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Invisible Connections: The What, Why, and How of Bluetooth

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We all have stories of when Bluetooth has gotten on our nerves. From constantly refreshing to check if the device finally shows up to pair, or dancing around with your earphones as it only wants to connect one at a time. Hopefully, it doesn’t annoy you too much, as it is everywhere now. This invention has made our lives hassle-free, letting us be free of a tangled, wired mess. Connection at an instant. A connection that isn’t seen. Modern life depends heavily on invisible systems: Wi-Fi, GPS, cellular networks, cloud storage and so on. But despite relying so heavily, how much do we really know about Bluetooth? Bluetooth feels like sorcery. It can’t be seen or felt, but it gets the job done. It works on radio waves to send data between devices at short distances. A Piconet is formed. A Piconet is a small network formed when Bluetooth devices connect and assign roles to one another. The roles may involve one device controlling the other, like a phone controlling the headphones, or both ...
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From Gain to In Vain: Why Lottery Winners Go Broke

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  Imagine you’re seated on the hot seat at Kaun Banega Crorepati when you hear Amitabh Bachchan yell out “SATH CRORE”. You would feel elated, but imagine all that money without possessing any skill. Doesn’t that feel better? So, you pick up the winning lottery ticket (after several duds). With all the money, you would be able to indulge in lavish spending that you otherwise never would’ve thought of. You may think that this big win has set you for life, but unlike your answers at KBC, you’re wrong. The 7-crore sum is a ton of money, but it isn’t a perpetual cheque. The money runs out eventually. And it leaves you in financial ruin, worse than before you ever got the money. This isn’t a scare to stop you from trying out your luck, but many sources believe that almost 70 per cent of windfall winners eventually go bankrupt.   This situation is a lot like an oxymoron. Complete opposite concepts coming together: A broke lottery winner . Someone lucky enough to get so much yest...
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Ring-a-Round the Rhymes: The Dark History Behind Nursery Rhymes

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Twinkle twinkle little star, oh how I wonder what you mean. We have been raised on nursery rhymes. The simple wording and catchy rhythm help these rhymes stick in kids’ minds, shaping their early development without them even realising it. It is no surprise that nursery rhymes are taught worldwide. But these innocent words have a darker origin than you may think. Here are some popular nursery rhymes with meanings way different from what we believe   Baa Baa Black Sheep Baa-baa black sheep, do you have any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full One for the master, one for the dame One for the little boy who lives down the lane Baa-baa black sheep, do you have any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full. It had been theorised that Baa Baa Black Sheep was about chattel slavery in America. The slaves were considered the sheep, and wool as cotton, which is why black has been substituted for other colours in recent recitations. However, the nursery rhyme predates the Un...
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Not Quite White: Evolution of White Priviledge

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White privilege is the greater life opportunities one receives on the sole grounds of being white. White privilege doesn’t guarantee that all white people live privileged lives. There are still grounds for discrimination based on gender, sexuality, poverty, and religion. However, even when facing those struggles, white privilege is still present, as their condition is far more favourable than that of a person of colour in the same situation. But just like everything else in the world, privilege has evolved, too. Many of the people who were once classified as “non-white” are now central to what we think of as white today. When America was first forming, it was typically the English and Northern European settlers who held the majority of the high positions in society. They were the White Anglo-Saxon Protestants (WASPs). They believed that they were superior to other races; to justify slavery and colonisation with their own power, many writers, politicians, and scientists gradually creat...
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Different in Practice, United in Christ

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  On the first day, God created light. Over time, man has created different denominations, each shaped by a distinct understanding of how to worship Him. But what is a denomination ? Imagine Christianity as a tree with multiple branches. Each branch is a separate denomination. They all grew from the same seed, were nourished by the same roots and were supported by the same trunk. Yet, the branches are different from one another, even though they bear the same fruit. Christianity is a global faith. With different geographies come different cultures, traditions, ideologies, and politics that shape the way we perceive religion. Several Christian denominations developed as a result of these differences.   Christians are those who are the followers of Christ. Regardless of denomination, most affirm the teachings of the Nicene Creed that Christ: ·        is the one true God, ·        was born of the Virgin Mary, ·...
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Blade to Brace: History of Dentistry

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Nobody likes going to the dentist. Nobody likes having multiple needle-sharp tools in their mouth for hours straight while the dentist makes awkward small talk. Half the time, you can’t even hear what they say as it gets muffled behind their mask and the noise of their equipment. The other time, even when you do hear them, you cannot respond as you are expected to keep your mouth open wide. I never understood dentists. And no, I’m not referring to their questionable timing in asking questions. I’m referring to their difference from other doctors. To specialise in any other field, a medical student must first complete medical school, where the curriculum is more general, and only afterwards can they train in their speciality. However, dentists have separate schools for dental studies. They aren’t required to attend medical school, but every other physician does. They are “outcasts” in the medical world despite practising medicine themselves. Does medical practise in the mouth not count?...
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