Kohinoor Diamond

Diamonds are formed at high temperature and pressure at depths of 140 to 190 kilometers (87 to 118 mi) in the Earth's mantle. Carbon-containing minerals provide the carbon source, and the growth occurs over periods from 1 billion to 3.3 billion years (25% to 75% of the age of the Earth). Diamonds are brought close to the Earth's surface through deep volcanic eruptions by a magma, which cools into igneous rocks known as kimberlites and lamproites.Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at standard conditions. Diamond is renowned as a material with superlative physical qualities, most of which originate from the strong covalent bonding between its atoms. In particular, diamond has the highest hardness and thermal conductivity of any bulk material. Diamond also has relatively high optical dispersion (ability to disperse light of different colors).The formation of natural diamond requires very specific conditions—exposure of carbon-bearing materials to high pressure, ranging approximately between 45 and 60 kilobars (4.5 and 6 GPa), but at a comparatively low temperature range between approximately 900 and 1,300 °C (1,650 and 2,370 °F). These conditions are met in two places on Earth; in the lithospheric mantle below relatively stable continental plates, and at the site of a meteorite strike.Diamonds are naturally lipophilic and hydrophobic, which means the diamonds' surface cannot be wet by water but can be easily wet and stuck by oil. Diamonds are mostly with typically yellow, brown or gray to colorless. Less often blue, green, black, translucent white, pink, violet, orange, purple and red color.Diamonds are extremely hard, but also brittle and can be split up by a single blow. Therefore, diamond cutting is traditionally considered as a delicate procedure requiring skills, scientific knowledge, tools and experience.

Cricketers Who Suffered Fatal Injuries while Playing

1. Phil Hughes (Australia, 25) - 2014


2. Darryn Randall (South Africa, 32) - 2013

3. Zulfiqar Bhatti (Pakistan, 22) - 2013

4. Richard Beaumont (England, 33) - 2012

5. Alcwyn Jenkins (England, 72) - 2009

6. Wasim Raja (Pakistan, 54) - 2006

7. Raman Lamba (India, 38) - 1998

Lamba, a former India international, was hit on the head while fielding during a club match in Dhaka. He went into a coma three days later, before being pronounced dead.

8. Ian Folley (England, 30) - 1993

9. Wilf Slack (England, 34) - 1989

10. Abdul Aziz (Pakistan, 18) - 1959

11. Andy Ducat (England, 56) - 1942

12. George Summers (England, 25) - 1870

Rotating Skyscraper

It’s the first building in the world that rotates, moves, and changes shape..The Dynamic Tower ., also known as Dynamic Architecture Building (Da Vinci Tower).Height 420-metre (1,378 ft), 80-floor moving skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, designed by architect David Fisher.Similar to the Suite Vollard completed in 2001 in Brazil, Each floor will be able to rotate independently.This will result in a constantly changing shape of the tower. Each floor will rotate a maximum of 6 metres (20 ft) per minute, or one full rotation in 90 minutes.It will be the world's first prefabricated skyscraper with 40 factory-built modules for each floor.

Speciality:The entire tower will be powered from wind turbines and solar panels. Enough surplus electricity should be produced to power five other similar sized buildings in the vicinity.

The turbines will be located between each of the rotating floors.They could generate up to 1,200,000 kilowatt-hours of energy. The solar panels will be located on the roof and the top of each floor.Each of the towers have been designed with swimming pools, gardens and even lifts for cars meaning people can park outside their flats.

The Italian architect has revealed the ambitious plans to create Dynamic Towers in cities around the world with separate floors that spin 360 degrees around a concrete centre every 90 minutes. 

The first two are planned to be built in Dubai and Moscow with other cities including London, Milan, Paris, Rome, New York and Miami  on the cards too.

The 80-storey Dubai tower cost around £355million while the 70-storey Moscow tower will be developed by the Mirax Group with final costs unknown. 

Talking tree

    We know for sure that trees talk through the air like we do, we have to wonder what they say about us as we press into their territories and begin to deforest the land, starting at one edge of the woods and working our way through to the other. Do the trees cut first shout to the others on the opposite end to run? Or are they whispering to us, asking that we be more mindful of the consequences?

We’ve known for a long time that plants are sensitive to their environments, reacting to changes in temperature, soil conditions, and light. Their senses, like ours, are quite developed: The Venus flytrap catches its dinner by snapping shut when an insect touches the tiny hairs on its leaves, and some farmers believe that sounds louder than the human voice stimulate the germination and rapid growth of some vegetables. But the confirmation that plants of the same species are able to talk with each other through the air is a new development.

In one recent research project, scientists took note of when the first gypsy moth larvae landed on a mature oak tree that resided in a grove with other oaks. By analyzing the chemistry of the mature oak tree’s leaves, they were able to determine that within a very short period of time, the tree had added a bitter tannin to all of its leaves. The tannin made the tree an unattractive lunch option for the gypsy moth larvae. But what was more astounding was that all the other oak trees in the grove changed the chemistry of their leaves, too, making them unappetizing as well.

It took a few years for the scientists to understand just how the trees in the rest of grove had gotten word that the gypsy moths were in town. It was found that the trees did not communicate through their roots — instead, they released a special gas (or pheromone) to warn their neighbors of the danger.

If we’ve ever walked in a forest or a grove on a breezy or windy day, we’ve probably experienced that bit of an unsettling feeling that says to you that the trees are “talking” above our head. With every moan and retort of the wood, we’d almost swear that we could hear rumblings. 

The trees surrounding we on our walk seem to be whispering to each other about the propriety of our presence.Turns out that our intuition may not be so far from the truth. Scientists are now discovering that plants have similar senses to ours and that they “talk” to each other — not through their roots, but as we do: through the air.It’s not only the oak trees that are chatting. We now have proof that willows, too, are talking with each other through the air. Quercus phellos (willow oak) is a deciduous tree in the red oak group of oaks. It is native to eastern North America from southern New York (Long Island) south to northern Florida, and west to southernmost Illinois and eastern Texas. It is most commonly found growing on lowland floodplains. It is a medium-sized tree growing to 20-30 m tall.