School Science is a peer-reviewed journal published quarterly by the National Council of Educational Research and Training, New Delhi. It aims to bring within easy reach of teachers and students the recent developments in the areas of science, mathematics, and environment by serving as a platform to disseminate research findings, sharing innovative pedagogies, theoretical work and other advances towards improving teaching-learning in such areas.
National Council of Educational Research and Training, New Delhi.
Dr. Prahalad Chunnilal Vaidya was an eminent Physicist and Mathematician. He made significant contributions in the field of relativity and gravitation. Through his research work in the general theory of relativity, he gave the Vaidya Metric. Vaidya was also a follower of Gandhian philosophy and an Educationist. The paper explores the universality of the laws of physics. The profound impact of Newton’s law of universal gravitation and its foundational role in modern science and engineering is discussed. It examines the universality of the Newtons law highlighting its applicability beyond the Earth, similar to other natural laws such as Boyle’s law. The paper introduced the principle of relativity, which is a criterion for distinguishing universal laws from local effects. Through the example of Einstein’s thought experiments, the paper discusses the scenario of a freely falling lift to illustrate the relativity criterion and test the universality of Newton’s law of gravitation. Through these discussions, the paper highlights the significance of Newtonian mechanics and the principle of relativity in our understanding of natural phenomena. The discussion transitions to the problem of geometry, emphasising that the description of gravitational phenomena is linked to the Geometry used.
Prof. Sipra Guha was an Indian Botanist with specialisation in plant tissue culture, plant molecular biology, biotechnology. She is known for her break-through discovery of the technique of producing haploid plants through anther culture. Dr.Guha also collaborated with M.S. Swaminathan for the Green Revolution. She served as a Professor and Dean in the school of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University. The paper explores the critical role that a Biologist plays in making possible the space mission. It sheds light upon the nature of space and addresses the unique challenges posed by the space environment, such as altered gravitational forces, weightlessness, pressure, extremes of temperature as well as radiation hazards on a space traveller. Additionally, it elaborates upon the criteria required for space travel in the 60s and the scope for space travel in the future.
Prof. R.K. Pathria is an eminent theoretical physicist, known for his work on superfluidity in liquid helium and phase transitions. The book “Statistical Mechanics” authored by him still continues to be a popular title among undergraduates and is an international bestseller on this subject. Prof. Pathria is currently a professor emeritus at the university of Waterloo. In this article, Prof. R.K. Pathria provides a comprehensive history about the use of different units of measurement. Through this series of four articles, the author attempts to narrate the exciting and thrilling story of the adoption of different units of measurements, dominated by the flavour of an ever-increasing degree of scientific precision which forms the central theme of the series. Each article covers different units—length, time, weight, luminosity, electricity and magnetism. Part I and II cover the most basic measurements a student of physics has to deal with, which are the ones related to the three fundamental entities of Nature—space, time and matter. These measurements constitute the elementary processes of determining the length of a straight line joining two given points of space, the time interval elapsed between two given instants of time, and the mass of a given piece of matter. Part I focuses on length while part II focuses on time and mass. In part III, the author reviews the sequence of developments that finally led to the adoption of the fundamental units employed with respect to heat and light; thermometry and calorimetry are discussed in case of heat and for light the fundamental units employed in photometry. In the concluding article, part IV, the units of measurement employed in the domain of electricity and magnetism are discussed. The author limits the discussion to those aspects which he considers vital to have a holistic perspective.
Prof. Panchanan Maheshwari was one of the world’s leading botanists. He is recognised for his research in the field of embryology and tissue culture. Prof. Maheshwari established embryology as a distinct discipline of study in India. He also had a significant role in bringing out the very first textbooks of Biology for Higher Secondary Schools published by NCERT in 1964. In this review, Prof. Maheshwari highlights several significant plants that originated in the Indo-Malayan region and spread globally—sugarcane, rice, cotton, tea, mango, banana and pepper. He also discusses remarks about these plants in ancient texts and gives brief historical accounts of the discovery and spread of these plants to the world.
YELLAPRAGADA SUBBAROW: DISEASES WERE HIS ENEMIES
Prof. K. V. Gopalakrishnan is a professor at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras since 1962. His speciality is internal combustion (I.C.) engines. He has done extensive research work on alternative fuels for I.C. engines including alcohols, hydrogen, etc., and control of air pollution from engines. In this article, Prof. K. V. Gopalakrishnan highlights the life and contributions of Dr. Yellapragada Subbarow, a pioneer in the field of modern medicine. In spite of his great contributions, the author points out that Subbarow is not widely known, even in his homeland India. The article takes us through the numerous hardships and academic setbacks faced by Subbarow during his early life and how he overcame those with determination. Through his research work, how Subbarow contributed towards successful development of crucial medicines for tropical spruce, filaria and plague, saving countless lives during that time have been highlighted in the article. The author alludes that Subbarow’s story serves as an inspiration, bringing about the profound impact of medical advancements on human health and life expectancy.
EARLY ACHIEVEMENTS BY DIFFERENT NATIONS IN SCIENCE
Prof. Nil Ratan Dhar was a soil scientist, known for discovering thermal and photo-chemical fixation of atmospheric nitrogen in the soil. He served as a professor of soil science and chemistry at the University of Allahabad, and as the president of Indian Chemical Society and the National Academy of Sciences, India. Prof. Dhar has also received a nomination for the Nobel Prize four times. This article explores the early scientific achievements of different civilisations. It focuses on the contribution of Egyptian, Babylonian, Indus Valley, and Chinese cultures. The roots of western science and arithmetic are explored in the article. The paper also examines the transmission of scientific knowledge through traditions and the influence of different cultures on the progress of science. The role of Arabic culture as a bridge between Eastern and Western scientific traditions is emphasised, along with the significant contributions of Indian and Chinese civilisations to mathematics, medicine, and technology. The article also discusses certain philosophers that made significant contribution in shaping the field of modern science. The paper points out that while Europe has had scientific development going on for over 500 years, India has had it for only 60 years, and thereby has a long way to go.
THE SCIENTIFIC BASES OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Dr. Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis was an Indian scientist and statistician. He established the Indian Statistical Institute. Being one of the first members of the Planning Commission of India, Dr. Mahalanobis contributed towards designing large-scale sample surveys and formulated strategy for the second Five-Year Plan of India. The paper addresses the economic development of India as a newly independent country. The critical role of investing into human resources for economic development of a country forms the main theme of the paper. The author analyses the recent history of development in advanced countries and calls attention to the interplay between education, research, technological advancement and economic performance of a country. Key sections of the article underscore the importance of applied and fundamental research in science, policy interventions and strategic investments in human capital to enhance productivity and foster economic development. The article concludes by reiterating the fact that while the importance of economic and technical aid has increasingly become clear, these alone are insufficient without a societal structure supporting reason-based decision-making.
Dr. M. S. Swaminathan was an Indian geneticist, agricultural scientist and an international administrator. He is renowned for his leading role in the Green Revolution in India, which caused a substantial increase in wheat and rice production, making India self-sufficient in food grains. He served as the Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation. In this article, Dr. Swaminathan provides a detailed account about the significant research findings in India in the 60s in the improvement of crop varieties, especially with the development and success of the Dwarf Wheat variety in India. The article takes us through a journey of how scientific wheat improvement started in the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and led to the development of wheat variety with greater yield and resistance to diseases. It discusses how the discovery of genes which confer a dwarf and non-lodging plant habit in Japan opened the door to the reconstruction of the morphology of the wheat plant. The article elaborates how these varieties were tested in all the wheat growing states of India during 1963–64 and 1964–65, under the All-India Coordinated Wheat Improvement Project and how these varieties were subjected to detailed physiological, pathological, chemical and agronomic tests at the IARI. A brief descriptions of the newly developed strains that were successfully used during that time have also been provided in the article.
SCIENTI IC ATTITUDE AND DE EO ENT IN SCIENCE AND TECNOO
Prof. Jayant Vishnu Narlikar is an Indian astrophysicist, known for giving the conformal gravity or the Hoyle–Narlikar theory. He worked on some important problems of astronomy, including gravitational collapse and a new theory of gravitation. He has received many national and international awards and accolades including the Padma Vibhushan. Apart from his contribution through research work, Prof. Narlikar is well known as a communicator of science through his lectures, books, articles and radio and television programmes. He currently serves as an Emeritus Professor at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics. The paper is an excerpt from the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Lecture delivered by Prof. J. V. Narlikar in New Delhi on 13November, 1976 on the topic “The Role of Scientific Outlook in Development of Science and Technology.” In his lecture, Prof. Narlikar emphasises upon the essence of the scientific process and approach. Narlikar highlights the importance of creativity and originality in science. By providing the example of historical context of planetary motion, he talks about how with empirical evidence, scientific outlook replaced supernatural explanations. He addresses the revisability of scientific laws, using Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity as a case where new theories emerged from experimental conflicts with established laws. Narlikar also discusses the conservative nature within the scientific community and the challenges posed by new discoveries. He critiques the presence of superstitions and the common man’s reliance on miracles and advocates for a rational, questioning attitude. Narlikar underscores the role of science in addressing societal issues, quoting Nehru’s belief in science as a solution to problems like hunger and poverty. The importance of basic research and the need for a scientific outlook in developing nations is emphasised, citing Dr. Homi Bhabha’s views on the value of fundamental research for societal progress. He concludes by reflecting on the limitations of human understanding in science, suggesting that current knowledge may be incomplete and hinting at future breakthroughs.
PERCEPTIONS OF THE UPPER PRIMARY STUDENTS ON RESPIRATION AND RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
The research studies from a developmental or psychological perspective indicate that many children reside in an ideal world devoid of appropriate scientific understanding. They are thought to accumulate a huge variety of naive concepts, which are a product of their ideas supplemented with the surrounding social milieu. The mismatch in the opinions portrayed in the scientific world versus their ideas gradually compels the students to develop alternative conceptions, leading to their entrapment into a highly interwoven web of misconceptions. The living world and various physiological systems housed within a living body are areas of great familiarity for the students. However, it cannot be negated that in reality the upper primary students are only exposed to the superficial images of the organ systems and are totally in the dark about the mechanisms of processes occurring within a living body. This gradually leads to imbibing certain alternative conceptions and misconceptions in them. This study is focused on investigating the variety of probable misconceptions of several concepts under the topic of respiration and highlighting the relevant genesis. Proper administration of the tests comprising of open-ended questions to a lot of 34 students of Class VIII, who are already acquainted with the topic in their previous classes and interviewing a few of them provides detailed qualitative and quantitative data of the misconceptions along with their origins. A search through the literature reveals that the formal, informal and non-formal learning resources contribute to the inhibition of misconceptions, a few of which include textbooks, reference books, teacher’s language, cultural beliefs, etc. The questionnaires asked in the interview are an indirect attempt to create a cognitive conflict in the students’ minds and challenge their misunderstandings to facilitate the students to overcome them. Hence, it highlights the importance of the skill of questioning in the teaching-learning process as well as its efficiency in serving as a remedy for misconceptions.
TO STUDY THE REASONS OF LOW PERFORMANCE IN THE NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT SURVEY 2021 OF CLASS VIII STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO JHABUA DISTRICT OF MADHYA PRADESH
National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2021 was held on 12 November 2021 at all India level. This survey aims to measure the level of learning and achievement nationwide at the district level. NAS-2021 was conducted for Classes III, V, VIII and X in different schools. In the present study, students of Class VIII of Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh were chosen, which is a core tribal area with 41 per cent literacy rate. This district had a low level of performance in science subject in NAS–2021. As per the NAS–2021 results, in science only 11 per cent students were found to be at the proficient or above, which was below the state and national averages. On being analysed further, it was found that 55 per cent students scored below basic, 34 per cent students were in the basic, 11 per cent of them were proficient and only 1 per cent could reach the advanced level in the performance levels described for science learning in Class VIII. For the study, the researcher wanted to find out the reasons for low performance in science in Jhabua district. A survey method was a natural choice to understand the probable causal factors for low performance in science in the district.
IMPLEMENTING GUIDED DISCOVERY LEARNING IN SCIENCE CLASSROOM
Vygotsky believed that students learn complex problems that are tasks in the Zone of Proximal Development. Here, students get a chance to uncover existing knowledge and create new knowledge. If teachers are eager for students to get such delightful experiences in their science classroom, in such an environment, students get a chance to uncover existing knowledge and create new knowledge. If we want students to get such wonderful experiences in their science classroom, we need to implement Guided Discovery Learning that will be appropriate learning methods for students. Guided Discovery Learning is based on a constructivist approach that gives full autonomy to students to manipulate, modify and explore new things in their own way. It emphasises to foster learners’ ability to uncover the things, exploration, problem-solving and independent thinking. Guided discovery also provides an opportunity for students to create and discover things through creative learning. Present paper throws light on how Guided Discovery Learning is implemented in science classroom with appropriate examples and also discusses basic concept of Guided Discovery Learning, role of teacher and rules that must be kept in mind, while implementing this learning in classroom.
DECIPHERING GLOBAL WARMING FOR STUDENTS AT THE SECONDARY STAGE
Global warming is at the core of climate change. Therefore, understanding global warming is crucial to understand climate change and its adverse impacts so that appropriate measures can be taken up. However, the term, 'global warming' is commonly used by all and sundry, it is hardly understood by most including those students, who have studied about it. This is because global warming is the outcome of numerous factors, events and interactions that happen in the atmosphere which are complex in nature and complicated to explain. As a result, appropriate resources are not easily available that are suitable for students of different stages. Keeping this in view, the article attempts to present global warming comprehensively and holistically in such a manner that secondary stage students will be able to understand.
AN EFFICIENT METHOD OF SLIDE PREPARATION FOR STUDY OF BREAD MOULD ACROSS SCHOOL CURRICULUM
This paper systematically describes a simple technique for slide preparation. For slide preparation, a moist chamber is developed and a slide is kept inside it. Instead of fungal media, a tiny piece of bread has been suggested in the technique to be kept on the slide. Bread serves as media in this technique for fungal growth. The moist chamber is placed at room temperature ranging from 28–32oC for 5 to 6 hours per day with high humidity of rainy season. The growth emerging from the substrate (bread piece) is observed under the microscope. The technique is useful for students, from school to college level, for studying fungal morphology. This is an experiential learning activity that helps develop skills and several competencies such as slide preparation, microscope handling, the ability to differentiate and classify fungi on the basis of microscopic study. The students also develop competencies to record and report the observation and take part in the discussion for achieving these learning outcomes.
EMPOWERING LEARNERS FOR THE FUTURE: INTEGRATING COMPUTATIONAL THINKING IN SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
The rapid permeation of technology in our society demands the integration of Computational Thinking (CT) skills into education to empower learners to navigate technological advancements, drive innovation and prepare for the future workforce. CT is crucial for problem-solving, data analysis and decision-making across domains and its inclusion in science and mathematics education offers numerous benefits. This research paper examines the significance of integrating CT skills in school curricula, focusing on science and mathematics. It explores the elements of computational thinking and their relevance in nurturing analytical and critical thinking abilities among students. The paper also discusses challenges and opportunities in implementing CT education and proposes pedagogical approaches for effective integration. The relationship between computational thinking, science and mathematics is highlighted, emphasising the mutual benefits of this integration for deeper understanding and interdisciplinary connections. Overall, the paper emphasises equipping students with CT skills to prepare them for the ever-evolving technological landscape and foster creativity and problem-solving abilities.
UNCONVENTIONAL PROBLEMS OF RATIO AND PROPORTION CONCERNING DISTRIBUTION OF THREE LIQUIDS AND THREE ROOMS
Each of the three glass jars contains three different liquids whose volume ratios and density ratios are given. These liquids are poured into and blended in a bigger glass jar. The volume of the blended liquid in the bigger jar is measured. This paper is aimed at finding the mass distribution of the three liquids in the three smaller jars, respectively. Another problem of ratio and proportion is introduced: ratios of height, length and breadth of each of the three rooms and the areas of their floors and walls are given. Aforementioned dimensions of the rooms are calculated.
ASSESSING THE IMPACTS OF VIRTUAL LEARNING DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON STUDENTS AND TEACHERS
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of educational institutes all around the world. As a result, education had and is still experiencing considerable transformation with the introduction of e-learning, which confined students to receive instructions remotely via digital platforms. Some students and teachers were apprehensive that if online learning adoption will continue post-pandemic it may affect the global education business, given the abrupt shift away from the classroom in many parts of the world. This study was done to find out the impacts of virtual learning on the students and teachers, and the challenges faced by them during the transition from physical to virtual modes of learning. The questionnaire was designed in two google forms — one for teachers, and one for graduate and postgraduate students, which were circulated via various social media platforms. The purpose of this study was to see how online classrooms fared for professors and students in India. Furthermore, it attempted to comprehend the users' experiences as well as the specific set of obstacles that this style of teaching presents. e-learning assisted both teachers and students in developing new skills and capacities that aided them and expanded their knowledge.
HEALTHY PARENTING IN CONTEXT OF AYURVEDA
In modern era, the concept of healthy parenting is missing. The people are following diet which is not healthy. The lack of knowledge of ayurvedic diet has deprived the modern society of the ancient knowledge of ayurveda which is best for prevention of diseases and upbringing of children. Accordingly in this paper, the principles of ayurveda are described in depth for healthy parenting. The focus here starts from conception of the child and care during pregnancy. It comprises of the Shodash Samskaars and many other aspects depending upon the type of prakriti of individual. The paper also discusses about the diet according to different types of children i.e. Vata, Pitta and Kapha Prakriti to prevent diseases. It has been concluded that by following all the ayurvedic ways starting from conception, dincharya and aahar vihar will bring the best child in the society which has best qualities and these ayurvedic methods should be followed for making the society disease–free and cultured.
INTEGRATION OF TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM
Across the globe human civilisation has developed its unique set of knowledge through interaction with the environment that human beings live in. The ancient scientific knowledge developed through continuous efforts is still relevant today and is capable to sustain the modern society. The present paper analyses the secondary school textbooks to identify the scope for integrating relevant aspects of ancient Indian scientific knowledge in secondary school science curriculum. On the basis of analysis, suggestions are made on how to include Ancient Scientific Knowledge in secondary school science curriculum.
Indian mathematics gives a unique insight into the history of mathematics within a historical global context. The history of ancient civilisation is often surrounded by the mystery and controversy. Even now, Western scholars have not given enough credit to the work of some of the ancient Indian mathematicians. The aim of this paper is to present short outlines ancient developments in mathematics of India. I mean to summarise the results and contribution of Indian mathematics which were made in the period of Indus valley civilisation (Harappa civilisation) and in Vedic period.
STUDY OF ANCIENT INDIAN SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE AND CONTEMPORARY NANOTECHNOLOGY — A REVIEW
Nanoscience and nanotechnology are at the forefront of modern research; it opens up a new outlook in the research and development of various disciplines like medicines, electronics, agriculture, cosmetics etc. The ancient Indians applied the knowledge of nanotechnology without explicitly mentioning the term. Damascus steel is a material used by ancient Indians for making sword containing carbon nanotubes. ‘Bhasmas’ are generally used in ayurvedic medicines. These ‘Bhasmas’ are the ashes obtained by calcination of heavy metal salts such as mercury, lead, arsenic, and iron and imparted with herbal formulation or with other ayurvedic constituents. Its particle size range between 5–50 nm. Bhasmas has some common properties such as anti-ageing quality, increases metabolism at the cellular level and acts as the catalyst. It can serve as an excellent template for the development of nanomedicine for an efficient therapeutic cure. 'Charak Samhita', the most established Ayurvedic epic composed by the father of Indian Medicine, Charaka, mentions the cause for his medicine’s potency is due to the reduced size of metallic and nonmetallic particles. Present-day nanotechnology is successful because of similar guidelines. A brief literature survey, regarding the ancient Indian scientific knowledge about nano-sized particles, their applications, strengthens the fundamentals of modern nanotechnology are the highlights of this present paper.
Cryptography is a feature of ancient literature. Ancient India placed a lot of importance on information reaching only those who could be trusted with the information or not share it at all. Messages were often conveyed in a hidden form visible in ancient texts. In this paper, we will see how the Math term (Pi) is hidden in one Malayalam shloka in KaranaPaddhati written by Puthamana Somayaji, using Kaṭapayādi system. Subash Kak, a scientist, historian and Indologist felt strongly that there is encrypted and decrypted truth in the oldest of all ancient literature works— the Rig Veda, which could support his ideas. His work exposed the knowledge of astronomy of the Vedic civilisation that was hidden in the Samhita part of the Rig Veda. This paper discusses about how we can connect modern cryptography technology to ancient literature text, monument and war techniques.
Speed of light is a universal constant. In the western world, its value was first determined by Roemer in 1676. Prior to that, it was believed that light travels with infinite speed. However, its value was known to Indians since Vedic period ( c. 1500 and 1200 BC). Sayana a Vedic scholar (c. 1315–1387) and a minister in the court of King Bukka I of the Vijayanagar Empire in South India, wrote commentaries on Rigveda. In a hymn addressed to the Sun, he says that “it is remembered that the Sun traverses 2,202 Yojan in half a Nimesh". This value is quite close to the presently measured value of the speed of light in vacuum, i.e., 300 million metre per second or 186,000 mile per second (Vartak, 1995; Kak, 2000). The paper examines Sayana’s shloka that he has decoded from Rigveda hymn 1.50.4 to reveal how speed of light was calculated using unit of time as Nimesh and unit of distance as Yojana. It is argued that the value of speed of light mentioned in Sayana’s shloka was not just a coincidence, it is calculated based on some rational approach.