AMITY-UNESCO RESULT
Answer: (Jarawa in Andaman, Lepcha in Sikkim,Jaunsari in Uttarakhand, Kondh in Orissa,
Bodo in Assam, Khasi in Meghalaya, Gond in Madhya Pradesh, Gaddi in Himachal Pradesh,
Rabari in Gujarat, Bhil in Rajasthan)
From the crack of dawn, technology stirs us with its reliable alarms, and caresses us with the cooling breeze of our ACs as we drift off to sleep, weaving its wonders into our everyday lives. GT pays homage to this silent saviour that simplifies and enhances our existence with a brand new series, unwrapping A to Z of iconic tech pieces, one letter at a time. Here’s presenting the M in this series that changed human life as we know and live it.
Verushka Choudhary, AIS Navi Mumbai, IX B
The tech: Mobile phone The inventor: Martin Cooper
How was it invented?
The journey of the mobile phone began in 1973. It was invented by Martin Cooper, an American engineer with the objective of making wireless communication accessible for all. It was when AT&T aimed to build a cellular architecture to enhance its car-phone service that Motorola started its own urgent project to create a cell phone, placing Cooper in charge, as it didn’t want them to have a monopoly over mobile business. Cooper believed a cell phone should be portable and not limited to a car. As a result, the DynaTAC (Dynamic Adaptive Total Area Coverage) phone was born.
When did we get to know it first?
Martin Cooper demonstrated the first handheld cell phone on April 3, 1973. The first mobile phone which could connect to the mobile phone network independently and could be handled by the user was the DynaTAC, a nine-inch tall and 1.1 kg portable phone. DynaTAC 8000x became the first commercially available mobile phone, launched in 1983. The phone was a success even though it was priced at 3995 USD.
Why do we use it?
A mobile phone is the liaise of communication. Without it, being in touch with near and dear ones would become slow and inefficient. Indeed, mobile phones are essential to communicate, but they’re used in more ways than one. It houses social media applications such as Instagram, Facebook etc. which help one stay abreast other than keeping in touch with people from across the globe. Additionally, phones are also utilised to find information on a plethora of subjects just at the tip of our fingers.
How has it helped our lives?
Moving away and advancing forward from the times of snail-mail, mobile phone has proven itself to be one of the most worthwhile invention. It has made communicating with people from across the globe effortless. Tasks such as connecting with someone far away, be it over a voice or a video call, or sharing videos and pictures, can now be completed in a matter of a few taps. However, it comes with its own shortcomings. Mobile phones have caused addiction in teenagers and adults alike. Their eyes are glued to the screen, causing wastage of time and acting as a huge distraction. Thus, the onus of making the most of a tech device rests on the user. In essence, mobile phone’s impact is vast, transforming our lives in multifaceted ways. Its significance extends beyond communication, shaping our behaviours, habits, and how we navigate the world around us.
Fun fact: The fear of being detached from mobile phone connectivity is an actual phobia and is named ‘nomophobia’. The term is a combination of the phrase ‘no mobile phone phobia’.
The blue side
Kyu Blue Hai Paani, Paani, Paani, Paani, Paani...?
Parichaay Mittra, AIS VKC Lucknow, X A
Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Water, lived a happy family of Molecules. Mr and Mrs Molecules lived with their little tally of various children, and together, the family remained happy and chirpy. Well, except for whenever the Colours family came into town. The Colours family, comprising Mr Blue, Mrs Blue, their son Master Red, and his cousins, was an evil family that lived in the town of Sky. Though they seemed to have no business in the kingdom of Water, the Colours loved scrolling through the kingdom, just for the sake of bullying the innocent residents.
However, when Mrs Molecules got to know that the lot of Colours was on their way, she decided enough was enough. She could not let her children live in a world where bullies won. “Since we’re faster than them we should take advantage of that and tire the Colours out. Once they are tired, we can beat them and scare them into never coming back,” Mrs Molecules announced and everyone agreed. As expected, the Colours family came into the kingdom, all smug and rude, kicking up a storm. Once they had reached the kingdom, Mrs Molecules shouted them to stop. “You think you can come into our home, terrorise us and we won’t stand up for ourselves? Well, no more! Now you will pay for what you have done!” she yelled, and signalled for the attack.
On cue, the Molecules family along with the other residents ran out, teasing the Colours family. Getting angry, the Colours ran after the Molecules, only to realise that they weren’t as fast. They got tired soon enough and when they did, the Molecules came and attacked them. Mrs Molecules was very happy thinking of her safe home, par picture abhi baaki hai...!
Just as the Molecules were about to celebrate their victory, a voice roared behind them. It was Master Blue, the gangster cousin of the Colours family, who was feared by everyone. The Molecules decided to use the same tactic on him, but alas! He was not like his relatives. He was faster; in fact, he was faster than the Molecules collectively. Before any of them could harm him, he had taken the lead, attacking them all and winning the war. And so the terror of the Colours family continued on the Water kingdom, with Master Blue painting the water world blue as he pleased.
The science of it
Water molecules absorb colours having longer wavelengths like green, red etc., but blue has shorter wavelength, making its absorption less and scattering more, which is why the sea appears blue.