” and an astrophysicist at Princeton University. “So they are either like spaghetti or SpaghettiO’s.”

The approach of two such strings parallel to each other, said Gott, will bend space-time so vigorously and in such a particular configuration that might make time travel possible, in theory.

“This is a project that a super civilization might attempt,” Gott told LiveScience. “It’s far beyond what we can do. We’re a civilization that’s not even controlling the energy resources of our planet.”

Impossible, for now

Mathematically, you can certainly say something is traveling to the past, Liu said. “But it is not possible for you and me to travel backward in time,” he said.

However, some scientists believe that traveling to the past is, in fact, theoretically possible, though impractical.

Maybe if there were a theory of everything, one could solve all of Einstein’s equations through a wormhole, and see whether time travel is really possible, Kaku said. “But that would require a technology far more advanced than anything we can muster," he said. "Don’t expect any young inventor to announce tomorrow in a press release that he or she has invented a time machine in their basement.”

For now, the only definitive part of travel in the fourth dimension is that we’re stepping further into the future with each passing moment. So for those hoping to see Earth a million years from now, scientists have good news.

If you want to know what the Earth is like one million years from now, I’ll tell you how to do that,” said Greene, a consultant for “Déjà Vu,” a recent movie that dealt with time travel. “Build a spaceship. Go near the speed of light for a length of time—that I could calculate. Come back to Earth, and when you step out of your ship you will have aged perhaps one year while the Earth would have aged one million years. You would have traveled to Earth’s future.”

Role of Turtles in Food Webs & Ecology

Ecosystems are defined as the environment in which certain living and non-living components are incorporated. Here the livings and non-living organisms interact with each other and also the former with other living organisms. The interactions between living organisms are of different kinds that are defined and divided into different kinds by scientists. One of those interactions is Predator-Prey relationship. Like all other living beings turtles also make interactions and play important roles in different food chains and webs. Many reptiles including turtles are herbivores and carnivores.

Turtles and tortoises eat plants, herbs, fruit and other things that categorize them as vegetarians.  Some are omnivores like Slider turtle and American painted turtles. In these webs and food chains they prey over many and being preyed by many as well. Human beings are not away from any of their predator, if we see their food pyramid.

Turtles play important roles in food chains and in the cycles of life within their environment. They are able to convert poor quality feed material to a useful form of nutrients, even that poor quality feed which is not suitable for livestock or any other domestic or non-domestic animals. They prey over small rodents and small crustaceans thus preventing the harmful effects produced by them after being engulfed by large animals and this also helps in breaking the life-cycle of many parasites from Fasciolidae family, Trematods and Nematodes.

Turtles play important role in carrying energy. They gather energy while eating from the pelagic zone and from the aquatic environs and weight till the breeding season that is in most case in November or round about winter. For nesting they always come to seashore where they lay eggs. In these eggs they bring energy of the sea to land. These eggs provide food to their predators in the time before hatching. In this way they make good energy relation between sea and land. The hatchlings move towards sea again after being able to crawl. And they carry rest of the energy to the sea again. Thus turtles not only bring gift of new generation with them to land but also energy for their next generation and predators on land.

Man in one way or the other has used dead turtles in the past. Man has been benefiting himself from the remnants of dead turtles. He has made purses, waist-belts, therapeutics powders, decoration pieces and so many other pleasure articles using turtles’ skins, shell, offal, nails or claws etc.

Regarding to what turtles eat is that they happened to be omnivores. They eat flesh, vegetables, grasses, small insects, and larvae of many animals. For example the Red-Eared Slider turtle, which is thought to be a newly emerged species among Slider Turtles, eats different types of things or preys at different phases of his life. For example he is more like a carnivore when young eating insects, worms, tadpoles, small fishes and surprisingly Carrion (Dead, filthy fishes). Turning to adult stage of life they start also with the vegetarian diet, but do not let flesh go. Being Carnivores, turtles have several interesting and versatile ways to catch up their prey. Mostly the aquatic turtles draw their prey into the mouth while sucking in water. This helps them to engulf the prey easily and not allowing it to escape out, while the jaws are closed (or lips as turtles don’t have teeth). Not only the voracious eating habits are worthy in the wild war of predator and prey but also some life-styles with body sizes and shapes are important. If slider turtle preys over so many animals and lives then similarly he undergoes the experience of being preyed. But the safety measures like the large body size, shell hardness, bite size may be running (swimming) ability to most extent does save them and protect from predators, however crocodiles and alligators are exceptions.
Although grazing by herbivore turtles have profound effect on the vascular and non-vascular plants in the environment but not like the omnivore tribe who not only affect plants but also the flesh and blood species, small sized and medium sized including snails, small fishes etc. Since omnivorous behavior is of this much significance so now a days it is being worked on by many scientists in many regions for the importance of turtles in national and international economy plus human benefits.

Talking about another turtle named Snapping turtle is an Omnivore; like all other omnivores it eats both plants and animals. While eating and being eaten by many living beings around it in its ecological niche, it plays important ecological roles. It cleans up all the dead organisms and their parts by eating them, as described above they even eat carrions, and scavenge the microbes also from aquatic environment. It is endangered by the hands of skunks, fox, raccoon and minks at the Non-hatch stage while large fish, hawks, crows and herons, eats up small snapping turtles. And last but not the least the hugest scavenger, is the Human Being who eats the adult form of turtles not only by teeth but also by his machinery and industry.

By now I’ve been discussing turtles’ diet and food webs in quite civilized green lands, aquariums, ecosystems of lakes and oceans but there is still very interesting and surprising food web remaining; that is of the Desert. Desert Tortoises are important part of life in deserts. We find small, young, huge, dark, dry crawling tortoises in deserts. Many television channels have documented them but still much work is going on for their survival and conservation. They are hardy individuals who can bear harshness of nature. They move around in search of food and during their travel they are at risk of being preyed by scavengers who are in their search as well. Desert tortoises are nomadic in habitats but are possessive for their territory. They show extremely voracious attitude towards any new comers to their area. They are particularly harsh towards tortoises. They make burrows and live in them in the daytime and during the night times. Some tortoises share the burrows with ground turtles so they don’t dig their own. While some don’t even need any home as they migrate towards summer or winter ranges.

This was a brief introduction about the way of life and habitat that can tell about the kind of edibles and the predators of desert tortoises. They like to have different kinds of grasses; protein rich food is preferred in the form of wild flowers, wild grasses. Definitely they need water and moisture that is attained by the only source in the form of dewdrops and water in the plant leaves and stems. Desert tortoises retain this water in their urinary bladder. Dehydration occurs if this water is lost from their bladder.

Interesting to know that dehydration occurs only after urination and they urinate only in order to offend their invader tortoises to show their possessiveness towards their territory. Herbivore varieties of turtles have also a great impact on their ecosystems. Regarding the sea turtles that eat grasses in the sea and aquatic ecosystems play important role in regulating the nutrient cycle in their surroundings, among their colleagues and related predators and preys. Sea grass is the most darling food of sea turtles with an herbivorous nature. But they grasp only large parts of the grass and plants leaving smaller leaflets and young stems, which are richer in nutrient quality. This richer part of grass is eaten by other species with sharper teeth and jaws. Thus turtles go for easy grapping of food with slower mastication in their mouth having a larger bolus in their buckle cavity helping other faster species to get more nutrients in addition to the satisfaction of faster chewing habits of latter. These portions of small and larger grasses are attributed to sea grass-turtles. The availability of small leaves depends on different factors like population of herbivore turtles and other herbivores. In return the frequency of sea turtles depends upon the season, location, climate, predators, hunters and frequency of visitors to that place.
All these factors influence the balance of energy and nutrients in the ecosystem whether it is within the vicinity of aquatic ecosystem or it is a trade of energy by the turtles with the land as described above. Researches carried out on the effect of herbivore by the turtles in the aquatic ecosystems considering parameters like productivity, growth rate, nutritional value, availability and effect on the population of turtles and their predators.

We are talking about the predators of turtles that are a threat to turtle populations. No doubt larger animals like alligators and crocodiles are most common predators for adult turtles while small baby turtles are at stake due to so many animals in their surroundings. But one type of threat to the life of turtles that may lead to their death or may cause weakness and illness to turtles; these are parasites. Parasites who are both internal and external like all other living beings. In addition to parasites other multiple factors that lead to the decline of turtle and tortoises population are environment, pollution, famines, unhygienic conditions, invaders or introduction of new genes and diseases into their area, captivity, stagnant pond waters, low immunity in captive turtles, lack of original environment, poor diet and feed quality, lack of their light requirements i.e. UV-light, cracks in their shells, fungus etc.

During all the study I’ve found that turtles are most endangered by the Human Beings instead of animals. They use it for trading, industries, eating, clothing, jewelry, pleasures, hunting, particularly the steeling of their eggs from turtle farms makes their conservations difficult and problematic. The effect of human invasion has been found not only on the population of turtles but also on that of their predators in the areas of human penetration. The whole scenario in the turtle ecosystems tells the stories of human effects including their fauna and flora. People taking beaches, as good sites for business and resorts building have been hard on turtles and other aquatic species. Developments in fishing techniques are found to be the reason for many turtle species to be extirpated. Big nets, boat strikes, pollution from industry wastes are all the hazards caused by human beings to turtles. With all increasing advancements there is a decreasing trend in ignorance regarding this particular species. Although fishes are being painstaking in some respects by authorities because they are of human interest in all races of man unlike turtles that are only of the interest of a certain business class. But that class should not only utilize them for their benefit but also try to keep that specie in pace with all the new technologies and advancements.

Though in our area particularly in Pakistan such type of interest in turtle business has not been developed by now since it is not much of a kind of area required by the turtles and their breeders. Turtles can live in all types of environments. Their business and farming should be practiced for the conservation and betterment of this specie. They are much useful for their skin and offal other than being used as food.

No matter how harsh nature has been in the form of predators but there is always a balance between species of predators and preys, if nature vanishes it replaces with a better one. If a predator kills one member of specie two new comers restore it. This is the rule and pattern of nature. In nature there’s nothing for us human beings to worry about for the conservation of animals and endangered species. But where our role comes is the point when we interfere in the rules and cycles of nature. When human beings imperil any specie of animals or plants as the case may be, it is the duty of mankind to conserve that too.

Turtles play important roles in their cycles and ecosystems where they not only influence their predators, related fauna and flora but also human beings in one-way or the other. We need to acknowledge the importance of live turtles instead of dead turtles. Not only for the sake of turtles but also for the benefit of nature, conservation of balance in the ecosystems and for keeping the whole food webs alive in which they play important role or only a skimpy role.

Biological Revolution

We all are different from each others our physical appearances, health etc Even the siblings or twins are not exactly identical. Why? The reason behind is that actually we are a display of a specialized program written in codes, and as sweet Allah granted us unique programs the display i.e. we are also different.

This is the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) comprising of a special chemical code in from of nitrogen bases phosphorous and sugars. DNA is considered as the hereditary material that is responsible for all of our characteristics features n function. it is DNA that makes us resemble to our parents n differentiate us too! The more exciting thing is that it is saved in a very micro place i.e. the nucleus of our body building units –the cells. There are different genes for different properties like eye n hair color, protein coding etc.

In 21st century when man is reaching the moon n mars ,he is also exploring exciting aspects within his own body. In this journey of exploration “ genetic engineering “ is a great landmark. Lets see what is it?

It can scientifically be defined as :”the formation of combination of heritable material by insertion of DNA produced as desired outside the cell and introduced to host that is capable of its propagation) by means of a vector”

It means that the function n features f organism can be changed by making changes in genes, introducing new combination as desired.

A genetic engineer has a different kind of tools n techniques. He needs: a foreign DNA (prepared in lab or taken from any animal )with desired genes to be inserted 2.a vector (I.e. a microbe bacterial plasmid or virus)3.some specific enzymes for cutting n binding of DNA.

• MAIN MECHANISM:
  First the piece of DNA is annealed or joined with the vector. This DNA fragment carries the genes of interest which ultimately will produce the required changes in organism. Then the artificial recombinant DNA is introduced to the host organism animal or plant or microbe). This is a very very brief out line of the concept of genetic engineering.
  
  Now we see that this field has great application n influence now a days even on the life of a layman. From the food n medicine we take to the clothes we wear, we face genetic engineering aspect directly or indirectly. Lets take a look at some examples:
  • MEDICAL SCIENCES:
    Bacteria are the best producers of genetic products so they are used widely to derive certain hormones by recombinant technology. For example insulin (hormone needed by diabetic patients) was previously obtained from cows and pigs but now a bacterium named E.coli produce it when human gene for insulin production is manipulated in it by this technology, product thus derived is also non allergic as compared to that taken from cows. Similarly many other things like hepatitis B vaccine, erythropoietin (hormone needed for blood formation )cellulose etc are produced. Many diseases are under research to be cured by genetic engineering.
  • INDUSTRY:
    Enzymes are the biological catalysts, industrially significant enzymes e.g.. Enzyme used in plastic industry, chymosin( used in cheese production) are produced by g eng. Genetic engineers have designed new microbes specialized to make a widely used industrial solvent :ethyl alcohol.
    
    Pharmaceutical industry has been revolutionized by recombinant technique. Antibiotics producing when manipulated give improved results.
  • AGRICULTURE:
    THE genetic engineering is applied to develop salt and drought tolerant crops. Now most of the seeds are altered having already developed resistance to the pests and less growth time, variable sized fruits etc. Defrost bacteria are also been designed who prevent frost in crops.

Apart from all the benefits, genetic engineering also involves some risks, as pathogens (i.e disease causing organisms) may also develop. That's why this branch of science n its application are also overned by some laws and rules. Unless a product don’t meets the standards ,it is not allowed to be marketed. (now corruption n cheating issues are also raising their heads in the industry related to the field).
It also raises some ethical questions: do we have right to alter the genes of a living organism? Is it an interference in the nature’s power? And many like these are yet to be answered.

THE CONCLUSION IS THAT IF IT IS PRACTICED POSITIVELY WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED LIMITS OF THE GREAT CREATOR ALLAH ALMIGHTY ,IT IS BENEFICIAL BLESSING OTHERWISE IT CAN DESTROY THE WORLD TOO IN THE FORM OF BIOLOGICAL WEAPON!”

Biological Revolution

We all are different from each others our physical appearances, health etc Even the siblings or twins are not exactly identical. Why? The reason behind is that actually we are a display of a specialized program written in codes, and as sweet Allah granted us unique programs the display i.e. we are also different.

This is the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) comprising of a special chemical code in from of nitrogen bases phosphorous and sugars. DNA is considered as the hereditary material that is responsible for all of our characteristics features n function. it is DNA that makes us resemble to our parents n differentiate us too! The more exciting thing is that it is saved in a very micro place i.e. the nucleus of our body building units –the cells. There are different genes for different properties like eye n hair color, protein coding etc.

In 21st century when man is reaching the moon n mars ,he is also exploring exciting aspects within his own body. In this journey of exploration “ genetic engineering “ is a great landmark. Lets see what is it?

It can scientifically be defined as :”the formation of combination of heritable material by insertion of DNA produced as desired outside the cell and introduced to host that is capable of its propagation) by means of a vector”

It means that the function n features f organism can be changed by making changes in genes, introducing new combination as desired.

A genetic engineer has a different kind of tools n techniques. He needs: a foreign DNA (prepared in lab or taken from any animal )with desired genes to be inserted 2.a vector (I.e. a microbe bacterial plasmid or virus)3.some specific enzymes for cutting n binding of DNA.

• MAIN MECHANISM:
  First the piece of DNA is annealed or joined with the vector. This DNA fragment carries the genes of interest which ultimately will produce the required changes in organism. Then the artificial recombinant DNA is introduced to the host organism animal or plant or microbe). This is a very very brief out line of the concept of genetic engineering.
  
  Now we see that this field has great application n influence now a days even on the life of a layman. From the food n medicine we take to the clothes we wear, we face genetic engineering aspect directly or indirectly. Lets take a look at some examples:
  • MEDICAL SCIENCES:
    Bacteria are the best producers of genetic products so they are used widely to derive certain hormones by recombinant technology. For example insulin (hormone needed by diabetic patients) was previously obtained from cows and pigs but now a bacterium named E.coli produce it when human gene for insulin production is manipulated in it by this technology, product thus derived is also non allergic as compared to that taken from cows. Similarly many other things like hepatitis B vaccine, erythropoietin (hormone needed for blood formation )cellulose etc are produced. Many diseases are under research to be cured by genetic engineering.
  • INDUSTRY:
    Enzymes are the biological catalysts, industrially significant enzymes e.g.. Enzyme used in plastic industry, chymosin( used in cheese production) are produced by g eng. Genetic engineers have designed new microbes specialized to make a widely used industrial solvent :ethyl alcohol.
    
    Pharmaceutical industry has been revolutionized by recombinant technique. Antibiotics producing when manipulated give improved results.
  • AGRICULTURE:
    THE genetic engineering is applied to develop salt and drought tolerant crops. Now most of the seeds are altered having already developed resistance to the pests and less growth time, variable sized fruits etc. Defrost bacteria are also been designed who prevent frost in crops.

Apart from all the benefits, genetic engineering also involves some risks, as pathogens (i.e disease causing organisms) may also develop. That's why this branch of science n its application are also overned by some laws and rules. Unless a product don’t meets the standards ,it is not allowed to be marketed. (now corruption n cheating issues are also raising their heads in the industry related to the field).
It also raises some ethical questions: do we have right to alter the genes of a living organism? Is it an interference in the nature’s power? And many like these are yet to be answered.

THE CONCLUSION IS THAT IF IT IS PRACTICED POSITIVELY WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED LIMITS OF THE GREAT CREATOR ALLAH ALMIGHTY ,IT IS BENEFICIAL BLESSING OTHERWISE IT CAN DESTROY THE WORLD TOO IN THE FORM OF BIOLOGICAL WEAPON!”

Biomedical Material Sciences

Biomedical Material Sciences involve customization of materials for medical applications. Examples of these applications include artificial skin, vascular and cardiovascular implants and devices, bone graft substitutes, new prosthetic devices, dental materials etc. Application in this field have been rapidly expanding, due to the imagination of biomedical material scientists and them identifying appropriate applications in consultation with the clinicians, resulting in interdisciplinary research collaborations.

Recently, materials used in medicine (biomaterials) have made enormous impact on the repair and replacement of injured and diseased part of the human body and the field is growing at a rapid pace.

Uses of Biomaterials increased rapidly in the late 1800s, particularly after the advent of aseptic techniques by Dr. Joseph Lister in 1860s. The first metal devices to fix bone fracture were used early in nineteenth century. Total hip replacement prosthesis was implanted in 1938. In 1940s, many surgical specialties were transformed by the introduction of implantable medical devices, and patients benefited from the newly developed absorbable sutures. The devices were, however, fabricated from only a small list of metals, polymers, and ceramics.

During the 1960s, a wide range of novel materials were developed both for medical and non-medical applications, as a number of newly developed materials showed promise for the production of medical devices. This was only possible due to the imagination of the biomaterial scientists and their understanding of the material properties. During 1970s to 1990s, a number of new synthetic absorbable and non-absorbable polymers; biologically-derived materials, bio-derived macromolecules, coatings and tissue adhesives for a myriad of clinical applications were introduced. This was the era, when the field of biomedical materials was truly established. The applications included blood-contacting devices and implants, soft tissue devices for repair and soft tissue reconstruction, dental materials, orthopedic devices to aid bone repair and replace damaged bone and joints, and wound dressings for large area damage to skin from trauma, ulcers and burns. By the turn of the 21st century, the explosion of biomedical materials was clear; this explosion was coming in the use of absorbable biomaterials for the fabrication of scaffolds for the synthesis of tissue in vitro (tissue engineering) and as implants to facilitate the regeneration of tissue in vivo (regenerative medicine).

While the implementation of some of the biomedical materials may be for medical reasons such as the replacement of diseased tissues required to extend life expectancies, other reasons may include purely aesthetic ones including breast implants. This increasing demand arises from an ageing population with higher quality of life expectations. The biomaterial scientists are producing new and improved implantable materials and techniques to meet this demand, but also to aid the treatment of younger patients where the necessary properties are even more demanding.
A counter force to this technological push is the increasing level of regulation and the threat of litigation. To meet these conflicting needs it is necessary to have reliable methods of characterization of the material and material/host tissue interactions. In a Muslim country like Pakistan, it is always imperative to select a biomaterial from halal sources. This increases the importance of research and development to devise novel methods of biomedical material technology in Pakistan.

Millions of lives have been saved by Biomedical Materials and the quality of life for millions more is improved every year. Still many unanswered questions regarding the biological response to biomaterials and the optimal role of biomaterials in tissue regeneration, continue to motivate biomaterial research and new product development. It has become multi billion dollar industry, creating millions of jobs. Pakistan is one of the leading producers of surgical instruments (Sialkot) and yet there is no research being undertaken in Pakistan in the field of biomedical materials. Both universities and industries in Pakistan should take a leading role in the production of biomedical materials. In addition to hundreds and thousands of patients needing routine replacement surgeries, the recent earth quake in northern Pakistan, where thousands have lost their limbs, has further emphasized the importance of this type of research and development in Pakistan.

COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT), Lahore has established an educational and research Institute to produce professionals to fulfill these needs. This centre of excellence is inherent by multi-disciplinarily in nature and has the ability to respond to new developments that cut across subject boundaries so as to translate fundamental research into clinical use.

Our aim is to use our knowledge of materials and apply it for the benefits of patients, by involving scientists, engineers and clinicians, demonstrating the added value of the Interdisciplinary Research Centre (IRC) in Biomedical Materials mode of support. In future, The IRC shall be developed into a national focus to develop implants for national needs”.

These needs can only be met if we start from the basics and equip our youngsters with this knowledge. To fulfill these national needs a Department of Biomedical Material Sciences has established at CIIT, as part of an Interdisciplinary Research Centre where classes at undergraduate and graduate level are scheduled to start early next year, thus providing students an opportunity to work in this new and exciting field in Pakistan. We urge our youngsters to become part of our vision, which is to have the ability to translate fundamental research to clinical care for the benefit of the Nation; our prospective students will be part of this initiative and will master the art of servicing the Nation, through education and research.

Once we have established the know how, the Department of Biomedical Material Sciences (IRC) will be well placed to produce graduates to respond to the national needs for an optimised biomaterials base in the delivery of healthcare by producing biomedical implants (spare – parts) for the human body.

Role of Turtles in Food Webs & Ecology

Ecosystems are defined as the environment in which certain living and non-living components are incorporated. Here the livings and non-living organisms interact with each other and also the former with other living organisms. The interactions between living organisms are of different kinds that are defined and divided into different kinds by scientists. One of those interactions is Predator-Prey relationship. Like all other living beings turtles also make interactions and play important roles in different food chains and webs. Many reptiles including turtles are herbivores and carnivores.

Turtles and tortoises eat plants, herbs, fruit and other things that categorize them as vegetarians.  Some are omnivores like Slider turtle and American painted turtles. In these webs and food chains they prey over many and being preyed by many as well. Human beings are not away from any of their predator, if we see their food pyramid.

Turtles play important roles in food chains and in the cycles of life within their environment. They are able to convert poor quality feed material to a useful form of nutrients, even that poor quality feed which is not suitable for livestock or any other domestic or non-domestic animals. They prey over small rodents and small crustaceans thus preventing the harmful effects produced by them after being engulfed by large animals and this also helps in breaking the life-cycle of many parasites from Fasciolidae family, Trematods and Nematodes.

Turtles play important role in carrying energy. They gather energy while eating from the pelagic zone and from the aquatic environs and weight till the breeding season that is in most case in November or round about winter. For nesting they always come to seashore where they lay eggs. In these eggs they bring energy of the sea to land. These eggs provide food to their predators in the time before hatching. In this way they make good energy relation between sea and land. The hatchlings move towards sea again after being able to crawl. And they carry rest of the energy to the sea again. Thus turtles not only bring gift of new generation with them to land but also energy for their next generation and predators on land.

Man in one way or the other has used dead turtles in the past. Man has been benefiting himself from the remnants of dead turtles. He has made purses, waist-belts, therapeutics powders, decoration pieces and so many other pleasure articles using turtles’ skins, shell, offal, nails or claws etc.

Regarding to what turtles eat is that they happened to be omnivores. They eat flesh, vegetables, grasses, small insects, and larvae of many animals. For example the Red-Eared Slider turtle, which is thought to be a newly emerged species among Slider Turtles, eats different types of things or preys at different phases of his life. For example he is more like a carnivore when young eating insects, worms, tadpoles, small fishes and surprisingly Carrion (Dead, filthy fishes). Turning to adult stage of life they start also with the vegetarian diet, but do not let flesh go. Being Carnivores, turtles have several interesting and versatile ways to catch up their prey. Mostly the aquatic turtles draw their prey into the mouth while sucking in water. This helps them to engulf the prey easily and not allowing it to escape out, while the jaws are closed (or lips as turtles don’t have teeth). Not only the voracious eating habits are worthy in the wild war of predator and prey but also some life-styles with body sizes and shapes are important. If slider turtle preys over so many animals and lives then similarly he undergoes the experience of being preyed. But the safety measures like the large body size, shell hardness, bite size may be running (swimming) ability to most extent does save them and protect from predators, however crocodiles and alligators are exceptions.
Although grazing by herbivore turtles have profound effect on the vascular and non-vascular plants in the environment but not like the omnivore tribe who not only affect plants but also the flesh and blood species, small sized and medium sized including snails, small fishes etc. Since omnivorous behavior is of this much significance so now a days it is being worked on by many scientists in many regions for the importance of turtles in national and international economy plus human benefits.

Talking about another turtle named Snapping turtle is an Omnivore; like all other omnivores it eats both plants and animals. While eating and being eaten by many living beings around it in its ecological niche, it plays important ecological roles. It cleans up all the dead organisms and their parts by eating them, as described above they even eat carrions, and scavenge the microbes also from aquatic environment. It is endangered by the hands of skunks, fox, raccoon and minks at the Non-hatch stage while large fish, hawks, crows and herons, eats up small snapping turtles. And last but not the least the hugest scavenger, is the Human Being who eats the adult form of turtles not only by teeth but also by his machinery and industry.

By now I’ve been discussing turtles’ diet and food webs in quite civilized green lands, aquariums, ecosystems of lakes and oceans but there is still very interesting and surprising food web remaining; that is of the Desert. Desert Tortoises are important part of life in deserts. We find small, young, huge, dark, dry crawling tortoises in deserts. Many television channels have documented them but still much work is going on for their survival and conservation. They are hardy individuals who can bear harshness of nature. They move around in search of food and during their travel they are at risk of being preyed by scavengers who are in their search as well. Desert tortoises are nomadic in habitats but are possessive for their territory. They show extremely voracious attitude towards any new comers to their area. They are particularly harsh towards tortoises. They make burrows and live in them in the daytime and during the night times. Some tortoises share the burrows with ground turtles so they don’t dig their own. While some don’t even need any home as they migrate towards summer or winter ranges.

This was a brief introduction about the way of life and habitat that can tell about the kind of edibles and the predators of desert tortoises. They like to have different kinds of grasses; protein rich food is preferred in the form of wild flowers, wild grasses. Definitely they need water and moisture that is attained by the only source in the form of dewdrops and water in the plant leaves and stems. Desert tortoises retain this water in their urinary bladder. Dehydration occurs if this water is lost from their bladder.

Interesting to know that dehydration occurs only after urination and they urinate only in order to offend their invader tortoises to show their possessiveness towards their territory. Herbivore varieties of turtles have also a great impact on their ecosystems. Regarding the sea turtles that eat grasses in the sea and aquatic ecosystems play important role in regulating the nutrient cycle in their surroundings, among their colleagues and related predators and preys. Sea grass is the most darling food of sea turtles with an herbivorous nature. But they grasp only large parts of the grass and plants leaving smaller leaflets and young stems, which are richer in nutrient quality. This richer part of grass is eaten by other species with sharper teeth and jaws. Thus turtles go for easy grapping of food with slower mastication in their mouth having a larger bolus in their buckle cavity helping other faster species to get more nutrients in addition to the satisfaction of faster chewing habits of latter. These portions of small and larger grasses are attributed to sea grass-turtles. The availability of small leaves depends on different factors like population of herbivore turtles and other herbivores. In return the frequency of sea turtles depends upon the season, location, climate, predators, hunters and frequency of visitors to that place.
All these factors influence the balance of energy and nutrients in the ecosystem whether it is within the vicinity of aquatic ecosystem or it is a trade of energy by the turtles with the land as described above. Researches carried out on the effect of herbivore by the turtles in the aquatic ecosystems considering parameters like productivity, growth rate, nutritional value, availability and effect on the population of turtles and their predators.

We are talking about the predators of turtles that are a threat to turtle populations. No doubt larger animals like alligators and crocodiles are most common predators for adult turtles while small baby turtles are at stake due to so many animals in their surroundings. But one type of threat to the life of turtles that may lead to their death or may cause weakness and illness to turtles; these are parasites. Parasites who are both internal and external like all other living beings. In addition to parasites other multiple factors that lead to the decline of turtle and tortoises population are environment, pollution, famines, unhygienic conditions, invaders or introduction of new genes and diseases into their area, captivity, stagnant pond waters, low immunity in captive turtles, lack of original environment, poor diet and feed quality, lack of their light requirements i.e. UV-light, cracks in their shells, fungus etc.

During all the study I’ve found that turtles are most endangered by the Human Beings instead of animals. They use it for trading, industries, eating, clothing, jewelry, pleasures, hunting, particularly the steeling of their eggs from turtle farms makes their conservations difficult and problematic. The effect of human invasion has been found not only on the population of turtles but also on that of their predators in the areas of human penetration. The whole scenario in the turtle ecosystems tells the stories of human effects including their fauna and flora. People taking beaches, as good sites for business and resorts building have been hard on turtles and other aquatic species. Developments in fishing techniques are found to be the reason for many turtle species to be extirpated. Big nets, boat strikes, pollution from industry wastes are all the hazards caused by human beings to turtles. With all increasing advancements there is a decreasing trend in ignorance regarding this particular species. Although fishes are being painstaking in some respects by authorities because they are of human interest in all races of man unlike turtles that are only of the interest of a certain business class. But that class should not only utilize them for their benefit but also try to keep that specie in pace with all the new technologies and advancements.

Though in our area particularly in Pakistan such type of interest in turtle business has not been developed by now since it is not much of a kind of area required by the turtles and their breeders. Turtles can live in all types of environments. Their business and farming should be practiced for the conservation and betterment of this specie. They are much useful for their skin and offal other than being used as food.

No matter how harsh nature has been in the form of predators but there is always a balance between species of predators and preys, if nature vanishes it replaces with a better one. If a predator kills one member of specie two new comers restore it. This is the rule and pattern of nature. In nature there’s nothing for us human beings to worry about for the conservation of animals and endangered species. But where our role comes is the point when we interfere in the rules and cycles of nature. When human beings imperil any specie of animals or plants as the case may be, it is the duty of mankind to conserve that too.

Turtles play important roles in their cycles and ecosystems where they not only influence their predators, related fauna and flora but also human beings in one-way or the other. We need to acknowledge the importance of live turtles instead of dead turtles. Not only for the sake of turtles but also for the benefit of nature, conservation of balance in the ecosystems and for keeping the whole food webs alive in which they play important role or only a skimpy role.

Back in Time

Impossible - Columbia University scientists believe it is never possible to travel back in time.

The urge to hug a departed loved one again or prevent atrocities are among the compelling reasons that keep the notion of time travel alive in the minds of many.

While the idea makes for great fiction, some scientists now say traveling to the past is impossible.

There are a handful of scenarios that theorists have suggested for how one might travel to the past, said Brian Greene, author of the bestseller, “The Elegant Universe” and a physicist at Columbia University.“And almost all of them, if you look at them closely, brush up right at the edge of physics as we understand it. Most of us think that almost all of them can be ruled out.”
The fourth dimension

In physics, time is described as a dimension much like length, width, and height. When you travel from your house to the grocery store, you’re traveling through a direction in space, making headway in all the spatial dimensions—length, width and height. But you’re also traveling forward in time, the fourth dimension.

“Space and time are tangled together in a sort of a four-dimensional fabric called space-time,” said Charles Liu, an astrophysicist with the City University of New York, College of Staten Island and co-author of the book “One Universe: At Home In The Cosmos.”

Space-time, Liu explains, can be thought of as a piece of spandex with four dimensions. “When something that has mass—you and I, an object, a planet, or any star—sits in that piece of four-dimensional spandex, it causes it to create a dimple,” he said. “That dimple is a manifestation of space-time bending to accommodate this mass.”

The bending of space-time causes objects to move on a curved path and that curvature of space is what we know as gravity.

Mathematically one can go backwards or forwards in the three spatial dimensions. But time doesn’t share this multi-directional freedom.

“In this four-dimensional space-time, you’re only able to move forward in time,” Liu told LiveScience.
Tunneling to the past

A handful of proposals exist for time travel. The most developed of these approaches involves a wormhole—a hypothetical tunnel connecting two regions of space-time. The regions bridged could be two completely different universes or two parts of one universe. Matter can travel through either mouth of the wormhole to reach a destination on the other side.

“Wormholes are the future, wormholes are the past,” said Michio Kaku, author of “Hyperspace” and “Parallel Worlds” and a physicist at the City University of New York. “But we have to be very careful. The gasoline necessary to energize a time machine is far beyond anything that we can assemble with today’s technology.”

To punch a hole into the fabric of space-time, Kaku explained, would require the energy of a star or negative energy, an exotic entity with an energy of less than nothing.

Greene, an expert on string theory—which views matter in a minimum of 10 dimensions and tries to bridge the gap between particle physics and nature's fundamental forces, questioned this scenario.

“Many people who study the subject doubt that that approach has any chance of working,” Greene said in an interview . “But the basic idea if you’re very, very optimistic is that if you fiddle with the wormhole openings, you can make it not only a shortcut from a point in space to another point in space, but a shortcut from one moment in time to another moment in time.”

Cosmic strings

Another popular theory for potential time travelers involves something called cosmic strings—narrow tubes of energy stretched across the entire length of the ever-expanding universe. These skinny regions, leftover from the early cosmos, are predicted to contain huge amounts of mass and therefore could warp the space-time around them.

Cosmic strings are either infinite or they’re in loops, with no ends, said J. Richard Gott, author of “Time Travel in Einstein's Universe” and an astrophysicist at Princeton University. “So they are either like spaghetti or SpaghettiO’s.”

The approach of two such strings parallel to each other, said Gott, will bend space-time so vigorously and in such a particular configuration that might make time travel possible, in theory.

“This is a project that a super civilization might attempt,” Gott told LiveScience. “It’s far beyond what we can do. We’re a civilization that’s not even controlling the energy resources of our planet.”

Impossible, for now

Mathematically, you can certainly say something is traveling to the past, Liu said. “But it is not possible for you and me to travel backward in time,” he said.

However, some scientists believe that traveling to the past is, in fact, theoretically possible, though impractical.

Maybe if there were a theory of everything, one could solve all of Einstein’s equations through a wormhole, and see whether time travel is really possible, Kaku said. “But that would require a technology far more advanced than anything we can muster," he said. "Don’t expect any young inventor to announce tomorrow in a press release that he or she has invented a time machine in their basement.”

For now, the only definitive part of travel in the fourth dimension is that we’re stepping further into the future with each passing moment. So for those hoping to see Earth a million years from now, scientists have good news.

If you want to know what the Earth is like one million years from now, I’ll tell you how to do that,” said Greene, a consultant for “Déjà Vu,” a recent movie that dealt with time travel. “Build a spaceship. Go near the speed of light for a length of time—that I could calculate. Come back to Earth, and when you step out of your ship you will have aged perhaps one year while the Earth would have aged one million years. You would have traveled to Earth’s future.”

The theory that divided scientists

IF YOU cut the maps of various continents along the coastlines and juggle them around like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, you can almost fit them into one big landmass — the super-continent.

Once you have done that, it is quite natural to conjecture: Were all the continents part of a huge super-continent, which Wegener called Pangaea (all lands)? That was the genesis of the theory of continental drift.

The concept has a history of about 200 years, but it was first proposed consistently in 1912 by Alfred Wegener (1880-1930). Wegener was not a geologist; by education he was an astronomer (with a PhD) and by profession a meteorologist. As it happens now and then, remarkable ideas, concepts, hypotheses and theories are formulated by some very unlikely persons.

Consider Charles Darwin, who read medicine and then thought of becoming a priest. Professionally, he was neither a geologist nor a natural scientist. But he ended up studying natural science all his life. He propounded the epochal theory of natural selection.

There are certain superficial similarities in the concepts proposed by Darwin, on the one hand, and Wegener, on the other. Darwin’s theory challenged the age-old idea of creation of plant and animal life in fixed species for all times, by the theory of biological evolution. Wegener’s theory of continental drift shattered the idea of the permanence of various continents in their existing conditions.

The continents, according to the prevailing belief, were fixed in their positions; they were what they were, so to say, and they were always like that. Lastly, Charles Darwin called his book on evolution The origin of species by means of natural selection, while Wegener called his work The origins of continents and oceans.

It can also be mentioned that a macro-evolutionary change needs a very long time to occur, may be millions of years, and similarly the continents took millions of years (about 200 million years) to drift to their current positions. They are still drifting although the velocity is only of the order of 10cm per year.

One of the significant differences between physical and natural sciences is that a physical theory gives predictions that can be checked and verified frequently in laboratory experiments. Natural science, on the other hand, doesn’t make predictions in this manner.

The data on which it is based can possibly be interpreted in some alternative manner too. Therefore, checking and verification of a natural science theory requires long and patient work and coming together of several other disciplines.

Wegener’s idea had existed for a long time; other people had also thought about it and speculated. But it hadn’t caught fire as it did when Wegener formulated it. Wegener’s formulation was noticed and some other investigators also contributed to it, but since no plausible mechanism of drift was given, it remained buried for many years.

Wegener had proposed that drift was caused by the force of gravitation and Earth’s rotation. Calculations, however, showed that the two forces were not big enough to cause drift. Wegener had hypothesized that thermal convection in the mantle of Earth could also cause drift. But he did not develop this idea in a comprehensive fashion.

Arthur Holmes elaborated upon the convection hypothesis further in 1929, when Wegener’s theory had almost been pushed off the stage. Convection current is caused when a substance is heated, like water in a pan, and its density decreases; consequently the heated substance rises to the top. The denser matter sinks to replace it. Thus, a re-circulating current is generated.
This current “may be strong enough to cause continents to move,” it was suggested. Holmes explained further: “...(T)his thermal convection was like a conveyor belt and that the upwelling pressure could break apart a continent and then force the broken continent (pieces) in opposite directions carried by the convection currents.”

It was also argued that the lines along which the continents were torn apart were more or less like the tear of a newspaper.

When you bring the torn pieces together, they not only fit together, their printed words also wedge together. The implication was that the rock structures of the broken continents, their fossils, fauna and flora were similar along the tear lines.

In due time, when such information was gathered, the proponents would use it to support their thesis, while the antagonists would use the same data to reject it. This is the downside of a theory whose validation is derived only from interpretation of data.

This is explained in the following lines from George Gaylord Simpson’s 1943 paper titled Mammals and the nature of continents: “There are three alternative fundamental hypotheses as to the nature of continents: that they are crustal (of the crust of Earth), segments permanent as entities but variable in position (drift hypothesis), that crustal positions do not vary significantly but continental segments and ocean basins do (transoceanic hypothesis), and that neither crustal positions nor the major distribution of continental and oceanic segments have varied greatly during at least the later stages of Earth history (stable continents hypothesis).”

Of these three hypotheses, he discarded the first two, supporting only the stable continents hypothesis. He used his plant and mammalian data to support his argument. He wrote, “The evidence definitely opposes drifting or transoceanic continents and favours stable continents. Statements of intercontinental fauna resemblances are often misleading and their interpretations have usually been subjective, unreliable, and unscientific.” He also quoted the palaeontologists who agreed with him.

“The fact that almost all palaeontologists say that palaeontological data oppose the various theories of continental drift should perhaps, obviate further discussion of this point and would do so were it not that the adherents of these theories all agree that palaeontological data do support them. It must be almost unique in scientific history for a group of students admittedly without special competence in a given field thus to reject the all but unanimous verdict of those who do have such competence.”

Simpson’s arguments were typical; many others also rejected the theory using similar arguments. The theory was also criticized for the defects in the original idea of piecing together all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle. Some continental areas are left out in the Bullard’s (maps) fit. Some other areas overlap. Other fits also suffer from similar shortcomings.

For these reasons, the theory would rest almost in oblivion until the 1960s, when different types of evidence became available to bring the drift theory into the limelight.

Tectonic plates
Though there is still no completely undisputed evidence in support of Wegener’s theory of continental drift, there is, by and large, an agreement that the continents do move. This proceeded from Harry Hess’s work in the 1960s.
Harry Hess made a curious observation during World War II. He was a naval officer deputed on a destroyer, which escorted convoys. In order to detect the German submarines, his ship towed a sensitive magnetometer, which would fluctuate due to the effect of the steel hull of a submarine if it were in the vicinity. He noticed that when his ship passed over the mid-Atlantic Ridge, the magnetometer recorded small fluctuations in the magnetic field intensity.

To get to the bottom of this observation, he went to Princeton after the war. His work there culminated in the formulation of the theory of plate tectonics. He became head of the geology department and remained at Princeton University until his death.

A tectonic plate is basically a piece of the Earth’s crust (lithosphere). According to Wikipedia, “The surface of the Earth consists of seven major tectonic plates and many more minor ones. The plates are about 100km thick and consist of two principal types of material: oceanic crust and continental crust. Under both lies a relatively plastic layer of the Earth’s mantle called the asthenosphere, which is in constant motion. This is in turn supported by a solid layer of mantle…. The churning of the asthenosphere carries the plates along in a process known as continental drift, which is explained by the theory of plate tectonics.”

The main features of plate tectonics are (http://www. ucmp.berkeley.edu/geology/tecmech.html):

• The Earth’s surface is covered by a series of crustal plates;
• The ocean floors are continually moving, spreading from the centre, sinking at the edges, and being regenerated;
• Convection currents beneath the plates move the crustal plates in different directions, and;
• The source of heat driving the convection currents is radioactivity deep in the Earth’s mantle.

Palaeomagnetism
This is the study of the magnetic properties of the ancient rocks and sediments. It is known that the Earth’s magnetic field reverses from time to time (at intervals of hundreds of thousands years or more). This was confirmed by studies of the sea floor with magnetometers.

The studies revealed the existence of numerous parallel strips of congealed rock, which were formed by the cooling of magma that erupted periodically from the Earth’s core and flowed away from the ridges, on both sides, pushing the older rocks farther away. Adjacent strips had opposite magnetic polarity, which was probably due to the reversal of the Earth’s polarity. Geologists have also found that rocks found in different parts of the Earth with similar ages have the same magnetic characteristics.

Another phenomenon was noticed from progressively older rocks in the same continent, that the magnetic poles appear to wander with time. According to David Pratt (Plate tectonics: A paradigm under threat, http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/DP5/tecto.htm), “Different continents yield different polar wander paths, and from this it has been concluded that the apparent wandering of the magnetic poles is caused by the actual wandering of the continents over the Earth’s surface.”

In conclusion, it may be mentioned that Wegener, when he postulated his theory, was viciously attacked by many not only for his theory but also for his lack of credentials. I. Bernard Cohen remarked in his book, Revolution in science: “The Wegener hypothesis aroused hostility on a number of grounds. First, it went directly counter to the mindset of almost all geologists and geophysicists who had been conditioned from their earliest days to think of the continents as essentially stable, of the Earth as terra firma…. Wegener not only was attacked for his method but was denied the right to discuss geology because he lacked credentials, being a meteorologist rather than a geologist.”

Gaylord Simpson persisted until 1978 in his objections to the continental drift theory. According to Cohen: “... (A)s late as 1978, George Gaylord Simpson repeated his earlier opinion that most of Wegener’s supposed palaeontological and biological evidence was either equivocal or simply wrong; he criticized Wegener for daring to venture into fields with which he had no first hand acquaintance.”

Wegener had a number of supporters also. As the knowledge in geology advanced and new fields of knowledge — for instance, plate tectonics and palaeomagnetism — came into being, the evidence piled up in support of his concept, although not his theory verbatim. The concept of stable and stationary continents has been abandoned and has given way to the drifting ones.

Bernard wrote, “The general shift in earth science from stabilism to mobilism — specifically to ideas of continental drift and plate tectonics — is undoubtedly a revolution....”

Subtle Nexux of Logic (Human Philosophy)

All universal forces such as gravitational force and electromagnetic field are the ramification of a unified force that is magnetic in nature but strongest of all creative phenomena in the universe. The unified force is felt by man as I a priori, this I is the first letter of Instinct. And human instinct is the “I force” of the universe which, when felt by man, leaves its sensation on human mind as something unique yet adhered to man, though this very feeling is the base of the universal existence and creativity. In human mind the feeling of I am or my instinct is just the presence of the unified force in human self awareness that is unified in terms of man's invincible link with the universe. It is not possible to separate human self awareness from human instinct because universe itself is a unified force that has a multitude of phenomena including man as an observer as well.

If we say that human self awareness is equal to his instinct then there is hardly any doubt that the universe is based on a unified force of creativity. The concept of I or “I am” is very astounding with a touch of a frightening grandeur that is adhered to man. To dig deep into the concept of “I am” brings a limitless expanse of the universe in all humans, and this will be the greatest puzzle of human mind if man does not want to give up his own identity as man. In other words, if man finds the courage to philosophically give up his identity as a mere man then he can solve the puzzle of I am, forever. The emergence of Unified Force in physics is the loss of man's being man as a separate identity provided that man makes out his existence as a manifestation of the extension of the universe itself. And this is all indicating toward the expansion of Knowledge.

What is knowledge?

Human beings are created to benefit themselves with the means of knowledge, and thus knowledge is a source of human progress rather than human deterioration in all aspects of humanity. Knowledge is different from mere thinking. Whatever human mind thinks cannot be called knowledge since knowledge must always be benign and beneficial to mankind.

Human mind never stops thinking whether a person is awake or sleeping. It means human mind is made to think but knowledge is only related to giving benefit and mental progress to mankind. Unfortunately, aberration of human mind, adopted by reputed thinkers of different ages in human history has been taken for knowledge that was an irony of human intellect. Philosophers of negative ideologies and pessimistic thoughts were impervious to the idea that knowledge is to explore the unexplored benefits for man rather than the product of any mental perversion in thinking that may lead man to an intractable sloth and sadness.

Whatever the progress the world has achieved, is the result of pragmatic approach to knowledge rather than following the futile process of the world reputed philosophers who preached ignorance and ignoble thoughts based on an inferior thinking process. The world does not feel tired in extolling the inventors like Thomas Edison, but philosophers like Nietzsche, Bergson and Hobbes are never remembered to be praised by the same world, since they never helped the mankind in resolving the grave issues of miseries, poverty and diseases.

The universe is made to support man with its mind boggling resourcefulness and possibilities. Deducing from a Greek aphorism that a sin is the result of ignorance, one can easily make out the intrinsic characteristic of knowledge that is progress and benefit to all human beings: progress in morality, progress in social prosperity and progress in intellectual development.

All the miseries that man is facing now a day and has been facing since the time unmemorable are the outcome of a lack of all permeating knowledge. Man has made a derision of his being man: all the observed conditions of gloom and misery are bearing out this factual observance. Guidance to mankind from an omniscient being is inevitable for human progress in all aspects, imaginable by man himself.

The world is bereft of the all powerful principle of human ethics binding on every human being living in this world. This is the very reason that human beings have been victims of untold cruelties in all ages of recorded history.

Man as cruel being is a man with utter ignorance that instigates him to act on an inhuman level, spreading sadness, horror and gloom around him. Despite all astonishing human progress, the morality of man is yet to be discovered by him as an integral prerequisite for man to be man, touching his soul as a pure moral being. Life is an eternal flower sprang from an isolated planet to shine in the enchanting glistening gloss of an illimitable universe. Man, the symbol of life is the mark and exponent of an ever expanding universal creativity that calls for a colossal presence of moral values for mankind.

Indeed, there are countless human beings who suffer from all kinds of miseries in their lives. What is lacking in human life whose presence may improve mankind's condition in this world? Edification of an all binding, irrevocable education of ethical values is the ultimate answer. Man's mechanical mind always needed the education of ethical knowledge to ameliorate its mechanics, sustainable to the mechanics of other minds. Instead of making out the reality of mechanical nature of human mind, human beings were left alone to be drowned in ignorance.

Human thinking process is the foundation of acquiring knowledge but raw thinking without any purpose, prima facie, is not the equivalent of knowledge. On a higher level of thinking when the world known scientists was getting at proximity with a solid scientific truth, they stopped thinking and propounded erroneous ideas in front of the world. The greatest celebrity of the realm of science Albert Einstein once conceded that he had made mistakes in composing his theories which he had first deemed as correct.

Scientific theories result into practical creativity and inventions if they are conceived flawlessly while keeping human benefit in mind. And if the world reputed geniuses can propound flawed scientific theories then the majority of human population is certainly deprived of, at least, a sensible approach to their problems and benefit. An all permeating knowledge for mankind is the farthest dream as yet. Science is the alternative word to knowledge and whatever man has achieved is the outcome of a perpetual sequence of scientific aptitude in the thinking process itself. Positive thinking to benefit mankind is scientific in nature.

Solar Energy

Today in Pakistan we are facing shortage of almost every basic need of life like water, gas, and especially electricity. It is the worst conditions we are facing now a days. The reason for that is…well we all know “THE REASONS” don’t we!!! Few days back I was reading an article in a local newspaper which was about getting electricity like many European countries which is from “Wind Turbines”. It’s a very good idea and we must have to think other ways of energy to meet our needs. Another idea which I’m going to discuss here is “SOLAR ENERGY”. As we all know that summer season is longer than winter in Pakistan. So it means we can get more and more sunlight. In my view Solar Energy Systems will be more successful in Pakistan than any European country because thankfully we can have more sunlight than Europe. Many scientists and engineers from all over the world are working in this field. Some say that it’ll be very costly, YES it’ll be but only in start as like everything when it’s new its price is high but when the competition arises then prices goes down its simple economics. We've used the Sun for drying clothes and food for thousands of years, but only recently have we been able to use it for generating power. The Sun is 150 million Kilometers away, and amazingly powerful. Just the tiny fraction of the Sun's energy that hits the Earth (around a hundredth of a millionth of a percent) is enough to meet all our power needs many times over. In fact, every minute, enough energy arrives at the Earth to meet our demands for a whole year - if only we could harness it properly and preserve it.

Here are some techniques that are being used in many parts of the world to get energy from the sun light.

Solar Cells (really called "photovoltaic" or "photoelectric" cells) that convert light directly into electricity. In a sunny climate, you can get enough power to run a 100W light bulb from just one square meter of solar panel. This was originally developed in order to provide electricity for satellites, but these days many of us own calculators powered by solar cells. Solar cells provide the energy to run satellites that orbit the Earth. These give us satellite TV, telephones, navigation, weather forecasting, the internet and all manner of other facilities.

Solar water heating, where heat from the Sun is used to heat water in glass panels on your roof. This means you don't need to use so much gas or electricity to heat your water at home. Water is pumped through pipes in the panel.

The pipes are painted black, so they get hot when the Sun shines on them. This helps out your central heating system, and cuts your fuel bills. However, in very cold places especially in winter season you must remember to drain the water out to stop the panels freezing. Solar heating is worthwhile in places like California, Australia, South East Asia (Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh) where you get lots of sunshine as I mentioned it earlier.

Solar Towers One idea that is being considered is to build Solar Towers. The idea is very simple - you build a big greenhouse, which is warmed by the Sun. In the middle of the greenhouse you put a very tall tower. The hot air from the greenhouse will rise up this tower, fast - and can drive turbines along the way. This could generate significant amounts of power, especially in countries where there is a lot of sunshine and a lot of room, such as Australia.

Advantages

• Solar energy is free - it needs no fuel and produces no waste or pollution.
• In sunny countries, solar power can be used where there is no easy way to get electricity to a remote place.
• Handy for low-power uses such as solar powered garden lights and battery chargers

Disadvantages

• Doesn't work at night. (Positively thinking it’ll cut our huge fuel and energy bills into half if we even have the solar energy system in day time. So that’s make it a negligible disadvantage.)
• Very expensive to build solar power stations.
• Solar cells cost a great deal compared to the amount of electricity they'll produce in their lifetime.
• Can be unreliable unless you're in a very sunny climate. In the United Kingdom, solar power isn't much use except for low-power applications, as you need a very large area of solar panels to get a decent amount of power. However, for these applications it's definitely worthwhile.

Is it renewable?

Solar Power is renewable. The Sun will keep on shining anyway, so it makes sense to use it.

Why “THE PROFESSIONALS” from Europe and America etc. I’ll suggest that to lower the cost we should use our own manpower which is cheaper and hardworking. By the Grace of ALLAH we are blessed with everything in our country like skilled manpower, raw material and especially more and more SUN LIGHT!!! As I mentioned earlier Europe like UK and many other countries are facing problem with less sun light but By the Grace of ALLAH we don’t have to face it. We just need good management of these things and work with diligence. INSHALLAH we’ll be successful. Pakistan will be successful. LONG LIVE PAKISTAN!