GPS Units for Cars

It was one of those late nights and Maria was returning from work. She had had a hectic day and was dying to relax in the comfort of her new apartment. After taking a few winding turns, she realized that she was nowhere near home. But she did not panic. She had recently installed one of the new GPS units and that helped her reach home without much hassle.The above-mentioned scenario is not uncommon and could happen to anyone. In such situations, a GPS unit can come to your rescue. Whether you are going for a road trip to a distant place, have a bad sense of direction, are on a safari for hunting or just in an unfamiliar city, all you need is a GPS navigation unit as your friend and guide (pun intended!). For those of you who do not know what is a GPS, here is the answer.
The extended form of GPS is global positioning system. It was originally developed for the defense forces but now it is extensively used as a tracking system for cars and other objects. The GPS real time tracking system is satellite network based and gives the information related to the exact location or position of the objects on a real time basis.

How to Distinguish Between Crystal and Glass

The fundamental idea is that, all crystals are glasses but all glasses are not crystals. The uses of glasses and crystals are numerous. We use crystal wares and glass wares in our houses, mostly for decorative purposes. Different types of spectacle glasses are widely used in our day-to-day life and we can even make jewelry out of crystals. Now, when we look into the differences between glass and crystal, some differences are visible to the naked eye and some can be found through experiments only. But before knowing how to identify glass from crystals, it is necessary to understand what is a glass and what is a crystal. Let's analyze it.

There's a Shot for That

Two centuries ago Edward Jenner administered the first scientifically developed vaccine, injecting fluid from a dairymaid’s skin lesion into an 8-year-old boy. The English physician knew that dairymaids who contracted cowpox, a comparatively mild skin disease, became immune to the much deadlier smallpox, which at the time killed 400,000 Europeans a year. Jenner hoped the fluid from the cowpox lesion would somehow inoculate the boy against the smallpox scourge. 
His hunch proved correct. Today vaccines (vaccinia is Latin for “cowpox”) of all forms save 3 million lives per year worldwide, and at a bargain price. A measles shot, for instance, costs less than a dollar per dose.

Importance of Science and Technology

Before understanding the importance of science and technology, it is important for us to understand that science and technology are closely associated with our lives. They are closely linked aspects of society and the studies and developments in both of science and technology are essential for the overall progress of society. Why is technology so important? How does scientific development affect society? Let us find out.
Scientific research comprises a wide variety of fields ranging from the study of different branches of science to relatively advanced fields like space exploration, human genetics and cloning. Scientific study attempts to explore and understand the working of the physical world. It tries to analyze the occurrences in nature and gain knowledge about nature through experimentation. As scientific research aims at gaining knowledge of the complexities of nature, it is important for the progress of mankind. The seemingly impossible feats have been made possible, thanks to the scientific research.Natural sciences deal with the study of nature and human life. The studies of natural and artificial sciences reveal the relationship between nature and human life. Research in science has paved a path to many brilliant inventions and discoveries.When it comes to science and technology, we cannot forget the automobile and the transport industries that have grown tremendously on account of the developments in science and engineering. Technological advancements have driven the developments in the different modes of transport. Bicycles have transformed into scooters and sport bikes. Four and six wheeled vehicles have started running on the roads, thanks to the advancing technology. The developments in air transport have winged the common man to soar high!

Types of Cell Division

Before we get to the part about the phenomenon or types of cell division, let's take a closer look at the two basic types of organic cellular structures that exist in this world as we know it. A cell can be either prokaryotic or eukaryotic, based upon its structural makeup. Prokaryotic cells have a simple, very basic structure as they neither have cell nuclei nor are they equipped with cellular organelles enclosed within membranes. In other words, all genetic matter and other areas partaking in various cellular functions and metabolic activities exist in free states within the cellular boundaries. Eukaryotic cells, on the other hand, are the more evolved, hi-tech counterparts of prokaryotic cells. They have all things that prokaryotic cells lack - cell nuclei holding all the genetic matter of the cells inside them, separate membrane bound organelles that have exclusive and specific tasks assigned to them (such as mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, chloroplasts, etc.), etc.
As you must have guessed by now, the more complex an organism is in terms of its physical structure and physiological functions, the more it is likely to have a eukaryotic cellular structure. This fact is evidenced by the fact the simplest of all life forms such as bacteria and archaea belong to the prokaryotic domain of biological classification. Now that the particulars of the two basic cellular structures have been discussed, let's move ahead to the next segment and take a look at what the various different types of cell division are.

How to Replace an ABS Wheel Speed Sensor

The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) is one of the most significant parts in the safety package of an automobile. The main job of this technology is to prevent wheel lockup, at a time when momentary wheel rotation is actually needed for proper braking on slippery surfaces. The system functions using several components, out of which wheel speed sensors are one of the most prominent. It is the sensors that keep an eye on the speed of wheels and aid in releasing brake pressure during hard braking. The wheel speed is detected from the toothed wheel by the magnetic sensors, and sent to the ABS computer for brake and release action. If the ABS speed sensor goes bad, the braking will be a kind of irregular and abrupt when braking on low speeds. If you are considering this replacement as a DIY task, wear proper protective gear such as safety eye wear and gloves. Below is an explanation of how to replace an ABS wheel speed sensor.

Steps on How to Replace an ABS Wheel Speed Sensor
Since the sensors use battery power to function, replacing them firstly needs the battery connection to be disconnected. This can be done by disconnecting the negative terminal on the battery under the hood. Place wooden blocks or flat stones in front of every wheel to keep the car stable when doing this repair. In addition, also activate the parking brake. Lift the car using jacks and safety stands on the axle.As the ABS sensors are located behind the wheel assembly, you need to take out the wheel. Use a wrench and turn it counterclockwise on the lug nuts to remove the wheel off the hub. You might need to give a jerk to take the wheel off the assembly. The sensor would be a small black assembly on the hub. If you have just got the sensor changed and are experiencing ABS brake problems, a good idea is to clean the sensor. Clean the oil on the sensor and connectors with a cloth, fix the assembly correctly, and then see if the issue is resolved.
If you are sure about replacing ABS wheel speed sensor, you then need to take out the sensor's cable from the harness connector. The sensor would be joined to the hub by a small bolt which has to be removed. Ensure that you have the same sensor model like the old one to retain proper functioning of ABS. Take the new sensor and fix it on the appropriate place, by tightening the bolt on the assembly. Plug in the harness connector in the respective space on the new sensor.Make sure that there is no visible gap between the toothed wheel and sensor tip. However, the system works fine with a maximum of 0.04 inch gap between these two points. Reinstall the wheel assembly and tighten the nuts securely. Take the car off the jack stands slowly to rest on the ground. Do not forget to connect the negative terminal back on the battery, without which the ABS sensors won't work. During the replacement, you can even think about replacing the sensor cable as well. The total cost of the DIY project might come to around $50, just for the price of a new sensor and cable.Many a times, a simple cleanup of the sensor setup is more than enough to resolve ABS problems. For effective functioning of the system, do a periodical cleanup of the sensors on all wheels. The procedure for replacing ABS sensors on both front and rear axles is much the same as described in the above article. If you are not at all sure about the replacement, it is suggested to take professional help from an authorized service tech.

Things We Can Do To Stop Global Warming

Global warming is caused due to the rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that embraces the radiated heat and stores it, increasing the overall global temperatures to dangerous levels. The rising temperatures have caused the glaciers to melt, thus causing an increase in the sea level. Unpredictable weather and a strange change in climate patterns are also some of the effects of global warming. In fact, according to a recent study, over the past three decades our planet is said to be shrinking at a faster rate. Extreme climatic conditions like drought in some parts of the world while heavy rains in some others and record heat waves in most of the parts have send an alarming message to stop global warming. It is not that we are not trying to curb global warming; the governments of various countries and the UN (United Nations) have already started with their efforts to address the problem of global warming. They are doing their bit, and its time for us to address this sensitive problem on a personal level. Given below are a few things we can do to stop global warming.

Plant Mitosis Vs. Animal Mitosis

Microscopic cells are a vital component of all living organisms and each living body, whether plant or animal, is made up of several such cells which contribute towards carrying out basic life functions. In order to sustain life these cells need to reproduce from time to time, so as to keep their numbers constant. Over time, cells suffer from wear and tear and old age, and eventually stop functioning, so it is extremely essential for these cells to be present in large numbers and in a healthy state in order to sustain life.Cell division is something that has fascinated scientists for many years now, and the ability of these cells to create perfectly identical copies of themselves is truly something to be marveled at. Irrespective of all the wonders of technology around us, the fact remains that something as simple as cell division is a truly magical process. This cell division is what is known as Mitosis, and this is what keeps living organisms alive. Needless to say, the process of mitosis in plants and animals is very different, and this is why one needs to understand the complete difference between plant mitosis vs. animal mitosis.

What is Mitosis
The cells inside plants and animals are known as Eukaryotes, and these are cells that are embedded and housed inside membranes. The most important membrane of this cell is the nucleus, and this is what distinguishes eukaryotes from prokaryotes, and the nucleus is also the component that enables cell division and mitosis. Mitosis is nothing but the division of one single cell into two genetically identical cells, and this is carried out for the sole purpose of continuing life. Mitosis is immediately followed by a process known as Cytokinesis, and both these processes together define the Mitotic Phase of the cell cycle in a living body. The various stages of mitosis are as follows.

    * Interphase: Though this phase is not really a part of mitosis, it generally precedes the whole process of cell reproduction. It does so by preparing the cell for division and also provides it with all the necessary nutrients and proteins.
    * Preprophase: This phase occurs only in plant cells, and it involves the creation of a bisecting line along the center of the cell, and this line shows where the cell will divide. This bisecting line is known as Phragmosome and it is made of cytoplasm.
    * Prophase: In this phase the chromatin (which is the combination of the proteins and DNA of the nucleus) gets divided into two chromosomes which are still attached to each other, and each of these chromosomes start moving to opposite sides of the cell.
    * Prometaphase: This phase precedes metaphase, and in this case the nucleus fragments start breaking and moving towards the chromosomes. The microtubules of the cell also slowly start attaching themselves to the chromosomes and this is a sign that the cell division has truly begun.
    * Metaphase: The microtubules now get attached to the kinetochores on the chromosomes, and they start moving to opposite sides with renewed speed. The alignment between the chromosomes is equal, and the DNA distribution is exactly identical as well.
    * Anaphase: In this phase the chromosomes get cleaved right through the center and they move completely to different sides of the cell. Many stages of elongation and bisection are carried out here for the chromosomes to be divided.
    * Telophase: The last step of mitosis involves the actual splitting up of the chromosomes into two distinct parts, and the cleaning up and the strengthening of the membrane also occurs here. Upon the completion of this stage, the process of mitosis is completed, and the process of cytokinesis then begins.

Pros and Cons of Vegetable Oil as Fuel

As the issue of depletion of non-renewable sources is gaining momentum, researchers have started looking for other alternatives. There is a huge strain on gulf countries to produce oil in adequate quantities to satisfy the need of various countries of the world. Environmental concerns have also played an important part in establishing the need to look at other sources of energy, which are relatively less dangerous for the environmental health. Vegetable oil has emerged as strong contenders as an alternative fuel, however their use in commercial vehicles is still at an early stage.Vegetable oil can be used as an automobile fuel as there is a lot of waste that comes out from cooking and other agricultural products. Vegetable oils that are used as a fuel come under two categories - Straight Vegetable Oils (SVO) and Waste Vegetable Oils (WVO). As the name suggests, SVO is the oil that is available in the grocery stores and this oil can work in diesel engines after making some necessary modifications to the engine. WVO on the other hand, is the oil that has been used for cooking. The global food industry produces WVO in huge amounts, which when purified can be used as a fuel. There are numerous advantages of using vegetable oil as a fuel but there are some challenges involved before it can be used in automobiles on a large scale. Let us take a look at the pros and cons of vegetable oil as fuel.