natural processes. How to explain to a friend that you need free space The game "What relates to nature?"




In freelancing, contracts are binding and legal leverage that protects the interests and rights of both the designer and the client, just like in any business. This obliges both parties to tune in to the terms of the contract, thus preventing anyone from being deceived.

In addition, these are significant advantages for designers because:

  • The designer will have some security in terms of being paid for his work.
  • The designer can terminate the deal if he feels that the terms of the contract have been violated.
  • The designer will have an idea of ​​how to respond to clients who are not paying.

Things to consider before signing contracts are no joke and should be taken seriously.

After you sign the contract, you need to finish the project and communicate well with the client, just like he does with you. This will save your reputation and of course stay legal.

Understanding the importance of contracts, you should always explain certain things to your clients before signing a binding and legal contract. You need them to understand your terms so that both parties can work together perfectly.

Here are a few things you need to explain to the customer:

Payment schedule

As a freelancer, you need to be safe and make sure your work gets paid. After all, no one works for free, right? That is why, as early as possible and, most importantly, before signing a contract, you should discuss with your clients questions regarding the payment schedule.

So, you should discuss the following:

  • When will you be paid?
  • How much will be the prepayment?
  • How will the work be paid for (bank transfer, e-wallets, credit card, etc.)?
  • What steps should be taken in case of late or late payment?

Delivery of the final result

Of course, this item should be included as one of the things you need to explain to your client. As a freelancer, you also need to give your client a sense of security. You must give him confidence that the final result will be delivered within the time frame that you agreed with him.

Again, when it comes to setting a project deadline, most freelancers prefer to divide the project into parts or milestones, and each milestone has its own deadline. For example, you must submit a web design for a restaurant website. As a freelancer, you can divide your entire project into four phases. Let's say you provide the client with a PSD layout first, then the main HTML page, and so on.

Why are these steps important?

  • Because the client will be able to see the progress of the project.
  • As a designer, you will be more organized when it comes to time frames.
  • You can enter into an agreement on a payment schedule based on the delivery of these milestones.

Now, if you ask me, who should set the deadlines?

The answer here is simple: it is not the exclusive right of the client to set a deadline for the delivery of the project. As a designer, you must explain your concerns to the client. Again, you have to play it safe. Give a little extra time to your projected deadline so you can correct your work if problems arise. Of course, setting deadlines is never easy.

Here are some tips:

  • Estimate the project and set realistic deadlines
  • Explain to the client why you cannot agree to their terms and offer a win-win option
  • play it safe
  • Include the smallest details in your workflow plan

Here are some articles that might help you:

Regular talks and updates

Negotiations and updates are essential to maintaining a healthy relationship between client and freelancer. Together you must decide on which days and at what time you will hold negotiations on the project.

As a freelancer, you should explain this to the client, because many of them can act like crazy when it comes to some project updates and upgrades. Perhaps each of us has come across this type of client. They grumble all the time and ask for progress updates from you almost every minute, while submitting numerous changes that add even more pressure to what we are already experiencing.

To fix this, you need to relax and explain to the client that you can't answer every time they feel like it: this requires a specific time and duration of the conversation so that both of you do not affect each other's performance.

  • Be direct and to the point
  • Update all progress and completed tasks before pointing out issues
  • Try not to whine when you talk about your problems.
  • Listen to the client
  • Make sure you tick everything you mentioned

For better negotiations, the tips from the article will help you.

Project Specifications

Before signing a contract, you need to carefully discuss the project with the client. Of course, all your efforts will be wasted if you and the client cannot find common ground in your ideas. Hell, this could end up even worse! That is why it is important to talk about the features of the project.

  • What does the client want?
  • What do you want?
  • Does the client need the site to be responsive?
  • Is there a need to add some jQuery plugins?

Ask these questions and determine how you will work together. Moreover, you must be honest in your communication with your client. You need to openly tell him what you can do and what, unfortunately, you cannot. Explain how difficult it is for you to finish what the client wants. Only in this way can you maintain good relations and achieve mutual understanding.

Design changes

Let's imagine such a scenario. You hand over the project to the customer within the agreed time. A few days later, the client contacts you and asks for changes. Now, ask yourself, should the client be blamed for this?

This issue must be resolved before signing the contract. You must explain to your client that you agree to a limited number of changes for the entire project. As a rule, professional designers advise no more than three edits. It should be understood that this is an important aspect of freelancing, because you must maintain your reputation, even despite the desire to treat your client with understanding and compassion. Remember that in the first place you must protect yourself and your interests.

Nature is constantly changing, everything in it moves - from a bird to a mountain or a mainland. Nothing stops even for a minute - neither living matter, nor KOSNA. This movement, these changes are characterized by natural processes, which in their essence can be physical, chemical, biological or complex. For the implementation of any process, energy is needed, the natural primary source of which is the Sun and the Earth itself. Thanks to energy, matter moves, transforms, breaks down, and is created in the continuous process of natural cycles. The size of the transformations depends on the properties of the substance and the energy potential; in the case of displacement, it is characterized by dependence (5).

Analysis of dependence (5) using the data in Table. 2.2 reveals that the most mobile of the given natural substances due to its low density is atmospheric air. To move one cubic meter of water at a certain speed, it is necessary to spend almost a thousand times more energy than for the same movement of air.

Solar energy is the cause of the movement of air masses in the atmosphere, clearly shown using the equation of state of air

where ΔT is the change in temperature as a result of heating (K); Q - absorbed energy (kcal kJ); M is the mass of the substance (kg); c - specific heat capacity, which for the air of the surface layer is 0.24 kcal / (kg * deg) (1.0 kJ / (kg * deg)).

How warm the air is depends on its temperature and, as a rule, its density. Light air rises, heavier (i.e. colder) - down. Heating features depend on the time of day, terrain features and many other factors. On a planetary scale, this phenomenon manifests itself in the fact that the tropical regions warm up the most, and there is a constant powerful flow of heated air upwards for several kilometers. At an altitude of 10-17 kilometers, the air spreads from the equator to the south and north. The warm air is replaced by counter currents of colder air moving the earth's surface to the equator. The rotation of the planet deflects the currents - the upper ones become western, and the lower ones become eastern, which are called trade winds.

In the global circulation circle of air, not only its temperature changes. Having risen above the tropics to a height of more than 10 kilometers, the air is greatly cooled and loses almost all moisture. Dry air descends, heats up near the earth's surface and moves further as a dry wind. It is at these latitudes (25-30 degrees) that the Sahara and Kalahari deserts in Africa, the Arabian and Thar in Asia, and the desert in Australia are located.

An important element of the troposphere is clouds - the accumulation of very small water droplets that cover almost half of the planet's surface. Clouds are collected by surface winds, which, in turn, are caused by a decrease in pressure in a certain area of ​​the earth's surface. The area of ​​low pressure is called a cyclone. An anticyclone is a region of high atmospheric pressure near the Earth's surface. In an anticyclone, dry air descends from the upper layers of the troposphere. Therefore, there is a clear, cloudless sky. Cyclones and anticyclones are up to three thousand kilometers in size and have an average lifespan of about a week. Therefore, they say that the "memory" of the atmosphere does not exceed a week.

As a result of a thunderstorm, sometimes such a dangerous natural phenomenon as a whirlwind or tornado occurs, when two layers of air of different temperature, humidity and density are formed in a small area. Vertical circular currents of air develop at a speed of 50-100 meters per second. Neighboring masses of air are carried away into the vortex, and it begins to move above the surface of the earth. The energy of a tornado can be enormous: in 1945, a factory in the French city of Montville was completely destroyed, killing hundreds of workers. In 1984, a tornado swept through the Ivanovo region of Russia at a speed of almost 100 m / s and destroyed thousands of hectares of forest, destroyed buildings, and lost crops. About 700 tornadoes sweep over the territory of the United States per year, which causes great harm to nature and people.

The physical processes in the atmosphere are considered to occur simultaneously with chemical transformations. At an altitude of 30-50 kilometers, under the influence of the ultraviolet part of solar radiation, water molecules H 2 O decompose into hydrogen and oxygen. Light hydrogen in the amount of one kilogram per second rises up into the thermosphere, while oxygen remains (8 kg/s). The action of lightning discharges and solar ultraviolet leads to the decay of some oxygen molecules into atoms, which, reacting with oxygen molecules, form ozone O 3. At an altitude of 30 kilometers, the highest concentration of ozone is observed - one B 3 molecule falls on one hundred thousand B 2 molecules If all the ozone is removed, then at normal pressure (ie at sea level) it will be located in a layer about three centimeters thick.

The normal natural state of the ozone layer is characterized by values ​​of 300-320 A.D. (Dobson units).

Water moves under the influence of various reasons. Wind, that is, the movement of atmospheric air, causes surface surge currents in all water bodies. These currents, in turn, become a temporary cause of vertical movements of water masses, the so-called upwelling. In place of the surface heated and saturated with gases (in particular, oxygen) cold water rises from the depths.

River water moves under the influence of the earth's gravitational force. The flow velocity depends on the flow of the river W (m / s) and the plane of the flow section F (m 2):

Masses of sea water move in the form of ebbs and flows from the action of the forces of attraction of the Moon (to a greater extent) and the Sun (to a lesser extent).

Against the forces of gravity, water moves from bottom to top in the soil and in plants due to the capillary wetting effect and the force of the evaporation vacuum.

The sun is the cause of giant ocean currents - warm surface Gulf Stream and Kurasivo and cold deep countercurrents in the opposite direction. The well-known climatologist D. I. Voeikov called warm currents the pipes of water heating of the globe. "The Gulf Stream carries 83 million cubic meters of water heated at the equator northward every second, warming the water for thousands of kilometers - its powerful influence is felt to the Barents Sea, where the shores of polar Murmansk, the water does not freeze in the harsh winter.

An even more powerful - 140 * 10 m / s - circumpolar current around Antarctica isolates the "ice" continent and causes a more severe climate than in the Arctic.

Due to the rich stability, mobility and heat capacity of water, the hydrosphere plays a major role in creating the Earth's climate. The world ocean is a planetary accumulator - a heat stabilizer, it is easy to show with the help of dependence (6).

Taking into account that the mass of water Ma is 258 times greater than the mass of atmospheric air M ", we determine how much the amount of accumulated heat by water and air will differ:

The result obtained clearly confirms the priority importance of the hydrosphere in the formation of thermal processes on the planet. At night and in winter, water warms the surface of the Earth and the atmosphere, and in the heat it absorbs some of their heat. It transfers heat from the equator to the polar regions, which reduces the average temperature in the tropics and increases in cold regions. This process is uneven. There are areas of especially active interaction between the ocean and the atmosphere - the so-called energy-active zones. The well-known Newfoundland energy-active zone in the form of a hydraulic vortex with a diameter of about 200 kilometers in the Gulf Stream. Here, from each square meter of water surface, 175 watts of energy per year enters the atmosphere.

Heat transfer is accompanied by the process of water evaporation with the formation of rain clouds in the atmosphere. Other gases accumulate in these clouds - sulfuric and nitrogenous from volcanic eruptions and other lithospheric processes, nitrogen oxides, which are formed during a thunderstorm from the ionization of nitrogen molecules. The gases dissolved in the moisture of the clouds form acids, which render the rains naturally acidic.

Solar energy, before reaching the earth's surface, goes through "sieving". Four percent of solar radiation, namely, ultraviolet, destructive for all living things, spectrum (λ = 220 ... 290 nanometers (nm = 10 -9), is absorbed by ozone, the layer of which is at a height of 20 ... 60 kilometers. Ozone at This is partly destroyed.Its constant renewal occurs due to natural processes.

The infrared spectrum (λ > 1000 nm) is partially absorbed by water vapor in the upper troposphere - that's another four percent of solar energy.

The absorbed solar energy increases the temperature of the atmospheric air in accordance with dependence (6) by the value of ΔT.

92 percent solar energy (290<λ <2 000 нм) проходит в нижние слои тропосферы. Половина не поглощается, а рассеивается воздухом, предоставляя небу голубой цвет. Вторая половина попадает на земную поверхность и частично поглощается литосферы, гидросферы, растениями. А так называемое альбедо, равное 28 процентам от излучения Солнца на Землю, отражается и возвращается в атмосферу.

The light energy of the Sun on the earth's surface turns into thermal - infrared, the return of which into space is prevented (therefore absorbed) by water vapor and carbon dioxide. This mechanism of temperature increase on the earth's surface and in the lower atmosphere is called the greenhouse effect (natural). It is characterized by a value of ΔT = 31-32 ° C. Without the natural greenhouse effect, the average air temperature on the planet would be negative (-16 ÷ 17 ° C).

A widespread natural process is radioactive radiation - the transformation of unstable isotopes of a chemical element into other isotopes, accompanied by radiation of elementary particles or nuclei, as well as hard electromagnetic gamma radiation. About 50 natural radioactive isotopes are known, among which only uranium and thorium isotopes have a half-life, which is measured by geological time. All other natural isotopes are called secondary, since their stock is constantly replenished due to the decay of long-term ones. The natural radiation background is created by the radiation of radioactive substances on the surface of the earth, in the surface atmosphere, in water, in plants and animals. Rocks are the main source of natural radioactive substances entering the environment.

One of the greatest wonders of nature is the process of formation of organic matter - the process of photosynthesis, when a green dry or aquatic plant creates its biomass due to the light energy of the Sun (k \u003d 380-710 nm), water and carbon dioxide according to dependence (7)

During the year, the "average" plant (per kilogram of dry matter) absorbs 5.4 megajoules of solar energy, consumes 0.5 kilograms of carbon dioxide and 150 grams of water during photosynthesis, releases 350 temples of oxygen and forms 300 grams of organic matter. For the "breathing" of the plant, which occurs at night in parallel with daytime photosynthesis, 230 grams of oxygen is used, 200 grams of organic matter, which is oxidized to form 330 grams of carbon dioxide and 100 grams of water and with the release of 3.6 megajoules of energy used for the physiological needs of the plant . Thus, the biological "yield" is 100 Iram of organic matter, equal to ten percent of the increase in initial biomass and 120 grams of oxygen.

The activity of photosynthesis during the day varies: in pink-twilight light (in the morning, in the evening, with little cloudiness), it is maximum. When the Sun is at its zenith, processes slow down and may even stop.

The efficiency of using heat rays in the process of photosynthesis is low. Theoretically, this is 15 percent, practically - 1 (cereals), 2 (sugar cane - one of the most productive plants) percent.

For wildlife, one of the main processes is the process of nutrition, with the features of which the body is classified as follows.

autogrof- an organism (green plant) that forms the substance of its body from inorganic components and provides metabolism using the energy of the Sun (heliotroph or phototrophs) or the energy that is released during chemical reactions (chemotrophs) of the oxidation of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and other substances present in water , pound and soil. Autotrophs are also called producers because they synthesize (produce) organic matter at the expense of inorganic compounds.

Heterotrophs- an organism that feeds on ready-made organic substances and is not able to synthesize organic matter from inorganic. These organisms are also called consumers (as opposed to ox producers). Consumers can be primary (1st order) if they eat plant foods, secondary (2nd order) - which accept animals, and microconsumers or decomposers (mainly bacteria and fungi) - these are those that destroy dead bodies, feed part of the decay products and release inorganic nutrients that plants use.

Mesotroph- an organism that, depending on the conditions, feeds as autotrophs or as heterotrophs.

In turn, each of these groups can be divided into smaller ones, each of which has its own characteristics in the process of nutrition. For example, there are heterotrophic bacteria that consume methane, which is a poison for most living organisms.

After the death of living matter, the processes of its decomposition of two types occur - oxidation and fermentation. Oxidation occurs in the presence of oxygen and is described by dependence (7) in the opposite direction (from right to left) with the release of heat, CO 2 and H 2 O. In the case when oxygen is absent, the fermentation process occurs with the release of carbon dioxide and hydrogen No (hydrogen fermentation) , or methane CH 4 (methane fermentation), or alcohol C 2 H 5 OH (alcoholic fermentation).

Control questions and tasks

1. Perform the necessary calculations and plot graphically the air velocity in the atmospheric front of constant energy up to 10 kilometers high, if the speed above the earth's surface is 10 m / s.

2. How much will the air temperature in a room measuring 6 * 5 * 3 meters change by cooling 200 liters of water by 50 degrees?

3. What is the reason for dry winds?

4. Write down the reactions of formation of oxygen, hydrogen and ozone in the atmosphere.

5. Describe the ozone layer

6. List the reasons for the movement of water masses.

7. Determine the width of the river, the flow of which is 50 m 3 / s at a speed of 1 m / s, if the average depth of the river is 2 meters.

8. Why does water rise up the tree trunk?

9. What properties of water determine its primary role in ensuring the planet's climate?

10. What are the causes of the natural greenhouse effect?

11. Name three positive effects of photosynthesis.

12. What processes occur after the natural death of living matter?

13. What is the fundamental difference between the processes of oxidation and fermentation.

14. Is it possible to use equation (7) to illustrate processes in animal organisms?

Science came into being to answer people's questions. And it seems that most of the complex phenomena have been studied up and down, but “the smallest” remains - to comprehend the nature of dark matter, deal with the problem of quantum gravity, solve the problem of space-time dimension, understand what dark energy is (and several hundred more similar questions ). However, there are still seemingly simpler phenomena, but which scientists are unable to fully explain.


What is glass?

Nobel laureate Warren Anderson once said:"The deepest and most interesting of the unsolved problems in solid state theory lies in the nature of glass." And although glass has been known to mankind for more than a millennium, what is the reason for its unique mechanical properties, scientists still do not understand. We remember from school lessons that glass is a liquid, but is it? Scientists do not know exactly what is the nature of the transition between liquid or solid and glassy phases and what physical processes lead to the basic properties of glass.

The process of glass formation cannot be explained using any of the current tools of solid state physics, multiparticle theory, or fluid theory. In short, liquid molten glass, as it cools, gradually becomes more and more viscous until it becomes rigid. While in the formation of crystalline solids, such as graphite, atoms at one moment form the usual periodic structures. Tarun Chitra, a molecular dynamics researcher, explains the organization of molecules in different substances using dance as an example:

The ideal rigid body is like a slow dance where two partners, along with other couples, move around their starting position on the dance floor.

The perfect liquid is like a dating party where everyone tries to dance with everyone in the room (this property is called ergodicity), while the average pace with which everyone dances is approximately the same.

→ Short film about the art of glassblowing

Glass, by this analogy, is like a dance, when a group of people is divided into smaller subgroups and each is spinning in its own round dance. You can change partners from your circle, and this dance goes on forever.

Glass behaves in such a way that it cannot yet be described by equilibrium statistical mechanics. In particular, subexponential autocorrelations and the glass cross-correlation function can be obtained by an infinite number of random processes. Up to a certain point, the system "works" more or less clearly and predictably, but if you watch it long enough, you begin to see how some features are better described by the theory of probability and random processes.


Why doesn't the bike fall on its side?

The design of the bike is quite simple, and it seems that it has long been understood how and why a two-wheeled vehicle maintains excellent stability. It has always been believed that two mechanisms play the most important role in maintaining the balance of a bicycle. The first is automatic steering, or castor effect: if the bike leans in one direction, the front wheel itself turns in the same direction, after which centrifugal force returns the wheel to its original position. The second mechanism is associated with the gyroscopic moment of the rotating wheels.

American engineer Andy Ruina and his colleagues undertook to refute both of these statements. They designed a bicycle similar to a scooter, in which the front wheel touches the support in front of the point of intersection with it of the axis of the front fork, which "cancels" the effect of the castor. And besides, the front and rear wheels are connected to the other two, rotating in the opposite direction, and thereby nullifying the gyroscopic effect.

However, this bike doesn't fall over on its side that quickly. In fact, he keeps the balance no worse than a conventional bike and even demonstrates the same automatic steering. Based on the results of the experiment, the authors concluded that both effects - both the castor and the gyroscope - play an important role in maintaining the balance of a riding bicycle, but both are not critical for it.

Why the bike does not fall is not completely known. According to the latest assumptions of engineers, a special load distribution plays a key role in this.


How does placebo work?

Placebos, or substances that do not have obvious medicinal properties, but have a positive effect on the body, have long been known. The placebo effect is based on psycho-emotional impact. But researchers have proven time and time again that a placebo with no active ingredients can stimulate real physiological responses, including changes in heart rate and blood pressure, as well as chemical activity in the brain. The placebo also helps relieve pain, depression, anxiety, fatigue, and even some of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

How our minds may affect health is still not fully understood, and scientists cannot unravel the mechanisms underlying physiological responses to placebo. Obviously, many different aspects are woven into the effect, while dummy drugs do not affect the source or cause of the disease. It has been experimentally established that the reaction of the body differs depending on the method of delivery of the placebo. (when taking pills or injections). Also, placebos give only the expected, that is, known in advance, therapeutic effect. And the higher the expectations, the stronger the placebo effect. In addition, it is known that it can be enhanced with active verbal influence on the patient. Not everyone is affected by placebo. More often, placebo acts on extroverts, people with increased levels of anxiety, suspiciousness, and self-doubt.

In October 2013, a study was published demonstrating that the placebo effect is associated with an increase in brain alpha activity. Alpha waves occur in a relaxed state, which is similar to a light trance or meditation - that is, in the most suggestible state. The placebo effect has a significant effect on the human nervous system in the region of the spinal cord. But so far no one has been able to describe in detail the mechanism of its influence.


What did the wow signal from deep space mean?

On August 15, 1977, one of the most mysterious events in the history of space exploration took place. Dr. Jerry Eyman, while working on the Big Ear radio telescope as part of the SETI project, recorded a strong narrow-band space radio signal. Its characteristics (transmission bandwidth, signal to noise ratio) as expected from an extraterrestrial signal. Amazed by this, Eiman circled the corresponding characters on the printout and signed "Wow!" in the margin. This signature gave the signal its name.

The signal came from a region of the sky in the constellation Sagittarius, about 2.5 degrees south of the Hee star group. However, after years of waiting for something like this to happen again, nothing happened.

→ That same wow signal sound

Scientists argue that if the signal was of extraterrestrial origin,
then the beings who sent it must belong to a very, very advanced civilization. To send such a powerful signal, you need at least a 2.2 gigawatt transmitter, which is much more powerful than any of the terrestrial (for example, the HAARP system in Alaska, one of the most powerful in the world, is supposedly capable of transmitting a signal up to 3600 kW).

As one of the hypotheses to explain the strength of the signal, it is proposed that the initially weak signal was greatly amplified by the action of a gravitational lens; however, this still does not exclude the possibility of its artificial origin. Other researchers suggest the possibility of rotation of the radiation source like a beacon, a periodic change in the frequency of the signal or its single occurrence. There is also a version that the signal was sent from a moving alien starship.

In 2012, on the 35th anniversary of the signal, the Arecibo Observatory sent a response of 10,000 coded tweets towards the alleged source. However, whether anyone received them is unknown. Until now, the wow signal remains one of the main mysteries for astrophysicists.


How does non-living matter become alive?

The scientific world today is dominated by the concept of biological evolution, according to which the first life arose by itself from inorganic components as a result of physical and chemical processes. The theory of abiogenesis describes how life comes from inanimate matter. However, it has a lot of problems.

It is known that the main components of living matter are amino acids. But the probability of a random occurrence of a certain amino acid-nucleotide sequence corresponds to the probability that several thousand letters from typesetting type will be thrown from the roof of a skyscraper and folded into a certain page of a Dostoevsky novel. Abiogenesis in its classical form suggests that such a “dropping of the type” occurred thousands of times - that is, as many as it took until it formed into the required sequence. However, according to modern estimates, this would take much longer than the entire universe exists.

At the same time, under laboratory conditions, all attempts to create an artificial living cell have never been successful. A complete set of amino acids and nucleotides and the simplest bacterial cell are still separated by an abyss. Perhaps the first living cells were very different from those that we can observe now. Also, a large number of scientists support the hypothesis that the first living cells could get to our planet thanks to meteorites, comets and other extraterrestrial objects.


Why are people divided into left-handers and right-handers?

Over the past 100 years, scientists have studied the problem quite well, why people predominantly use one hand and why it is more often the right hand. However, there is no standard empirical testing of right-handers or left-handers, as scientists cannot fully understand what mechanisms are involved in this process.

Scientists disagree on what percentage of humanity is right-handed and what is left-handed. In general, it is believed that most (from 70% to 95%)- right-handed, minority (from 5% to 30%)- left-handers, there is also an indefinite number of people with observable full symmetry. It has been proven that left-handedness and right-handedness are influenced by genes, but the exact “left-handed gene” has not yet been identified. There is evidence that social and cultural mechanisms may influence the propensity to use the right or left hand. The most characteristic example of this is how teachers retrained children, forcing them to switch from their left hand to their right when writing. At the same time, at the moment, more totalitarian societies have fewer left-handers than more liberal societies.

→ Portrait of Paul Broca


Some researchers talk about "pathological" left-handedness associated with brain injuries during childbirth. In the 1860s, the French surgeon Paul Broca noted the relationship between the activity of the hands and the cerebral hemispheres. According to his theory, the halves of the brain are connected to the halves of the body crosswise. But at the moment it is known that these connections are not as simple as Brock described them. Studies conducted in the 1970s showed that most left-handed people have the same left hemisphere activity, which is typical for all people. At the same time, only a part of left-handers have various deviations from the norm.

Studying the problems of left-handedness and right-handedness of primates, scientists have found that the majority of animals in a particular population are either left-handed or right-handed. In doing so, individual monkeys often develop their individual preferences.

As a result, we still have only a general idea of ​​the causes of right-handedness, and researchers still have to understand in detail all the mechanisms of their formation.


Why are we sleeping?

We sleep 36% of our lives, but scientists cannot fully explain its nature. People tend to sleep, because it is in our genes, but why such a state appeared in the process of evolution is a mystery. Except for warm-blooded animals (mammals and birds), none of the living beings have these forms of sleep, and what the benefits of sleep are is still not clear.

Scientists have already found out that during sleep, muscles grow faster, wounds heal better, and accelerates protein synthesis. In other words, sleep helps the body make up for what it lost while awake. Recent studies have shown that during sleep, our brain is cleared of toxins, and if a person interferes with this process (in other words, not sleeping) he may develop mental disorders. In addition, during rest, the connections between cells in the brain are weakened or disconnected, thus we “free up space” for new information to come in. New synapses are generated in the brain, so lack of sleep threatens to reduce the ability to acquire, process and recall information.

During sleep, the brain often “replays” some of the episodes that happened to us during the day, and, according to researchers, this process helps strengthen our memory. Although the content of dreams is determined by real experiences, our consciousness in sleep is different from our consciousness during wakefulness. In a dream, our attitude turns out to be much more figurative and emotional. We see various pictures, we worry about them, but we cannot properly comprehend them. Scientists believe that the synchronizing mechanisms that dominate the sleepy brain are more related to the first signaling system and the emotional sphere. But what dreams are, it is still impossible to answer unambiguously.


Why do cats purr?

No one knows for sure why cats purr. Purring differs from many other sounds made by animals in that vocalization occurs throughout the respiratory cycle. (both inhale and exhale). It was once believed that sound was produced by blood flow through the inferior vena cava, but now most scientists agree that the larynx, laryngeal muscles, and a neural oscillator are involved in the process of sound production.

Kittens learn to purr as soon as they are a couple of days old. Veterinarians assume that their purr means something like the human words "mom", "I'm fine" or "I'm here." These sounds help to strengthen the bonds between the kitten and its mother.

→ Cat purr

But when a kitten grows up, it also continues to purr, and many researchers are convinced that in adulthood this sound is associated with pleasure and joy. Sometimes cats purr when they are injured or sick. Dr. Elisabeth von Muggenthaler suggests that purring and the low frequency vibrations it produces are a "natural self-healing mechanism" and strengthen, heal wounds and relieve pain.

The vocal feature of domestic cats is not unique. Other felines such as bobcats, cheetahs and cougars also purr. Although some big cats (lions, leopards, jaguars, tigers, snow leopards and clouded leopards) are unable to do this.

Cognitive psychology reminds us that we don't have to explain to anyone what we do, think, or choose in our daily lives. There is always benefit ahead, the need to know ourselves and act according to our own principles and values, while respecting those around us.

The act of explaining is necessary only in some cases, when our decisions affect other people. Taking responsibility goes hand in hand with the ability to know how to act and make decisions without having to justify what we do to others. We know that we spend our lives explaining everything, so this time we would like to invite you to think about it.

When Providing Explanations Becomes a Habit

As in all life, there is also a limit and a balance. We can ask for an explanation from a loved one if, for example, he has not been home for three days. We will do the same with children if they have misbehaved, and with friends if they have done something that does not meet our expectations.

People must give and receive explanations in vague, unusual, or painful situations. Cognitive and positive psychology stress the importance of not falling into the habit of giving explanations. The problem with constantly explaining your actions is the type of relationship you are establishing. If the dialogue is constructive and responsive, communication flows freely and with understanding. However, in many cases people may assume that they already understand what we want. They may appear to be listening when in fact they are thinking about the answers they are about to give, because they have already reached their own conclusion, even if it does not match reality.

Giving explanations should never become a habit.

Explanations are needed only when a particular situation requires them to rebalance the relationship. When explaining, the dialogue should be respectful, open and democratic. The bearer and listener must listen to each other with compassion and dedication in order to understand the situation and reach the agreement and harmony that we all need in our communication.

Situations where you should never give explanations

We are sure that in your immediate social environment (friends, family, work, partner) you are forced to give more explanations about aspects of life that you do not want to share, in addition, there is this compulsion to make excuses.

Below we describe a few examples that perfectly illustrate situations where you are not required to explain your actions.

You don't have to explain your priorities in life. What is important to you concerns only you. If your biggest passion is travel, not everyone will understand that you save a whole year instead of buying a new washing machine or car. You do not justify anything, and if you still have to, do it only once. You don't need to explain your life position.

Why don't you have a partner? Do you still have no children? Your boyfriend is a little quiet, isn't he? Why don't you live closer to your family? We're sure you've heard at least some of these questions before. People often ask just out of innocent curiosity, but they can find out things that are uncomfortable to talk about and justify, and that, in fact, no one but you cares.

No need to explain your beliefs or values. Values, beliefs and opinions will stand up for themselves. They don't need to be explained or justified. If you practice a religion or feel close to a particular type of spiritual practice, then don't explain your beliefs to anyone or say what led you to that choice.

You are what you choose, others should accept you as you are and not demand an explanation

Living together means respecting each other and, therefore, accepting you for who you are. Explanations are needed only, as we noted earlier, in case of disputes or personal problems.

Live freely, staying true to your values, being respectful, and enjoying everything you have achieved along the way.