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I am waiting for Inspiration

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will update when inspiration strikes

Plastic Mulch, a bad choice?

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I was looking at old Google Earth images of my village and found one from 2018. The white areas in the fields are plastic mulch, which we farmers use to increase crop yields. But another picture shows our problem with getting rid of this plastic. The mulch is a 25-micron plastic film, and each acre needs 5-6 bundles, each weighing about 10 kg. If you search for my village, Rohokadi, and the surrounding area in the historical data, you’ll see the issue farmers might face soon. While plastic mulch has helped us grow better crops for the past 8-10 years, we are starting to notice some problems. Even though the mulch can be used for three crops in a row, most farmers only use it once and then throw it away. Over time, this plastic stops air from getting into the soil, which can harm the microbes that keep the soil healthy. This might make the soil less productive and lead to using more fertilizers.

Since mulch helps reduce water usage and weeds, it’s important for us to keep using it, especially in a developing country like ours. However, I’m concerned about the plastic waste it creates, so I’m looking for solutions. I’ve thought of a few ideas, and I’d love to collaborate if you have any thoughts on how they could be implemented:

1. Natural Foliage Mulch: Although using natural foliage as mulch is effective, collecting and spreading it can be difficult. I’m thinking about collecting this material and turning it into sheets that can be easily laid in the field.

2. Biodegradable Paper Mulch: Another idea is to coat craft paper with vegetable oil and cure it to make it into a water-resistant, degradable polymer. This paper could then be used as mulch.

A Thought-Provoking Start: Exploring "What is a Computer?" with Young Minds

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The first day of teaching at Z. P. Primary School was an exciting one. I had planned to start with the CM1 module of the curriculum. Since attendance was low in the 7th class, I decided to introduce concepts gradually to avoid repeating lessons for absent students.

As I began the session with the question, "What is a computer?", I expected either silence or vague responses. However, one girl confidently answered, "A computer is an electronic device that takes input and gives output." Her precise definition surprised me and altered the direction of my lesson. My new challenge was to help her and the other students truly understand what the definition meant.

According to my lesson plan, I aimed to cover four key aspects:

  • A computer is an electronic device.
  • It works with information (input and output).
  • It helps solve problems.
  • It exists in various forms beyond office settings.

The class engaged actively in discussions, and most students grasped the fundamental concept of a computer. To reinforce their understanding, I posed a question: "Is a digital weighing machine a computer?" After a brief discussion, most students agreed that it utilizes a computer to function. This marked a good stopping point for the day.

During the discussion, I emphasized that a computer processes information, handles input and output, and aids in problem-solving. Later, after interacting with her classmates, the same girl returned with a compelling question: "Is a human a computer?" She argued that humans also process information, take input and give output, and solve problems. Her curiosity sparked further debate, and I encouraged the class to think it over.

On another day, when the absent students returned, she eagerly steered the session back to her question. We spent half an hour debating whether humans could be considered computers. Some students argued that computers cannot move, so I showed them a video of Boston Dynamics robots dancing. Others said that humans do not run on electricity, so I asked them to consider energy in broader terms—just as computers use electrical energy, humans derive energy from food.

One student finally noted a crucial distinction: "We have will and desire, but computers don’t." That moment became a natural pause in the discussion, and we returned to our planned lesson.

Even now, the question remains open for them to explore. Apart from will and desire, the students continue searching for more differences between humans and computers. This unplanned philosophical inquiry turned out to be an enriching experience, highlighting how curiosity can drive deep learning.

Teaching is not just about delivering content—it is about encouraging students to think, question, and seek answers beyond the obvious. And sometimes, the best lessons come from the questions we never expected.

Can you find the penumbral shadow?

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I captured a video using a mobile phone and an 8-inch telescope of a partial penumbral lunar eclipse.

Don't be discouraged if you can't see the shadow. I might not have captured it perfectly. However, you will notice that the moon appears to rotate in the video. You might wonder, does the moon rotate like that? The short answer is no. In reality, the moon wobbles a little but doesn't rotate as seen in the video. The rotation in the video is due to the type of telescope mount we used—a Dobsonian mount. When the object we're observing passes the zenith (the point directly overhead), we have to adjust our viewing direction. This adjustment causes the frame of our recording device, which is attached to the telescope, to rotate.

Kno your weather

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Here's a presentation I made for my class on atmospheric science, which I studied during my master's program. I chose this topic because I enjoy photographing and observing different types of clouds. Clouds can reveal important clues for predicting the weather. Additionally, I'm interested in folktales related to clouds. If you know of any, please let me know!

Measuring the impossibles

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Here's a presentation I created for my class on the history of astronomical measurements, starting with basic observations and assumptions.