What is the name of the canal that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans?

Answer: Panama Canal.

The Panama Canal is a 77-kilometre (48 mi) ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade.
The length of the Panama Canal is approximately 51 miles. A trip along the canal from its Atlantic entrance would take you through a 7 mile dredged channel in Limón Bay. The canal then proceeds for a distance of 11.5 miles to the Gatun Locks. This series of three locks raise ships 26 metres to Gatun Lake. It continues south through a channel in Gatun Lake for 32 miles to Gamboa, where the Culebra cut begins. This channel through the cut is 8 miles long and 150 metres wide. At the end of this cut are the locks at Pedro Miguel. The Pedro Miguel locks lower ships 9.4 metres to a lake which then takes you to the Miraflores Locks which lower ships 16 metres to sea level at the canals Pacific terminus in the bay of Panama.

Which layer of atmosphere protects life on Earth from harmful radiations coming from the Sun & space?

Answer: Ozone layer

The ozone layer is a layer in Earth's atmosphere which contains relatively high concentrations of ozone (O3). This layer absorbs 97–99% of the Sun's high frequency ultraviolet light, which is potentially damaging to the life forms on Earth. It is mainly located in the lower portion of the stratosphere from approximately 30 to 40 kilometers (19 to 25 mi) above Earth, though the thickness varies seasonally and geographically. The ozone layer was discovered in 1913 by the French physicists Charles Fabry and Henri Buisson. In the 1970s scientists discovered that certain man-made chemicals deplete the ozone layer leading to an increased level of UV radiation overhead, is named in his honor. The ozone layer shields the entire Earth from much of the harmful ultraviolet radiation that comes from the sun.
While stratospheric ozone, which protects us from the sun, is good, there is also ozone produced near the ground, from sunlight interacting with atmospheric pollution in cities that is bad. It causes breathing problems for some people, and usually occurs in the summertime when the pollution over a city builds up during stagnant air conditions associated with high pressure areas.

What name did Charles Babbage give to his first computer ?

Answer:  Analytical engine

The Analytical engine the first name for computer given by the Charles Babbage in 19 century. He was an English mathematician, philosopher, inventor and mechanical engineer .The analytical engine is not a single physical machine but a succession of designs that he tinkered with until his death in 1871. The Analytical Engine has many essential features found in the modern digital computer. It was programmable using punched cards, an idea borrowed from the Jacquard loom used for weaving complex patterns in textiles. The Engine had a 'Store' where numbers and intermediate results could be held, and a separate 'Mill' where the arithmetic processing was performed. It had an internal repertoire of the four arithmetical functions and could perform direct multiplication and division. It was also capable of functions for which we have modern names: conditional branching, looping (iteration), microprogramming, parallel processing, iteration, latching, polling, and pulse-shaping, amongst others, though Babbage nowhere used these terms. It had a variety of outputs including hardcopy printout, punched cards, graph plotting and the automatic production of stereotypes - trays of soft material into which results were impressed that could be used as molds for making printing plates.

Who invented Plastic?

Answer: Alexander Parks

The first man-made plastic was created by Alexander Parkes who publicly demonstrated it at the 1862 Great International Exhibition in London. The material called Parkesine was an organic material derived from cellulose that once heated could be molded, and retained its shape when cooled. 

Parkes also invented a process for removing silver from lead by extraction with molten zinc. Parkes was born in Birmingham, England.He also worked on rubber.

In 1855 Parkes patented the first plastic. By dissolving cellulose nitrate inalcohol and camphor containing ether, he produced a hard solid which could be molded when heated, which he called Parkesine.

Who started the first Badminton academy at Bangalore?

Answer: Prakash  Padukone & Vimal Kumar

Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy (PPBA) was launched on October 1st, 1994. Located in the heart of vibrant Bangalore city, the Academy was started by Mr. Prakash Padukone, Mr. Vimal Kumar and Mr. Vivek Kumar - all stalwarts of Indian Badminton Prakash has won several awards such as the prestigious Arjuna Award in 1972 and the Padma Shri in 1982 in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the world of badminton.  And is renowned around the country for producing world-class badminton players and Veal kumar Co-founder, Director and Chief Coach of the PPBA

Former National coach and Badminton luminary, Vital Kumar brings with him a wealth of experience and skill to the Academy.

"It is good to have foreign players. While they get a feel of the Asian conditions, the Indian trainees have quality practice sessions and get the opportunity to play against players of varied styles. It is beneficial both ways," he said. The Academy is located at the K. Raheja Badminton Stadium Bangalore

What is also known as Black Gold?

Answer: Oil

Oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and is hydrophobic but soluble in organic solvents. Oils have a high carbon and hydrogen content and are no polar substances.  Scientists still don't know for sure where oil comes from, how long it took to make, or how much there is.  More oil was in Earth from the beginning than what's been produced by dead animals, but that we've yet to tap it.

How was zero represented in the ancient Chinese system?

There was no zero in ancient Chinese numerals. The ancient Chinese number system was not a positional system, so there was no need for a zero. A gap had to be left to indicate zero, since there was no symbol.

Which is the largest Island of the world?

Answer:  Greenland

Image source:      http://www.angelmining.com/greenland

Greenland is the largest island in the world. Its northerly location, at the point where the Atlantic meets the Arctic Ocean, means that Greenland is surrounded principally by cold ocean currents, so the coasts are constantly being cooled.In 1261, Greenland formally joined the Norwegian kingdom, thereby losing their ability to trade independently. This business fell to specialized trading monopolies based in the Norwegian king's trading port in Bergen, where trade goods could be stored safely under the king's protection, in return, of course, for a heavy king's tax.  One of the animals found here is the polar bear, which is on the coat of arms of the Danish royal family. There is also plenty of light and, although the polar darkness often reigns it is never totally dark. Greenland enjoys more hours of summer than anywhere down south, but the weather is nowhere near as warm, even though the light is much more intense. Greenland summers won't give you an all-over tan, but your face and neck will turn a beautiful shade of brown.

 Links: 1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenland

          2) http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/08/greenland.html

          3) http://www.geographia.com/denmark/greenland.html

          4) http://www.mnh.si.edu/vikings/voyage/subset/greenland/history.html.

Who is the author of the book " The Songs Of India"

Answer: Sarojini Naidu(13 February 1879 – 2 March 1949).

She was the first Indian woman to become the President of the Indian National Congress and the first woman to become the governor of a state in India. Sarojini Naidu was truly one of the gems of the 20th century India. She was known by the sobriquet "The Nightingale of India".Sarojini Naidu is also well acclaimed for her contribution in poetry. Her poetry had beautiful words that could also be sung. Her collection of poems was published in 1905 under the title “Golden Threshold”. She published two other collections called “The Bird of Time”, and “The Broken Wings”. Later, “The Magic Tree”, “The Wizard Mask”, and “A Treasury of Poems” were published. After Independence, Sarojini Naidu became the Governor of Uttar Pradesh. She was India's first woman governor. Sarojini Naidu died in office on March 2 ,1949.

Image source: http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/sarojini-naidu-36.php.

Links: 1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarojini_Naidu

           2) http://www.iloveindia.com/indian-heroes/sarojini-naidu.html.

Which is the world's smallest animal?

Answer: Zorilla of Africa

This is a skunk, Zorilla. This animal lives in Africa. It is often described as the smelliest animal on the planet because its stinky scent can be smelled up to a half a mile away. That's just over 1,700 yards, or over 5,000 feet.

Zorilla is small, carnivorous, nocturnal mammal, Ictonyx striatus, of the weasel family, found in dry regions of Africa. It is also called striped weasel and striped polecat. Although it strongly resembles the North American skunk , a member of the same family, it is more closely related to the true polecat of Eurasia.  It is avoided by other animals.

Zorrilla animal is nocturnal stinking. They’re very active at night time. They’re also called “striped skunk. It truly is generally 60 inches long, including a tail of twenty centimeters. He lives up to 13 years. And much like the skunk, they like to play dead after they see predators.

Image source: http://scarlett-journey.net/2011/01/19/zorrilla-animal-may-be-smelliest-on-earth/

Links: 1) http://www.firstscience.com/home/perspectives/editorials/the-zorilla-the-smelliest-animal-on-earth_1762.html.

2)http://scarlett-journey.net/2011/01/19/zorrilla-animal-may-be-smelliest-on-earth/

3) http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/zorilla.aspx

   

Who invented the Aeroplane?

Answer: Orville and Wilbur Wright.
Explanation: "Flight is possible to man... [and] I feel that it will soon cost me an increased amount of money if not my life". - Wilbur Wright Co-Inventor of the first engine airplane.

In 1878, when Orville (August 19, 1871 – January 30, 1948) and Wilbur(April 16, 1867 – May 30, 1912) were ages 7 and 11, their father brought them a toy "helicopter." It was based on an invention by French aeronautical pioneer Alphonse Penaud. It was made up of cork, bamboo, and paper, with a rubber band to twirl its twin blades. This made them to enter their interest into creating airplanes.

Later, The Wright Brothers, Orville  and Wilbur , were first two Americans credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903. In the two years afterward, the brothers developed their flying machine into the first practical fixed-wing aircraft. 

Orville Wright                                                                  Wilbur Wright          

Image source: wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_brothers