Month: April 2021

THE 10 GREAT MOST POWERFUL MEDICINAL PLANTS IN THE WORLD

by Sree DivyaUncategorizedLeave a Comment on THE 10 GREAT MOST POWERFUL MEDICINAL PLANTS IN THE WORLD

A Plant is a living organism of the kind exemplified by trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses, ferns, and mosses, typically growing in a permanent site. This plant absorbs water and inorganic substances through its roots, and synthesizing nutrients in its leaves by photosynthesis using the green pigment chlorophyll. When you plant a seed, plant, or young tree, you put it into the ground so that it will grow there. Medicinal plants have long been utilized in traditional medicine and worldwide ethnomedicine. A single plant contains widely diverse phytochemicals. the effects of using a whole plant as medicine are uncertain. Drug research makes use of ethnobotany to search for pharmacologically active substances in nature, and has in this way discovered hundreds of useful compounds. Here are the most powerful 10 medicinal plants.

1.Chamomile

Chamomile is one of the most ancient medicinal herbs known to mankind. It is a member of Asteraceae/Compositae family and represented by two common varieties viz. German Chamomile and Roman Chamomile. The hollow, bright gold cones of the flowers are packed with disc or tubular florets and are ringed with about fifteen white ray or ligulate florets. It contains various bioactive phytochemicals that could provide therapeutic effects. This herb smells slightly like an apple. Chamomile has been used as an herbal remedy since the time of Hippocrates, the father of medicine, in 500 BC. Chamomile preparations are commonly used for many human ailments such as hay fever, inflammation, muscle spasms, menstrual disorders, insomnia, ulcers, wounds, gastrointestinal disorders, rheumatic pain, and hemorrhoids. Essential oils of chamomile are used extensively in cosmetics and aromatherapy. Chamomile is mostly used in the form of herbal tea and it is consumed more than one million cups per day. Chamomile tea relaxes nerves and soothes the nervous system, therefore helping you sleep better. Chamomile tincture may also be prepared as one part chamomile flower in four parts of water having 12% grain alcohol, which is used to correct summer diarrhea in children and also used with purgatives to prevent cramping.

It is also used in toothache, earache, neuralgia and in cases of external swelling. Inhalation of the vaporized essential oils derived from chamomile flowers is recommended to relieve anxiety, general depression. It is used as antioxidant, mild astringent and healing medicine. Externally, chamomile has been used to treat diaper rash, cracked nipples, chicken pox, ear and eye infections, disorders of the eyes including blocked tear ducts, conjunctivitis, nasal inflammation and poison ivy. It is also effective in arthritis, back pain, bedsores and stomach cramps. With the use of flavonoids consumed in food may reduce the risk of death from coronary heart disease in elderly men. It stimulates immune system and provides some protection against cancer. It protects the skin from free-radical damage. It accelerates cell and tissue regeneration, helps tighten the pores and slows down the ageing process. It fights against inflammation and teething problems. It maintains sugar balance in the blood and reduce heartburn.

2.Dandelion

Dandelion is a type of herb that is native to Europe. It is also found throughout mild climates of the northern hemisphere. Dandelion are a family of flowering plants that grow in many parts of the world. From root to flower, dandelion are highly nutritious plants, loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber. Dandelion greens can be eaten cooked or raw and serve as an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K. They also contain vitamin E, folate and small amounts of other B vitamins. It provides several minerals, including iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) has been cherished for its tremendous healing properties since ancient times. Dandelion is also called blood purifier, laxative agent, liver cleanser and fatigue remover. It Contains full of Potent Antioxidants to neutralize or prevent the negative effects of body.

Dandelion may be effective in reducing inflammation caused by disease. Chicoric and chlorogenic acid are two bioactive compounds in dandelion to help reduce blood sugar. It Reduces Cholesterol and fights with cancer. It also supports for healthy bones. It helps in skincare treatment and boosts immune system. Dandelion is often consumed as a tonic under the presumption that it “cleanses” the liver. These beautiful yellow flowers are also rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, which help the body fight infections such as bacteria that cause urinary tract infection. These leaves reduce the risk of obesity and heart disease. For centuries, they’ve been used to treat a myriad of physical ailments, including cancer, acne disease and digestive disorders.

3.Achinacea

Echinacea is the name of a group of flowering plants in the daisy family. Echinacea is a type of herb that is native to areas east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States. It is also grown in western States, as well as in Canada and Europe. Echinacea plants contain caffeic acid, alkamides, phenolic acids, rosmarinic acid, polyacetylenes. Echinacea was used in traditional herbal remedies by the Great Plains Indian tribes. Echinacea, also called purple coneflower, is one of the most popular herbs worldwide. Echinacea is widely used to fight infections, especially the common cold, the flu, and other upper respiratory infections. These plant’s upper parts and roots are used in tablets, tinctures, extracts and teas. Echinacea is also used against many other infections including urinary tract infections, herpes, HIV/AIDS, human papilloma virus, bloodstream infections , tonsillitis, streptococcus infections, syphilis, typhoid, malaria, ear infection, swine flu, warts, and nose and throat infections called diphtheria.

Echinacea is best known for its beneficial effects on the immune system. Other uses include anxiety, low white blood cell count, chronic fatigue syndrome , rheumatoid arthritis, migraines, acid indigestion, pain, dizziness, rattlesnake bites, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, and improving exercise performance. Sometimes people apply echinacea to their skin to treat boils, gum disease, abscesses, skin wounds, ulcers, burns, eczema, psoriasis, sun-related skin damage, herpes simplex, yeast infections, bee stings, snake and mosquito bites, and hemorrhoids.

4.Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper herb is a type of chili pepper. It gives hot taste. How hot a cayenne pepper is depends on its capsaicin content. Bright red Capsicum annuum is a member of the Solanaceae family. They were originally grown in Central and South America. It grows around the world in places such as India, East Africa, Mexico, and certain areas of the United States. Many people consider cayenne peppers to be the king of medicinal herbs. It boosts our Metabolism. These peppers boast an impressive nutrition profile, which includes a variety of antioxidants that are beneficial for your health. It reduces high blood pressure.

The capsaicin in cayenne peppers shows promise in reducing the risk of cancer. Capsaicin creams can help relieve itching and improve the appearance of psoriasis-affected areas. It may have pain-relieving properties. Capsaicin stimulates the nerves in your stomach that send signals for protection against injury. Cayenne is also sometimes used to treat muscle and joint pain. Capsaicin has long been explored as a means of treating neuropathic pain given the lack of effective pharmaceutical remedies. Cayenne peppers may reduce your hunger, helping you eat less and feel fuller for longer. It reduces acidity. It’s also used for conditions of the heart and blood vessels including to improve poor circulation, reverse excessive blood clotting, lower high cholesterol and prevent heart disease.

5.Marigold

Calendula officinalis is in the plant family known as Asteraceae or Compositae. Calendula marigolds are yellow-orange in color and form small florets of petals that are harvested and dried for their numerous properties. Marigold has long been recognised as a medicinal flower to address cuts, soars and general skin care. Marigold flowers originated in Egypt and the Romans. It usually blooms during the warmer months of the year from May through October. It contains essential oils and a high concentration of flavonoids, such as carotene. Topical treatment with a diluted marigold solution or tincture accelerates healing of wounds and rashes. It contains natural anti-inflammatory properties and supports skin healing.

Marigold helps to soothe the mucus membranes of the throat whilst easing the pain. The extract demonstrates antibacterial, anti-viral, antifungal and immuno-stimulating properties that were shown to reduce eye infections. It reduces eye infections and protects from UV and oxidative damage. It is used for sore throats, gingivitis, tonsillitis and mouth ulcers. Marigolds are highly valuable for medicinal purposes like headaches, swelling, toothache. They have been used in cooking. Purposes of Marigold are like make-up, coloring food dying fabrics & medicinal uses. Flavonoids present in marigold flowers have been found to exhibit cytotoxic and inhibitory activities against colon cancer, leukemia & melanoma cells. These flowers can be used to naturally fend off mosquitoes, pests & other insects.

6.Peppermint

Peppermint is an aromatic herb in the mint family. It can be found naturally in North America and Europe. It can be used to add peppermint flavor to foods. It kills germs, boosts blood circulation and prevents vomits. It relieves pains and eliminates mucus. Peppermint has antiviral activity against Influenza type A. It also relieves indigestion. It also fortifies the nervous system and helps to relive headaches. Peppermint essential oil can be extracted from the leaves of the peppermint plant and is used for a variety of different purposes. It’s oil used in these conditions like nausea, and other digestive issues, as well as the common cold.

A fresh, pleasing scent added to soaps and cosmetic products by using this oil. Peppermint oil can also be used as flavoring agent in foods and in products such as mouthwashes. Peppermint oil is antibacterial against some species of bacteria including Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. Peppermint oil may provide safe and effective relief from chronic itching. Any kind of cramping effect or over-contraction of the muscles that gives rise to nausea is also relaxed with the use of Peppermint oil. Peppermint oil is a multitasking machine with a plethora of beauty, health and household benefits. Peppermint oil has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Peppermint oil is very useful for your hair and scalp.

7.Sage

Sage is a staple herb in various cuisines around the world. Its other names include common sage, garden sage and Salvia officinalis. It belongs to the mint family, alongside other herbs like oregano, rosemary, basil and thyme. Sage has a strong aroma and earthy flavor. Sage packs a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals. Antioxidants are molecules that help fortify your body’s defenses, neutralizing potentially harmful free radicals that are linked to chronic diseases. Sage contains over 160 distinct polyphenols, which are plant-based chemical compounds. A sage-based mouthwash was shown to effectively kill the Streptococcus mutans bacteria, which is notorious for causing dental cavities. The leaves of common sage have been used traditionally as a remedy against diabetes.

Sage can help support your brain and memory in several ways. Sage may help lower “bad” LDL cholesterol, which can build up in your arteries and potentially cause damage. Sage extracts not only suppress the growth of cancer cells but also stimulate cell death. Sage is also used as a natural cleaning agent. Sage is used for digestive problems, including loss of appetite, gas, stomach pain (gastritis), diarrhea, bloating, and heartburn. It is also used for reducing overproduction of perspiration and saliva; and for depression, memory loss, and Alzheimer’s disease. Sage is applied directly to the skin for cold sores; gum disease; sore mouth, throat or tongue; and swollen, painful nasal passages. In manufacturing, sage is used as a fragrance component in soaps and cosmetics. People who regularly use sage as a spice seem to have a 54% lower chance of developing lung cancercompared to those who don’t use sage.

8.Lady Ferns or Athyrium

plant is native to the continental US and Alaska. Ferns have a strong appeal to gardeners. Fern There is something about their seemingly fragile nature and delicate beauty. Athyrium plants consist of more than 230 species that are largely distributed in the Sino-Himalayan region and the Western Pacific islands. It is often abundant in damp, shady woodland environments and is often grown for decoration. Its genus name is from Greek. It usually found in cool moist locations along streams and in moist meadows at the edge of a forest. The deciduous leaves are about 75 cm (30 inches) long and 25 cm (10 inches) wide and grow in circular clusters. It’s called lady fern because the spores are produced on the backside of the pinnules beneath an eyelid shaped covering (called an indusia) thought to be reminiscent of the eye of the fairer sex. The genus are curved or horseshoe-shaped spore-producing clusters (sori) that are covered by a fringed membranous protective structure.

Fern is best introduced into a garden using a containerized plant or by propagating the rhizome. Athyrium species have demonstrated antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproliferative and anti-HIV potential. Christmas Fern used for chills, fever, pneumonia, red spots on skin, listlessness, tuberculosis, and hoarseness. Bracken Fern used for tuberculosis, infections, and chest pain. Maidenhair smoked for asthma. Ferns used for Gynecology and also for blood. It is also used for digestion. Cinnamon Fern (Osmunda cinnamomea) used externally for rheumatism and internally for joint pain. Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis) used for arthritis. Species are being used in traditional medicine worldwide to treat various ailments such as cough, rheumatic pain, scorpion stings, sores, burns and scalds, intestinal fever, pain, specifically breast pain during child birth, to increase milk flow, as an antiparasitic, anthelmintic, and carminative.

9.Tea Tree

Tea tree oil comes from the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia, a small tree native to Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. Never swallow tea tree oil. The tea tree was named by eighteenth century sailors, who made tea that smelled like nutmeg from the leaves of the tree growing on the swampy southeast Australian coast. Do not confuse the tea tree with the unrelated common tea plant that is used to make black and green teas. Tea tree oil holds great significance by balancing all Ayurvedic tridoshas – Vata, pitta, and Kapha doshas. Australians crush tea tree leaves to extract the oil, which is then inhaled to treat coughs and colds or applied directly to the skin for healing. Tea tree oil contains a number of compounds, including terpinen-4-ol, that have been shown to kill certain bacteria, viruses and fungi. Tea tree oil makes an ideal natural hand sanitizer. The antibacterial properties of tea tree oil make it an effective wound healer.

Tea tree oil can be used to treat and disinfect minor cuts and abrasions by killing S. aureus and other bacteria that can cause infection in open wounds. Tea tree oil may be useful in treating symptoms of psoriasis, such as infection and inflammation, while boosting immunity. Tea tree oil is an essential oil that has many benefits for the nails and hair. Tea tree oil can be a powerful weapon against acne. Tea tree oil makes a great all-purpose cleaner. Tree oil reduces inflamed skin due to skin sensitivity. It can also be used as a deodorant, insect repellent. Shampoo containing tea tree oil had a 40% improvement in dandruff. Antifungal medications are considered standard treatment for athlete’s foot. Tea tree oil’s antifungal compounds terpinen-4-ol and 1,8-cineole may help reduce the growth of this mold on fruits and vegetables. Tea tree oil was more effective in suppressing allergic contact dermatitis than other treatments.

10.Thyme

Thyme is an herb from the mint family that you probably recognize from spice set. Its range of use is impressive, and it has over 400 subspecies. Thymol is one of a naturally occurring class of compounds known as biocides. Ancient Egyptians used it in their embalming practices, while ancient Greeks used it as incense. Thyme is packed with vitamin C and is also a good source of vitamin A. It’s a good source of fiber, copper, iron, and manganese. Thyme is a Mediterranean herb with dietary, medicinal, and ornamental uses. Thymol can reduce bacterial resistance to common drugs, including penicillin. Thyme is known for its antibacterial properties and it might have a future as an acne-fighting ingredient.

Oil of thyme hold many fungicidal properties. Thyme is also a popular ingredient in natural deodorants. The tiger mosquito is native to tropical and subtropical areas of Southeast Asia. A combination of thymol, alpha-terpinene, and carvacrol was effective in killing off tiger mosquito larvae. Thyme essential oil, which is obtained from its leaves, is often used as a natural cough remedy. Thyme to help lower your heart rate. Thyme extract can repel mosquitoes. Thyme might protect people from colon cancers. Wild thyme caused cell death in breast cancer cells.

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THE 10 GREAT FAMOUS TREES IN THE WORLD

by Sree DivyaUncategorizedLeave a Comment on THE 10 GREAT FAMOUS TREES IN THE WORLD

Tree is a woody plant that regularly renews its growth. Most plants classified as trees have a single self-supporting trunk containing woody tissues, and in most species the trunk produces secondary limbs, called branches. A tree is any plant with the general form of an elongated stem, or trunk, leaves or branches at some distance above the ground. Trees usually reproduce using seeds. Trees are best known for providing us with oxygen, but they’re also beautiful living organisms that can live for thousands of years. Trees play a significant role in reducing erosion and moderating the climate. They remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store large quantities of carbon in their tissues. Trees and forests provide a habitat for many species of animals and plants. They provide an inner peace.. ‘Ancient and Famous Trees’ refers to trees that are on the List of Ancient and Famous Trees under Protection for being over a hundred years old, for belonging to precious species, being distinctive, for having a rare shape or due to their special historical or cultural significance. Here are the 10 Famous Trees in the world.

1.Cedars of God

Cedars of God is the most famous cedar patch and one of the last vestiges of old-growth small forests. It is of about 400 Lebanon Cedar trees in the mountains of northern Lebanon. It is also one of the rarest sites where the Cedrus libani still grows. The forest is rigorously protected. The “Committee of the Friends of the Cedar Forest” initiated a reforestation program in 1985. It is the symbol of the country, its pride, and features prominently on the Lebanese flag. Their bark is dark gray but the wood is beautiful light tone, hard and astonishingly decay resistant. These are tall trees with large trunks and massive, irregular heads of spreading branches.

These trees remain ever green, never shed their leaves, and are always fragrant. It is said that god himself planted these cedars. Cedar trees survive five millenniums. Phoenicians used cedar wood to build their ships. The ancient Egyptians used its resin in mummification and King Solomon used the famous trees in the construction of the First Temple in Jerusalem.In the Ottoman Empire Cedar tree timber was used to construct railways. Cedar trees symbolize resilience, immortality, strength, and elevation. The mountains of Lebanon were once covered with Cedar trees.

2.Tree of Life

The Tree of Life in Bahrain is a mesquite tree which grows in the middle of Arabian desert. The meaning of the Tree of Life is “A Connection to Everything” represents you are never alone you should be connected to the world. Tree of Life explains how family grows and expands throughout many generations. Tree of Life symbolizes individuality, strong throughout their life time for unique experiences. It is also a symbol for peacefulness and relaxation. The tree is said to be 400 to 500 years old. A soil and dendrochronology analysis conducted in the 1990s concluded that the tree was an Acacia planted in 1582. Both its age and its location definitely make this tree a survivor, which is considered to be a remarkable natural wonder of the world witnessed by most who visit Bahrain.

Its long roots probably have found some underground water source, but it is still a miracle as it is the only green living organism live a vast and barren desert. Bahrain has little to no rain throughout the year. The local inhabitants believe that this was the actual location of the Garden of Eden. The tree is a local tourist attraction and is visited by approximately 65,000 people every year. The yellow resin is used to make candles, aromatics and gum; the beans are processed into jam, meal and wine.

3.General Sherman

General Sherman, named to honor United States Union Army General Williom T. Sherman, is the largest of three trillion trees on Earth. General Sherman is a Giant Sequoia located in the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park in California since 1931. Potwisha Indians led cattleman Hale Dixon Tharp to Giant Forest in September 1858. Naturalist John Muir, who visited Tharp later, explored and named Giant Forest in 1875. Although both men neither claimed or received credit for its discovery. The famous trees of the Giant Forest are among the largest trees in the world, if measured by volume.

At 11.1 meter (36.5 ft) along the base he General Sherman tree is the largest of them all. While it is the largest tree known, the General Sherman Tree is neither the tallest known living tree on Earth , nor is it the widest, nor is it the oldest known living tree on Earth. With a height of 83.8 metres (275 ft), a diameter of 7.7 m (25 ft), an estimated bole volume of 1,487 m3 (52,513 cu ft), and an estimated age of 2,300–2,700 years, it is nevertheless among the tallest, widest, and longest-lived of all trees on the planet. It is the world’s largest tree. It is old, but not that old. The General Sherman was named after the American Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman.

4.Avenue of the Baobabs

The baobab trees can live up to be 800 years old. It originally stood in a dense tropical forest in the area. The baobab trees, known locally as renala (Malagasy for “mother of the forest”), are up to 2,800 years old. The Avenue of the Baobabs itself is only around 260m(850 ft) long with no more than 25 trees standing about 30 tall. The Avenue of the Baobabs is a group of famous trees lining the dirt road between Morondava and Belon’i Tsiribihina in western Madagascar. Along a 260 m (850 ft) stretch of the road is a grove of 20–25 Adansonia grandidieri baobabs. An additional 25 or so trees of this species are found growing over nearby rice paddies and meadows within 9.9 acres (4 ha) of land. The trees, which are endemic to Madagascar, are about 30 m (98 ft) in height. Some 7 km (4.3 mi) to the northwest are the Baobab Amoureux, which are two notable Adansonia za trees that have become twisted to each other as they grew.

Despite its popularity as a tourist destination, the area has no visitor center or gate fees, and local residents receive little income from tourism. Fanamby, a Malagasy non-governmental organization, has launched an ecotourism project aimed at conservation of the area and economic improvement for the local community since 2014 and has inaugurated infrastructures to help them promote the area in 2018. More and more of the forest around Morondova has been cleared for agriculture to help the growing population in the area. One of the main reason that the once dense Baobab forest is gone is that the roots of the tree can handle the constantly waterlogged soil well as compared to few other trees in the area that soak up the rainwater. Another reason is that every year some of the Baobabs are hit by lightning and also from the cyclones that hit’s the west coast of Madagascar every year.

5.Socotra Dragon Tree

The Dragon blood tree is arguably the most famous and distinctive plant of the island of Socotra. It has a unique and strange appearance, having the shape of an upside-down umbrella. This evergreen species is named after its dark red resin, that is known as “dragon’s blood”. The huge packed crown provides sufficient shade in order to reduce evaporation. It has many branches; it grows by dichotomy, which means that each branch is divided into two until the leaves finally grow on the branches’ ends. It produces a lot of green leaves that are renewed every three or four years; they fall and other leaves grow in their place. The island of Socotra’s 34-million-year separation from mainland Arabia has given rise to a unique flora – 37% of its plant species are found nowhere else.

It grows in rocky grounds and on high locations, where it preserves water for many years; it is drought-tolerant and can adapt to arid conditions in which there is less water and soil. This resin is of great importance, as it contains an effective substance known as draco, which has multiple medical uses such as treating wounds, infections and burns; to stop blood clot ; treating stomach ulcerations etc. Wood of dragon blood tree is used for the manufacture of beehives, while leaves are used for the manufacture of ropes. Local people value it as food for livestock: feeding very small quantities of berries to cows and goats improves their health, though they cause sickness in excess.

  1. Lone Cypress

Lone Cypress has been called one of the most photographed trees in North America. The Lone Cypress Tree near Monterey is probably the most famous point along the 17-Mile Drive, a scenic road through Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach. The Monterey Cypress is a species of cypress that is endemic to the Central Coast of California. In the wild, these species are confined to two small populations, near Monterey and Carmel. Land, tree and ocean were the basis of this development, and therefore The Lone Cypress became the perfect symbol.

The tree is believed to be about 250 years old, and is its registered trademark since 1919. The Lone Cypress stands atop a granite outcropping above the ever-churning Pacific Ocean. Macrocarpa is a medium-sized evergreen tree, which often becomes irregular and flat-topped as a result of the strong winds that are typical of its native area. It grows to heights of up to 40m in perfect growing conditions, and its trunk diameter can reach 2.5m. The seed cones are globose to oblong, 20–40 mm long. It is also found in western Oregon, and New Zealand as an ornamental tree.

7.BOab Prison Tree

The Boab Prison Tree is a large hollow tree just south of Derby in Western Australia. The Boab Prison Tree, Derby is a 1,500-year-old, large hollow Adansonia gregorii tree 6 kilometres south of Derby. The tree is now a tourist attraction. It is protected under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. This remarkable tree has a circumference of over 14 metres and has an oblong slit in the bark, through which the hollow centre is visible – this is common among older boab trees when the soft spongy trunk tissue dies off, causing the trunk to become hollow.

Evidence indicates that police on patrol from Wyndham in the 1890s noticed that holes in the upper branches indicated that the tree was hollow and so cut an opening into the tree to use it as a lockup for Aboriginal prisoners on their way to Wyndham for sentencing. It also states that it “has accommodated 30 prisoners at one time”. Anthropologist Herbert Basedow was one of the first Europeans to document the Derby Boab Tree. It is reputed to have been used in the 1890s as a lockup for Indigenous Australian prisoners on their way to Derby for sentencing. In recent years a fence was erected around the tree to protect it from vandalism.

8.Cotton Tree

The tree is widely planted in southeastern Asian countries and regions like such as in Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, southern China and Taiwan, etc. The tree grows to 240 ft (73 m) as confirmed by climbing and tape drop with reports of Kapoks up to 77 meters (252 feet). The trees produce several hundred 15 cm (6 in) pods containing seeds surrounded by a fluffy, yellowish fibre that is a mix of lignin and cellulose. According to legend, the Cotton Tree became an important symbol in 1792 when a group of former African American slaves, who had gained their freedom by fighting for the British during the American War of Independence, settled the site of modern Freetown. They landed on the shoreline and walked up to a giant tree just above the bay and held a thanksgiving service there to thank God for their deliverance to a free land.

Ceiba pentandra is a tropical tree of the order Malvales and the family Malvaceae, native to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, northern South America, and to West Africa. It is also known as the Java cotton, Java kapok, silk-cotton or samauma. It is widely planted in parks and on roadsides there because of its beautiful red flowers which bloom in March/April. The flowers are very attractive to local wildlife, with many birds like the Japanese white-eye, a type of fruit eating bird, which often draws a hole in an unopened Bombax ceiba flower bud. The flower-bud is eaten as a vegetable in India. At the peak of its flowering season, elderly people may often be seen gathering the fallen flowers from the ground to dry, which they later use to prepare tea or soup.

9.Arbol del Tule

Arbol del Tule, a Montezuma Cypress, is located in the town center of Santa Maria del Tule in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is the widest tree in the world. It is so large that it was originally thought to be multiple trees, but DNA tests have proven that it is only one tree. It has the stoutest trunk of any tree in the world although the trunk is heavily buttressed, giving a higher diameter. It is short of about only 35.4 meters in height, stout about 11.62 meters in diameter, and old about 1,500 years.

Its gnarled bark that truly inspires the imagination. In its knots and crooks, visitors have found likenesses of human faces, lions, jaguars, elephants, and a veritable bestiary of other creatures. Residents celebrate the famous Tule Tree the second Monday of October. A belief of the Ayuuk (Mixe) is that the tree is the walking stick of one of their gods that took root and grew into the famous tree. The tree is on a well. In the past this well was partially diverted, which made the existence of the tree threatened because of a shortage of water. Later on, measures were taken to assure sufficient supply of water.

  1. Major Oak

The Major Oak is a huge oak tree in the heart of Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, England. According to local folklore, it was Robin Hood’s shelter where he and his band of outlaws slept. The famous tree is about 800 to a 1000 years old. It weighs an estimated 23 tons, has a girth of 33 feet (10 metres), a canopy of 92 feet (28 metres). It was voted “Britain’s favourite tree”. The Major Oak may be several trees that fused together as saplings, or the tree could have been pollarded.

In 1790, Major Hayman Rooke, a noted antiquarian, included the tree in his popular book about the ancient oaks of Sherwood. Nowadays, the Major Oak provides a home and shelter to hundreds of living things; beetles, bats, fungi, squirrels and spiders amongst much more. It’s been fenced off since the 1970’s, allowing our visitors to appreciate its magnificence whilst also giving it a little room to breathe and stay healthy.

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THE 10 GREAT STRONGEST METALS IN THE WORLD

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A Metal is any of a class of substances characterized by high electrical and thermal conductivity as well as by malleability, ductility, and high reflectivity of light. Approximately three-quarters of all known chemical elements are metals. The vast majority of metals are found in ores. Metals are usually crystalline solids. Metals have a relatively simple crystal structure distinguished by a close packing of atoms and a high degree of symmetry. From multi-level parking garages to skyscrapers amidst a bustling city, modern industrial processes need materials that are capable of withstanding a lot. On the hunt for strong materials, engineers turn to metals because of their strength, availability, and versatility. Strength of a metal depends on four properties like tensile strength, compressive strength, yield strength, and impact strength. In terms of tensile strength, tungsten is the strongest out of any natural metal (142,000 psi). Here are the 10 strongest metals in the world.

1.Tungsten

Tungsten W is found naturally on Earth almost exclusively as compounds with other elements. In terms of tensile strength, tungsten is the strongest out of any natural metal (142,000 psi).It has the highest melting point of all the elements discovered, melting at 3,422 °C (6,192 °F; 3,695 K). It also has the highest boiling point, at 5,555 °C (10,031 °F; 5,828 K). Tungsten is one of the toughest metals. But in terms of impact strength tungsten is weak. Its density is 19.25 grams per cubic centimeter. Pure single-crystalline tungsten is more ductile. Naturally occurring tungsten consists of four stable isotopes (182W, 183W, 184W, and 186W) and one very long-lived radioisotope, Tungsten also has 11 meta states.

Tungsten is a mostly non-reactive element with water and it is immune to attack by most acids and bases. It does not react with oxygen does not react to air at room temperature. The world’s reserves of tungsten are 3,200,000 tonnes; they are mostly located in China (1,800,000 t), Canada (290,000 t), Russia (160,000 t), Vietnam (95,000 t) and Bolivia. Tungsten is extracted from its ores in several stages. Tungsten is used in making Bullets and missiles. Tungsten is often used in electrical and military applications. Tungsten used in incandescent light bulb filaments, X-ray tubes, electrodes in gas tungsten arc welding, superalloys, and radiation shielding. Tungsten compounds are often used as industrial catalysts.

2.Steel

Iron is extracted from iron ore by removing the oxygen. While steel is technically an alloy rather than a metal, it is the strongest alloy currently available. Today, steel is one of the most common manmade materials in the world. The most important properties of steel are great formability and durability, good tensile and yield strength and good thermal conductivity. Very important stainless steel property is its resistance to corrosion. The Steel industry is often considered an indicator of economic progress. Steel is made from iron and carbon and is a highly versatile alloy. In its pure form, iron is soft and generally not useful as an engineering material. To strengthen it, converting it into steel by adding small amounts of carbon. Steel is possibly the most important engineering and construction material in the world. There are many measurement systems used to define the properties of a given steel. For example, Yield strength, ductility and stiffness are determined using tensile testing. Toughness is measured by impact testing; and hardness is determined by measuring resistance to the penetration of the surface by a hard object.

The relationship between stress and strain is a measure of the elasticity of the material, and this ratio is referred to as Young’s modulus. A high value of Young’s modulus is one of the steel’s most differentiating properties; it is in the range 190-210 GPa. The physical properties of steel are related to the physics of the material, such as density, thermal conductivity, elastic modulus, Poison’s ratio etc. It is used to fabricate everything from sewing needles to oil tankers. Because of its high tensile strength and low cost, steel is used in buildings, infrastructure, tools, ships, trains, cars, machines, electrical appliances, and weapons. On average, 50 percent of a car is made of steel. Steel is used in the production of farm vehicles and machines. Most of the appliances in modern homes, such as refrigerators, televisions, sinks, ovens and so on are made of “plain” steel.

  1. Chromium

Chromium Cr is the hardest metal. Chromium is a steely-gray lustrous, brittle, hard metal. It is known to have high corrosion resistance. When polished, it gains a very shiny surface, which is used to plate other metals. Chromium is also highly valued as a metal that is able to be highly polished while resisting tarnishing. It is poisonous in excess. Chromium is mined as chromite ore. Globally this ore is available in India, South Africa, Finland, Zimbabwe, Kazakihstan and the Philippines. The name of the element Chromium is derived from the Greek word chroma, meaning color. Chromium(VI) is a strong oxidising agent in contrast to the molybdenum(VI) and tungsten(VI) oxides. Chromium is extremely the third hardest element behind carbon (diamond) and boron. Chromium has a melting point of 1907 °C (3465 °F), which is relatively low compared to the majority of transition metals.

4.Titanium

Titanium Ti is one of the strongest metals out there, with an ultimate strength of more than 430 Megapascals. It is one of the least dense metals, making it an ideal option for industrial uses that require a strong metal with a high melting point. Titanium has excellent resistance to corrosion in seawater. Titanium is stronger than steel, lighter in weight. Titanium is widely distributed and constitutes 0.44 percent of Earth’s crust. The metal is found combined in practically all rocks, sand, clay, and other soils. Titanium is not attacked by mineral acids at room temperature or by hot aqueous alkali. Titanium readily reacts with oxygen at 1,200 °C (2,190 °F) in air, and at 610 °C (1,130 °F) in pure oxygen, forming titanium dioxide. Pure titanium is ductile, about half as dense as iron and less than twice as dense as aluminum; it can be polished to a high lustre.

A compound of titanium and oxygen was discovered (1791) by the English chemist and mineralogist William Gregor and independently rediscovered (1795) and named by the German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth. These alloys are mainly used in aircraft, spacecraft and missiles because of their low density and ability to withstand extremes of temperature. They are also used in golf clubs, laptops, bicycles and crutches. Power plant condensers use titanium pipes because of their resistance to corrosion. Titanium metal connects well with bone, so it has found surgical applications such as in joint replacements and tooth implants. It is extensively used as a pigment in house paint, artists’ paint, plastics, enamels and paper. It is also a good reflector of infrared radiation.

5.Iron

Iron Fe is also a brittle and hard substance. Iron dissolves in dilute acids. It rusts easily. It is the most important of all metals. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth’s crust. Iron is rare in the Earth’s crust, limited mainly to deposition by meteorites. 90% of all metal that is refined today is iron. Iron can form magnets or be attracted to magnets. Pure iron is quite reactive. Iron reacts readily with oxygen and water to give brown to black hydrated iron oxides, commonly known as rust. The body of an adult human contains about 4 grams of iron, mostly in hemoglobin and myoglobin. Both the Earth’s inner and outer core, that account for 35% of the mass of the whole Earth, are believed to consist largely of an iron alloy, possibly with nickel.

Iron is also found combined with other elements in hundreds of minerals; of greatest importance as iron ore are hematite, magnetite, limonite , pyrite, goethite and siderite . The metal is extracted by smelting with carbon and limestone. People have been using iron for more than 5,000 years. In a very finely divided state metallic iron is pyrophoric. It is used in architecture, bearings, cutlery, surgical instruments and jewellery. Iron is Used to make bridges, electricity, pylons, bicycle chains, cutting tools and rifle barrels. Cast iron is used for pipes, valves and pumps. Iron is used in numerous sectors such as electronics, manufacturing, automotive, and construction and building.

6.Vanadium

In 1801, vanadium was discovered by Andres Manuel del Rio. It has good corrosion resistance, high strength at high temperature, and low density. Vanadium V has high resistance to alkalis, hydrochloric and sulfuric acids. It is found in different kinds of mill forms. It has high hardness when compared to most of the steels and metals. At a temperature of about 660°C, vanadium can be easily oxidized in air. It should be prevented from being exposed outside because it can react with oxygen and nitrogen gases. It is produced in China and Russia from steel smelter slag. Vanadium can be welded using TIG welding method if argon or helium is covered at front and back of a work piece.

About 80% of the vanadium produced is used as a steel additive. Vanadium-steel alloys are used for piston rods, armour plate, tools, crankshafts, axles. The vanadium redox battery for energy storage may be an important application in the future. Vanadium(V) oxide is used as a pigment for ceramics and glass, as a catalyst and in producing superconducting magnets. It is usually found in carbon containing deposits that include coal, tar sands, oil shale and crude oil. Vanadium is mainly applied in parts having low density, good low temperature ductility, high strength at high temperatures, and good corrosion resistance in bad environments. It is used in jet engines, air frames, nuclear reactors and gears etc.

7.Lutetium

Lutetium Lu is a silvery white metal, which resists corrosion in dry air, but not in moist air. The lutetium atom is the smallest among the lanthanide atoms, due to the lanthanide contraction. Lutetium has the highest density, highest melting point, and hardness of the lanthanides. It is found with almost all other rare-earth metals. Lutetium is very difficult to separate from other elements. It reacts slowly with water, but dissolves rapidly in acids. Lutetium was independently discovered in 1907 by French scientist Georges Urbain, Austrian mineralogist Baron Carl Auer von Welsbach, and American chemist Charles James. Lutetium usually occurs in association with the element yttrium. It burns readily at 150 °C to form lutetium oxide. Lutetium dissolves readily in weak acids. Lutetium, derived from the Latin Lutetia. It is sometimes used in metal alloys. Lutetium has the highest Brinell hardness of any lanthanide. Lutetium has a concentration of around 0.8 to 1.7 ppm in the Earth’s crust.

It is estimated that nearly 0.03% of lutetium is present in monazite ores. It is used as catalysts in petroleum production and used in polymerization and alkylation. It is used for cracking hydrocarbons. It is used in detectors of positron emission topography that detects cellular activity of the body. It is used in cancer treatment. Lutetium aluminium garnet has been proposed for use as a lens material in high refractive index immersion lithography. It is also used in magnetic bubble memory devices and light-emitting diode light bulbs. Lutetium-177 used as a radionuclide in neuroendrocine tumor therapy and bone pain palliation. Lutetium is considered to be one of the toxic metals. Hence inhalation of this compound is very dangerous as it might lead to fatal conditions. Some skin disorders can occur if we contact with Lutetium.

  1. Zirconium

Zirconium chemical element Zr is extremely resistant to heat and corrosion. Gems that contain zirconium were known in ancient times as zircon. Zircon is a natural semi-precious gemstone found in a variety of colors. Zirconium is lighter than steel and its hardness is similar to copper. Zirconium does not dissolve in acids and alkalis.
Zirconium is a very strong, malleable, ductile, lustrous silver-gray metal. It is solid at room temperature. In powder form, zirconium is highly flammable, but the solid form is much less prone to ignition. The melting point of zirconium is 1855 °C (3371 °F), and the boiling point is 4371 °C (7900 °F).
Zirconium occurs in about 30 mineral species. More than 1.5 million tonnes of zircon are mined each year, mainly in Australia, South Africa and Sri Lanka . Most baddeleyite is mined in Brazil. In 1789, the German chemist, Martin Klaproth analysed a zircon and separated zirconium in the form of its ‘earth’ zirconia, which is the oxide ZrO2.

For the Ancient Egyptians the scarab beetle was a symbol of regeneration and creation, conveying ideas of transformation, renewal and resurrection. The Ancient Egyptians used zircon gemstones in jewellery. Zirconium does not absorb neutrons, making it an ideal material for use in nuclear power stations. Space and aeronautic industries use Zirconium to manufacture high-temperature parts like blades, combustors, and vanes in jet engines. In photographic flashbulbs and surgical instruments, to make the glass for television, in the removal of residual gases from electronic vacuum tubes, and as a hardening agent in alloys, especially steel.
It is extensively used by the chemical industry. Zirconium(IV) oxide is used in ultra-strong ceramics. Scissors and knives can be made from it. It is also used in antiperspirants, cosmetics, food packaging and to make microwave filters. With niobium, zirconium is superconductive at low temperatures and is used to make superconducting magnets. Baddeleyite and impure zirconium (zirconia) are used in lab crucibles.

  1. Osmium

Osmium chemical element Os is a shiny, silver metal that resists corrosion. It is the densest of all the elements and is twice as dense as lead. Of the platinum metals it has the highest melting point, so fusing and casting are difficult. Osmium is un effected by water and acids, but dissolves with molten alkalis.
Most osmium is obtained commercially from the wastes of nickel refining. Osmium is a rare element and found in the Earth’s crust. It is difficult to fabricate. In 1803AD, Osmium was discovered by Smithson Tennant when dissolving an impure sample of platinum in aqua regia, a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids.

It is also a member of the platinum group metals or PGMs (along with Ruthenium, Rhodium, Palladium, Iridium and Platinum) as well as being a transition metal. The name Osmium is derived from the Greek word Osme, which means odor. The largest known primary reserves of osmium include South Africa and Canada. It is added to platinum or indium to make them harder. It is used to produce very hard alloys for fountain pen tips, instrument pivots, needles and electrical contacts. It is also used in the chemical industry as a catalyst. It is used in making high-quality pen nibs, compass needles, long-life gramophone needles and clock bearings. Osmium tetroxide, OsO4, is highly toxic. Concentrations in air as low as 10-7 g m-3 can cause lung congestion, skin damage, and severe eye damage.

10.Tantalum

Tantalum Ta appears as a shiny and silvery metal in its soft and pure form but Tantalum is in the form of hard, rare, blue-grey, lustrous metal. It is highly conductive of heat and electricity. It shows excellent resistance to all acids in normal temperature. This metal is corrosion resistant and is bound to chemical attack below 150 C. It has a high melting point of about 3017 °C and a boiling point of about 5458 °C. The chemical inertness of tantalum makes it a valuable substance for laboratory equipment, and as a substitute for platinum. Tantalum was discovered in Sweden in 1802 by Anders Ekeberg, in two mineral samples one from Sweden and the other from Finland. The name tantalum was derived from the name of the mythological Tantalus, the father of Niobe in Greek mythology. Tantalum carbide, TaC, like the more commonly used tungsten carbide, is a hard ceramic that is used in cutting tools.

Tantalum causes no immune response in mammals, so has found wide use in the making of surgical implants. It can replace bone, for example in skull plates; as foil or wire it connects torn nerves; and as woven gauze it binds abdominal muscle. Tantalum alloys can be used for turbine blades, rocket nozzles and nose caps for supersonic aircraft. It is employed in the manufacture of capacitors. Used as an alloy due to its high melting point and anti-corrosion. It is used mainly as an alloying medium as it is helpful for hardening metals. It is utilized in the chemical industries. It has a high number of medical as well as dental applications. Tantalum causes many health-related problems such as irritation of the skin and eye when inhaled, ingested or when it gets absorbed into the skin.

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THE 10 GREAT MOST PRECIOUS METALS IN THE WORLD

by Sree DivyaUncategorizedLeave a Comment on THE 10 GREAT MOST PRECIOUS METALS IN THE WORLD

A Metal is any of a class of substances characterized by high electrical and thermal conductivity as well as by malleability, ductility, and high reflectivity of light. Approximately three-quarters of all known chemical elements are metals. The vast majority of metals are found in ores. Metals are usually crystalline solids. Metals have a relatively simple crystal structure distinguished by a close packing of atoms and a high degree of symmetry. Precious metals are metals that are rare and have a high economic value, due to various factors, including their scarcity, use in industrial processes, and role throughout history as a store of value. The single most popular precious metal for investment purposes is gold, followed by silver. Investors purchase precious metals mainly as a financial asset. The most popular precious metals with investors are gold, platinum, and silver. Here are the 10 most precious metals in the world.

  1. Rhodium

Rhodium is a rare, silvery-white, hard, corrosion-resistant chemical element . Rhodium is a member of the platinum group. Rhodium is one of the of the six platinum group metals: platinum, palladium, rhodium, osmium, iridium and ruthenium. It is chemically inert transition metal. It is one of the most valuable precious metals. It was discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston. Rhodium has both a higher melting point and lower density than platinum. Rhodium is one of the rarest elements in the Earth’s crust. It is mostly mined from Russia, South Africa and Canada. Rhodium it is unaffected by air and water up to 1,112 degrees Fahrenheit (600 degrees Celsius), according to Lenntech. It does not react to oxygen easily. It occurs up to one part per 200 million in the Earth’s crust, according to Chemistry Libretexts.

The primary use of this element is in automobiles as a catalytic converter, changing harmful unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxide exhaust emissions into less noxious gases. Pure rhodium is inert and harmless in elemental form. Rhodium detectors are used in nuclear reactors to measure the neutron flux level and used to form drug precursors and the processes for the production of acetic acid. It is used as an alloying agent for hardening and improving the corrosion resistance of platinum and palladium. It is used for its reflective surfaces in search lights, mirrors and jewellery finish, giving everything it touches a lovely shine. It is also used in electric connections and is alloyed with platinum for aircraft turbine engines.

  1. Platinum

Platinum is one of the rare elements in Earth’s crust. Platinum is a dense, malleable, ductile, element. This is highly unreactive, silverish-white transition metal. It is highly precious metal commodity and it is one of the least reactive metals. It occurs mostly in South Africa, which accounts for 80% of the world production. It occurs naturally in the alluvial sands of various rivers, it was first used by pre-Columbian South American natives to produce artifacts. Mostly used for a lot of weapons, aeronautics and dentist equipment due to its high level of resistance.

Platinum is used in catalytic converters, laboratory equipment, electrical contacts and electrodes, platinum resistance thermometers, dentistry equipment, and jewelry. Compounds containing platinum, such as cisplatin, oxaliplatin and carboplatin, are applied in chemotherapy against certain types of cancer. Platinum is often found chemically uncombined as native platinum and as alloy with the other platinum-group metals and iron mostly. It has various applications in photography, zinc etchings, indelible ink, plating, mirrors, porcelain coloring. This highly malleable metal is incredibly resistant to corrosion and sought after for its metallic shine and lustrous look.

  1. Gold

Gold is one of the least reactive chemical elements and it occurs naturally. Gold is available in free elemental form, as nuggets or grains, in rocks, in veins, and in alluvial deposits. Gold is a chemical element with dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. It is a good conductor of heat and electricity. It was one of the first metals to attract human attention. Because of its unique qualities, gold has been the one material that is universally accepted in exchange for goods and services. Most mined gold is stored as bullion. The term ‘carat’ indicates the amount of gold present in an alloy. 24-carat is pure gold, but it is very soft. 18- and 9-carat gold alloys are commonly used because they are more durable. It is a bright, slightly reddish yellow in color. This color is determined by the frequency of plasma oscillations among the metal’s valence electrons. The world consumption of new gold produced is about 50% in jewelry, 40% in investments, and 10% in industry. It has emotional, cultural and financial value and different people across the globe buy gold for different reasons.

Gold is a precious metal that has been used for coinage, jewelry, and other arts. Gold’s resistance to corrosion and also used in infrared shielding, colored-glass production, gold leafing, and tooth restoration. Certain gold salts are still used as anti-inflammatories in medicine. It is usually found in nature in a comparatively pure form. Gold is used in art, for decoration and as architectural ornament. This is used in gears for watches, artificial limb joints. It is ideal for protecting electrical copper components because it conducts electricity well. A gold compound is used to treat some cases of arthritis. The metal remains a highly regarded reserve asset, and approximately 45 percent of all the world’s gold is held by governments and central banks for this purpose. About 1500 tonnes of gold are mined each year. About two-thirds of this comes from South Africa and most of the rest from Russia. A total of 197,576 tonnes of gold exists above ground, as of 2019.

  1. Ruthenium

Natural ruthenium consists of a mixture of seven stable isotopes. It is a hard, white transition metal. Russian-born scientist of Baltic-German ancestry Karl Ernst Claus discovered this element in 1844 at Kazan State University. Ruthenium is generally found in ores with the other platinum group metals in the Ural Mountains and in North and South America. Silver-grey ruthenium metal looks like platinum but is rarer, harder, and more brittle. Ruthenium is a chemical element and is inert to most other chemicals. The composition of the mined platinum group metal (PGM) mixtures varies widely, depending on the geochemical formation. For example, the PGMs mined in South Africa contain on average 11% ruthenium while the PGMs mined in the former USSR contain only 2%. Ruthenium, like the other platinum group metals, is obtained commercially as a by-product from nickel, and copper, and platinum metals ore processing. Because of its high melting point, ruthenium is not easily cast; its brittleness, even at white heat, makes it very difficult to roll or draw into wires.

It is used in some jewellery as an alloy with platinum. Most ruthenium produced is used in wear-resistant electrical contacts and thick-film resistors. During electro refining of copper and nickel, noble metals such as silver, gold, and the platinum group metals precipitate as anode mud, the feedstock for the extraction. Most is used in the electronics industry for chip resistors and electrical contacts. Ruthenium oxide is used in the chemical industry to coat the anodes of electrochemical cells for chlorine production. Ruthenium is also used in catalysts for ammonia and acetic acid production. Ruthenium compounds can be used in solar cells, which turn light energy into electrical energy. The industrial application of metallic ruthenium is restricted to use as an alloy for platinum and other metals of the platinum group. Roughly 30 tonnes of ruthenium are mined each year.

  1. Iridium

Iridium also has the highest density of all the elements. Iridium is not affected by acids, bases, or most other strong chemicals. Iridium is the most corrosion-resistant element even at temperatures as high as 2000 °C (on the Periodic Table of Elements). It is very rare and is used in platinum alloys. A precious, silver-white metal, iridium is hard and brittle, but it becomes ductile and can be worked at a white heat, from 1,200°. Iridium is found in meteorites in much higher abundance than in the Earth’s crust. It is one of the densest terrestrial substances. Iridium is considered to be the second-densest metal. Iridium’s modulus of elasticity is the second-highest among the metals. Iridium was discovered in 1803 among insoluble impurities in natural platinum. Smithson Tennant, the primary discoverer, named iridium.

Iridium is one of the rarest elements in Earth’s crust, with annual production and consumption of only three metric tons. The most important iridium compounds in use are the salts and acids it forms with chlorine, though iridium also forms a number of organo metallic compounds used in industrial catalysis, and in research. A member of the platinum group metals, iridium is white, resembling platinum, but with a slight yellowish cast. Because of its hardness, brittleness, and very high melting point, solid iridium is difficult to machine, form, or work. It is the only metal to maintain good mechanical properties in air at temperatures above 1,600 °C (2,910 °F). It used for pen tips and compass bearings. It was used in making the standard metre bar, which is an alloy of 90% platinum and 10% iridium. It is also used for the contacts in spark plugs because of its high melting point and low reactivity.

  1. Osmium

A gray-white metal, osmium is very hard, brittle, and difficult to work, even at high temperatures. It is the densest naturally occurring element. Pure osmium metal does not occur in nature. British chemist Smithson Tennant discovered osmium in 1803 in the residue left when crude platinum was dissolved by aqua regia. It is a bluish-white transition metal in the platinum group that is found as a trace element in alloys, mostly in platinum ores. The element’s abundance in the Earth’s crust is among the rarest, with an abundance of only 50 ppt in the earth’s crust. It is approximately twice as dense as lead and slightly denser than iridium. It has a very low compressibility. Of the platinum metals it has the highest melting point, so fusing and casting are difficult. Osmium has seven naturally occurring isotopes, six of which are stable.

Osmium powder reacts slowly with the oxygen of the air and gives off detacteble amounts of osmium tetroxide vapour. Osmium is mainly found alloyed with other platinum metals, from which it is recovered commercially. The most important ores are either iridosmine and osmiridium. Iridosmine is a rare mineral found in Russia and in North and South America. It is used to produce very hard alloys for fountain pen tips, instrument pivots, needles and electrical contacts. It is also used in the chemical industry as a catalyst. Osmium wires were used for filaments of early incandescent lamps before the introduction of tungsten. Osmium tetroxide, OsO4, is highly toxic concentrations in air as low as 10-7 g m-3 can cause lung congestion, skin damage, and severe eye damage.

  1. Palladium

Palladium is unique in its ability to absorb hydrogen and very malleable element. It is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal discovered in 1803 by the English chemist William Hyde Wollaston. Palladium, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and osmium form a group of elements referred to as the platinum group metals (PGMs). They have similar chemical properties. Palladium has the lowest melting point and is the least dense of them. Palladium is a key component of fuel cells, which react hydrogen with oxygen to produce electricity, heat, and water. Russia was the top producer with 82,000 kilograms, followed by South Africa, Canada and the U.S. Russia’s company Norilsk Nickel ranks first among the largest palladium producers globally, accounting for 39% of the world’s production. More than half the supply of palladium and its congener platinum is used in catalytic converters, which convert as much as 90% of the harmful gases in automobile exhaust into less noxious substances.

Palladium is also used in electronics, dentistry, medicine, hydrogen purification, chemical applications, groundwater treatment, and jewelry. Palladium is used in small amounts (about 0.5%) in some alloys of dental amalgam to decrease corrosion and increase the metallic lustre of the final restoration. Palladium heated to 800 °C will produce a layer of palladium(II) oxide (PdO). Palladium is also used watch making, blood sugar test strips, aircraft spark plugs, surgical instruments, and electrical contacts. Palladium is also used to make professional transverse flutes. Palladium can be used for component and connector plating in consumer electronics and in soldering materials. Unlike platinum, palladium may discolor at temperatures above 400 °C (752 °F) due to oxidation, making it more brittle and thus less suitable for use in jewelry.

  1. Rhenium

Rhenium is a silvery-white metal with one of the highest melting points of all elements, exceeded by only tungsten and carbon. It also has one of the highest boiling points of all elements, and the highest among stable elements. Rhenium is extremely hard and a heavy metal. Rhenium is one of the rarest elements in the Earth’s crust. Rhenium has the third-highest melting point and second-highest boiling point of any stable element at 5903 K. Rhenium is expensive, with price reaching an all-time high. Rhenium has a hexagonal close-packed crystal structure. Rhenium does not occur free in nature or as a compound in any distinct mineral; instead it is widely distributed in small amounts in other minerals, usually in concentrations averaging about 0.001 parts per million. It resists wear and corrosion very well. Rhenium was discovered in 1908 and it is the second-last stable element to be discovered. The isolation of rhenium was finally achieved in May 1925 by Walter Noddack and Ida Tacke working in Berlin.

Rhenium was the second last-discovered of the elements that have a stable isotope. It is used in the combustion chambers, turbine blades, and exhaust nozzles of jet engines. These alloys contain up to 6% rhenium, making jet engine construction the largest single use for the element. The second-most important use is as a catalyst: rhenium is an excellent catalyst for hydrogenation and isomerization, and is used for example in catalytic reforming of naphtha for use in gasoline. These alloys are used for oven filaments and x-ray machines. It is also used as an electrical contact material as it resists wear and withstands arc corrosion. Rhenium catalysts are used for the hydrogenation of fine chemicals. Some rhenium is used in nickel alloys to make single-crystal turbine blades. It is used on filaments, electronic casings and often comes as by-product of copper mining.

  1. Silver

Silver is a relatively soft, shiny metal. It tarnishes slowly in air as sulfur compounds react with the surface forming black silver sulfide. Silver is a white, lustrous transition metal. It exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. Silver has long been valued as a precious metal. The metal is found in the Earth’s crust in the pure, free elemental form, as an alloy with gold and other metals, and in minerals such as argentite and chlorargyrite. Most silver is produced as a byproduct of copper, gold, lead, and zinc refining. It is probable that both gold and silver were used as money by 800 BCE in all countries between the Indus and the Nile. This metal constitutes 0.05 part per million of Earth’s crust. Silver is found generally in lead ores, copper ores, and cobalt arsenide ores and is also frequently associated with gold in nature. Silver also contain the important metals lead, copper, or zinc or a combination of the three. Alloys of silver with copper are harder, tougher, and more fusible than pure silver and are used for jewelry and coinage.

Silver has antibacterial properties and silver nanoparticles are used in clothing to prevent bacteria from digesting sweat and forming unpleasant odours. Silver is used in solar panels, water filtration, jewellery, ornaments, high-value tableware and utensils, in electrical contacts and conductors, in specialized mirrors, window coatings, in catalysis of chemical reactions, as a colorant in stained glass and in specialised confectionery. Its compounds are used in photographic and X-ray film. Silver also finds use as a catalyst for its unique ability to convert ethylene to ethylene oxide, which is a precursor of many organic compounds. Silver is used to make mirrors, as it is the best reflector of visible light known. It is also used in dental alloys, solder and brazing alloys, and batteries. Silver paints are used for making printed circuits. Silver threads are woven into the fingertips of gloves so that they can be used with touch screen phones.

  1. Indium

Indium is a soft, ductile, malleable, lustrous metallic metal with silvery white color which is used in the semiconductor industry, in low-melting- point metal alloys such as Lead-free solders. It is stable in air and water. Indium is named after the bright indigo line in its spectrum. Our Indium products include indium ingot, indium granules, indium foil, indium wire, indium coin, Indium Ribbon, indium oxide etc. It is not an alkali metal. It is a post-transition metal that makes up 0.21 parts per million of the Earth’s crust. Indium was discovered in 1863 by Ferdinand Reich and Hieronymous Theodor Richter by spectroscopic methods. Indium is a minor component in zinc sulfide ores and is produced as a byproduct of zinc refinement. Indium is considered a technology-critical element. The density of indium, 7.31 g/cm3, is also greater than gallium, but lower than thallium. Indium Foil is made by pure Indium Ingot which is very soft and shapable metal. Indium foil has great thermal conductivity.

Indium is produced exclusively as a by-product during the processing of the ores of other metals. Its main source material are sulfidic zinc ores. Minor amounts are probably also extracted from sulfidic copper ores. The primary consumption of indium worldwide is LCD production. Popularity of LCD computer monitors and television sets, which now account for 50% of indium consumption. The first large-scale application for indium was coating bearings in high-performance aircraft engines to protect against damage and corrosion. Now it can be found in fusible alloys, solders, and electronics. Indium(III) oxide and indium tin oxide (ITO) are used as a transparent conductive coating on glass substrates in electroluminescent panels. Indium nitride, phosphide and antimonide are semiconductors used in transistors and microchips. An indium alloy has been used for fire-sprinkler systems in shops and warehouses because of its low melting point. People can be exposed to indium in the workplace by inhalation, ingestion, skin contact, and eye contact leads to lung disease.

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THE 10 GREAT BOOKS TO READ IN THE WORLD FOR CAREER SUCCESS

by Sree DivyaUncategorizedLeave a Comment on THE 10 GREAT BOOKS TO READ IN THE WORLD FOR CAREER SUCCESS

A book is a written or printed work consisting of pages glued or sewn together along one side and bound in covers. A book is a number of pieces of paper, usually with words on them, which are fastened together and fixed inside a cover of stronger paper or cardboard. Books contain information, stories, or poetry etc. of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs and leaders are avid readers. Even fictional novels are praised for their excellence by successful businessman like Bill Gates and Elon Musk. A great book influences your life. It influences your thought process. Any book that teaches you to be fair to the world is a great book. Reader has a lot of benefits like increase your vocabulary, improve focus and concentration, reduce stress and improve your memory. If you’re struggling to find a career, Advice from an expert, however, might be just the thing is to pick up one of these published career advice books. The Best 10 books and its summary are as follows.

  1. “The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy

“The Compound Effect” offers readers the real deal when it comes to becoming a success. Darren Hardy pulls insight from his 20-year journey as a curator of the industry and reveals his six principles of success.
“It reveals the truth about prolonging small changes in our life that compound to negative results. This is book summary of The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy. This summary also includes key lessons and important passages from the book. Always take 100 percent responsibility for everything that happens to you. The compound effect is the operating system that has been running your life whether you know it or not. You cannot improve something until you measure it. Success is doing a half dozen things really well, repeated five thousand times. You don’t need more knowledge. You need a new plan of action. Consistency is the ultimate key to success. If you aren’t better, work harder. The compound effect is the strategy of reaping huge rewards from small, seemingly insignificant actions. Choice is at the center of all success and failure. It is what we choose that makes the biggest difference. Too often we sleepwalk through our choices. We default to choices that our society and culture tells us we should do. Keep a daily gratitude journal about your spouse.

Write down one thing you are thankful for each day about your spouse then give them the book as a gift one year later. You have to be willing to give 100 percent in your relationships. You alone are responsible for your situation. Everyone has the opportunity to be lucky. Track your behavior for at least one week. Tracking will revolutionize your life. The author started by tracking every financial decision in a notebook. Merely becoming conscious of your actions begins to change them. Start by saving 1 percent of your money each month. Then save 2 percent the next month. Continue until you are saving 10 percent of what you earn. The earlier you start making changes the more the compound effect works in your favor. The older your habits are and the deeper their roots, the harder they are to change. Design the life you want first and the business you want second. Write down your most important goals. The hardest part of momentum is the beginning. But Once you get moving you can keep going very easily. There is a difference between learning and studying. Learning leads to knowledge. Studying a topic means you are invested in it and try it out. What you need is to study, to practice, and to take action on the knowledge you have.
Small choices + consistency + time = significant results.

  1. “What Color is Your Parachute?” by Richard Bolles

“What Color is Your Parachute” is the world’s popular job-search and self-help book with its long-trusted guidance for job-hunters and career-changers. “It is a very practical book with many exercises and activities given by Richard Nelson Bolles for you. Great trips and exercises forcing you to think, reflect, take action and get to know the best job search practices from defining your dream job to resumes to interviewing to networking.” This book has been in print since 1970 and has been revised annually since 1975. It is available in 22 languages and used in 26 countries around the world. It is one of the most highly regarded career advice books in print. Richard Nelson Bolles wrote numerous spinoffs of What Color Is Your Parachute? targeted at specific audiences and career issues.

More than ten million copies sold over fifty years, the world’s most popular and best-selling career guide is fully revised and expanded for 2021. At its core is Richard N. Bolles’s famed Flower Exercise, a unique self-inventory that helps you design your career and your life around your key passions, transferable skills, traits, and more. The flower exercise involves looking at yourself from seven different angles: compatibility with people, workplace conditions, skills, purpose, knowledge, money, and location. In the exercise, each angle will be visually represented by a flower petal. When you’ve finished the exercise, you’ll end up with a one-page diagram of your flower that contains a visual summary of your personality as it relates to your career. This book is twelve times more effective than sending out traditional resumes.

  1. “The Leader Who Had No Title” by Robin Sharma

In “The Leader Who Had No Title,” author and leadership speaker Robin Sharma offers great things. In this book, readers will learn how to work with and influence people like a superstar, regardless of your position; how to recognize and then seize opportunities in times of deep change; the real secrets of intense innovation and so much more. Great careers and great businesses are built by evolution. Initiative and hard work is the warm-up act for a headliner called success. Small daily improvements, over time, lead to stunning results. “Each of us is born into genius”. We are responsible for our actions and their consequences. Inspire, influence and elevate each person. Treat everyone with respect, kindness and appreciation. If we change day by day small actions, those will become a habit. In the same time small changes every day will add up to a massive new improvement in the long run. You should be inspiring, engaging and elevating. It’s all on you. You are going to choose your most empowered response. When you do that, your life changes within minutes. “It teaches people that they all are leaders whatever their position. It helps people look at the concept of leadership from a different angle. It starts with yourself. Wherever people are in their career, they should do everything to stretch their leadership, it is all about self-empowerment. There is a great example about a housekeeper in the book that shows powerful leadership.” “It’s also a great inspiration for learning how to seize opportunities and remove fear blocks related to change.”

You need no title to be a leader: Success is something that’s consciously created. ‘Simply remember that no matter what your position within the organisation and no matter how old you are or where you live .To lead without a title “you will have to be unrealistically persistent and wildly courageous.” The deeper your relationships, the stronger your leadership. ‘Leadership is about having unshakeable faith in your vision and unrelenting confidence in your power to make the positive change happen. You have the power to show leadership and no one and nothing can ever deny you that.’ To be a great leader, first become a great person. Training and strengthening your inner leader will help you perform at extraordinary levels. Success is created through conscious choice. You need to have passion to do any job. It is not the title that gives you respect but the amount of contribution you make to your work. The way you start your day determines how well you will live your day. Happy people really do make happy leaders. Leadership is about correcting and criticizing others when they are doing things wrong. The secret to moving through hard times is to just keep moving forward. You will learn hard-hitting tactics to become mentally strong and physically tough enough to lead your field. This book explains real-world ways to defeat stress, build an unbeatable mind-set, unleash energy, and balance your personal life regardless of what you do within your organization and the current circumstances of your life, the single most important fact is that you have the power to show leadership.

  1. “Good to Great” by Jim Collins

Jim Collins is the author of “Good to Great.” Jim Collins evaluates the factors that allow a small fraction of companies to make the transition from merely good to truly great. Research has shown that leader who have brought the ‘Good to Great’ transformation are not the one, who is charismatic or big personality but is rather quiet, shy, deliberate. They are the one’s who have the combination of humility and professional will. It is a known fact that the right team is needed to achieve the success but what is even more important is to build the right team even before you know what and which path to take towards greatness and hence it is ‘first who then what’. After sifting through mountains of data and thousands of pages of interviews, Collins and his crew discovered the key determinants of greatness – why some companies make the leap and others don’t. Over five years, the team analyzed the histories of 28 companies from good companies to great companies.

  1. “The Success Principles” by Jack Canfield

“The Success Principles” teaches readers how to increase their confidence, tackle daily challenges, realize their ambitions and live their life with passion and purpose. In both work and life there are timeless principles. When you apply these you lead to success. This book talks about those in very practical ways and helps the reader learn what can move them forward.

The Book in Three Sentences
1.“If you want to be successful, you have to take 100% responsibility for everything that you experience in your life.”
2.“Everything you think, say, and do needs to become intentional and aligned with your highest purpose, your values, and your goals.”
3.“To achieve desired outcomes, one must replace complaining with making requests and taking action.”
The Five Big Ideas
1.“You have control over only three things in your life—the thoughts you think, the images you visualize, and the actions you take .”
2.“Stated in its most basic form, the Law of Attraction says, what you think about, talk about, believe strongly about, and feel intensely about, you will bring about.”
3.“You can lose the material things, but you can never lose your mastery—what you learn and who you become in the process of achieving your goals.”
4.“One of the great strategies for success is to act as if you already are where you want to be.”
5.“The world doesn’t pay you for what you know; it pays you for what you do.”
Summary of Success principles are
Take 100% Responsibility of Your Life. Be Clear Why You’re Here. Decide What You Want. Believe It’s Possible. Believe in Yourself. Use The Law of Attraction. Commit to Constant and Never-Ending Improvement. Keep Score for Success. Learn More to Earn More. Stay Motivated with The Masters. Mastermind Your Way to Success. Develop a Positive Money Consciousness. Connect with People Who Can Expand Your Vision. “Everything you think, say, and do needs to become intentional and aligned with your purpose, your values, and your goals.” “Everything you experience today is the result of choices you have made in the past.” “The day you change your responses is the day your life will begin to get better”. “The only thing that will change your results is to change your behavior.”
“To create a balanced and successful life, your vision needs to include the following seven areas: work and career, finances, recreation and free time, health and fitness, relationships, personal goals, and contribution to the larger community.” “Stated in its most basic form, the Law of Attraction says, what you think about, talk about, believe strongly about, and feel intensely about, you will bring about.” “Many people fail to take action because they’re afraid to fail. Successful people, on the other hand, realize that failure is an important part of the learning process.” “An important part of any focusing regimen is to set aside time at the end of the day—just before going to sleep—to acknowledge your successes, review your goals, focus on your successful future, and make specific plans for what you want to accomplish the next day.” “To learn and grow in life, you need to be teachable, too.” “To become wealthy, you’ll need to surface, identify, root out, and replace any negative or limiting beliefs you may have about money.”

6.“Emotional Intelligence 2.0″ by Travis Bradberry and Jean Graves

“Emotional Intelligence 2.0” offers a step-by-step program to increase emotional intelligence (EQ) to exceed your goals and achieve your potential. Emotional intelligence (EQ) needs little introduction, EQ is critical to your success. This book delivers via four core EQ skills that enable you to achieve your potential: 1) Self-Awareness 2) Self-Management 3) Social Awareness 4) Relationship Management. Emotional Intelligence 2.0 is a book with a single purpose increasing your EQ. It explains how to deal with emotions creatively and employ our intelligence in a beneficial way. Research shows convincingly that EQ is more important than IQ.” “We need to not only know what being emotionally intelligent means but we need to recognize how and when to apply it to our lives.

  1. “The Goal” by Eliyahu M Goldratt

This thrilling novel-style book follows the story of a plant manager whose factory is quickly heading for disaster and will face closure in 90 days unless character Alex Rogo can turn things around. Summary, own thoughts and key lessons of Eliyahu M Goldratt is as follows. Doing work and making money are not the same thing. Simplify your problem to the point where you understand the true goal of your organization. With your goal in mind, identify the constraints within your system and focus on improving the output of that constraint without worrying about the productivity of all related processes. The Theory of Constraints: Step one: identify the systems constraints. Step two: decide how to exploit the constraints. Step three: subordinate all other processes to the decisions. Step four: elevate and improve the systems constraints. Step five: if in a previous step a constraint has broken, return to step one.

The goal is not to reduce cost, but to increase throughput. A system with local maximums is not an efficient system. You should not try to maximize the productivity of every moment because it’s not an optimally designed system. Most people are so focused on technical details that they can’t see the bigger picture. Don’t bother “checking the numbers” instead “check your assumptions. Make sure the bottleneck only works on good parts by performing quality control before parts go into the bottleneck. You can’t afford to waste time within the bottleneck. The area with the biggest amount of inventory is usually a sign of a bottleneck. There is always a bottleneck in every process. You have to manage the process based on the bottleneck. Most processes are a series of dependent events. In any series of dependent events most people can only go as fast as the people in front of them. Because of this, your throughput is only the output of the final person. To learn, we should not just give people results to memorize, but stories and plots that allow us to deduce the answers.

  1. “Grit” by Angela Duckworth

Angela Duckworth has also found scientific evidence to prove that grit can grow. “Beyond talent, beyond creativity, beyond training, beyond being in the right place at the right time; success and achievement require grit.” The secret to outstanding achievement is not talent but a focused persistence called grit. Grit isn’t luck. Grit isn’t how intensely, for the moment, you want something. “A Grit is an ultimate concern.” a goal you care about so much that it organizes and gives meaning to almost everything you do. Grit is holding steadfast to that goal even when you fall down, even when you screw up, even when progress toward that goal is halting or slow. It combines resilience, ambition, and self-control in the pursuit of goals that take months, years, or even decades. Grit is great. It’s a lucid, informative, and entertaining review of the research Angela has assiduously conducted over the past decade. The book also includes suggestions on how to develop grit, and how we can help support grit in others. Angela Duckworth is a tremendous scientist. In her book “Grit,” author and psychologist Angela Duckworth explains that the secret to outstanding achievement is not talent, but a passionate persistence. Angela has found through her research that grit, which is a combination of passion and perseverance for a singularly important goal, is the hallmark of high achievers in every domain.

  1. “The Slight Edge” by Jeff Olson

In this book, author Jeff Olson teaches readers why some people make dream after dream come true, while others just continue dreaming and spend their lives building dreams for someone else. “The pain of discipline is far less than the pain of regret.” “Jeff Olson demonstrates that it is the discipline of doing the little, daily, persistent things that end up making massive differences to success at all levels – work, health, wealth.” The Slight Edge is a way of thinking, a way of processing information that enables you to make the daily choices that will lead you to the success and happiness you desire. The Slight Edge simply shows you how to create powerful results from the simple daily activities of your life, by using tools that are already within you. Discover that “one” thing that will help you achieve that goal, realize a life-long dream or propel you up the ladder to success. Once you got it, then you will discover how your philosophy… creates your attitude… creates your actions… creates your results… creates YOUR LIFE.
Consistently repeated daily actions + time = unconquerable results
1.1% improvement each day = 365% in 1 year
2.Philosophy: Plant, Cultivate, Harvest
3.95% of the people live a mediocre life; be part of the 5%
4.“Your philosophy creates your attitudes, which create your actions, which create your results, which create your life.”
5.Little daily actions are easy to do, but also easy not to do
6.Results are invisible in the beginning
7.Little actions seem insignificant, but they add up
8.Show up, show consistently, commit for the long haul, practice integrity
9.The effect of time compounding is huge
“The journey starts with a single step — not with thinking about taking a step.”
“The right choices you make today, compounded over time, will take you higher and higher up the success curve of this real-time movie called “your life” ”
“Any time you see what looks like a breakthrough, it is always the end result of a long series of little things, done consistently over time.”

10.“The Power of Full Engagement” by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz

In this highly scientific, practical book, authors Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz demonstrate how managing energy, not time, is the key to enduring high performance as well as to health, happiness, and life balance. Managing Energy, Not Time, is the key to high performance and personal renewal tells you how to use your energy positively. The number of hours in a day are fixed and so time is not unlimited or flexible but the quality and quantity of energy in ourselves is not limited or inflexible. From the research done with these athletes, it was discovered how the focus on their energy training gave them their superlative performances. The training program has four steps, such as to mobilize 4 main energy sources, equate energy spent with regular energy refreshment, increase capacity in the similar way that some of the best athletes do and form specific and positive energy management systems. The book reveals how, by the power of full engagement, one can get into a positive routine to manage one’s energy, with a practical and scientific approach.

Summary of The Power Of Full Engagement
o 1.In order to increase performance, we need to focus on managing our energy rather than our time.
o 2.We can reach full engagement by maximizing all four of our energy levels.
o 3.In order to maintain energy levels we need to train our energetic muscles and give them time to recover.
o 4.To reach your full potential, you must develop and maintain good physical energy.
o 5.In order to maintain positive emotional energy levels, never neglect what you enjoy or your physical health.
o 6.Training your mental energy helps you stay focused and creative at the same time.
o 7.Spiritual energy is the source for motivation, derived from committing to others as well as ourselves.
o 8.To live at full engagement, you must find a positive and intrinsically motivating purpose.
o 9.We have to connect to our deepest values to fuel the energy which gives our lives purpose.
o 10.Facing the truth and accepting our limitations increases positive energy.
o 11.Rituals are powerful tools to effectively manage energy capacity.

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THE 10 GREAT MOST IMPORTANT CROPS IN THE WORLD

by Sree DivyaUncategorizedLeave a Comment on THE 10 GREAT MOST IMPORTANT CROPS IN THE WORLD

A crop is cultivated plant that is grown on a large scale commercially, especially a cereal, fruit, or vegetable. A lot of something produced during a particular cycle. Most crops are harvested as food for humans or fodder for livestock. Some crops are gathered from the wild. 10 most important crops in the world are as follows.

1.Corn

yellow corn
Photo by mali maeder on Pexels.com

Corn is the most produced grain in the world. It’s the seed of a plant in the grass family, native to Central America but grown in countless varieties worldwide. It’s a staple food for the majority of sub-Saharan Africa, and is a great source of carbohydrates, protein, iron, vitamin B, and minerals. It’s rich in antioxidants. Corn is a starchy vegetable and cereal grain that has been eaten all over the world for centuries. Corn is also known as maize. It is being used more and more for ethanol. Corn is typically yellow but comes in a variety of other colors, such as red, orange, purple, blue, white, and black. A greater weight of maize is produced each year than any other grain, U.S. is the world’s largest maize producer. In the United States the colourful variegated strains known as Indian corn are traditionally used in autumn harvest decorations.

It is a starchy vegetable that comes as kernels on a cob, covered by a husk. Corn is primarily composed of carbs. Popcorn and sweet corn are popular varieties. Whole-grain foods may have several health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Dietary intake of antioxidants, most notably carotenoids like zeaxanthin and lutein, may boost eye health. The fiber in whole grains can support healthy digestion in various ways. Some evidence suggests that whole grains can help reduce inflammation. Some health benefits linked to fiber may help lower your risk of cancer. 1-ounce (28-gram) serving of whole grains was linked to a 5% lower risk of death. The six major types of maize are dent corn, flint corn, pod corn, popcorn, flour corn, and sweet corn. It’s a key ingredient in baked goods, pastas, noodles, couscous, bulgur and semolina.

  1. Wheat
agriculture arable barley blur
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Wheat covers more of the earth than any other crop. It Grown all over the world, wheat covers more of the earth’s surface than any other cereal crop. It’s a resilient crop, growing in the dry and cold climates where rice and corn cannot. Botanically, the wheat kernel is a type of fruit called a caryopsis. Wheat is grown on more land area than any other food crop. Global demand for wheat is increasing due to the unique viscoelastic and adhesive properties of gluten proteins, which facilitate the production of processed foods, whose consumption is increasing as a result of the worldwide industrialization process and the westernization of the diet. Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain which is a worldwide staple food. As one of the first grains to be domesticated, modern wheat developed from cultivation starting in the middle East about 9-11,000 years ago in the fertile crescent of the middle east.

Wheat is one of the oldest and most important of the cereal crops. Whole-grain wheat can be a rich source of various antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The health effects of starch mainly depend on its digestibility, which determines its effect on blood sugar levels. Wheat is the leading source of vegetable protein for humans worldwide. Enriched wheat flour may be a good source of iron, thiamine, niacin, calcium, and vitamin B6. Wheat is an important source of carbohydrates. It has a protein content of about 13%, which is relatively high compared to other major cereals but relatively low in protein quality for supplying essential amino acids. The most important are common wheat used to make bread; durum wheat used in making pasta such as spaghetti and macaroni; and club wheat , a softer type, used for cake, crackers, cookies, pastries, and flours. Additionally, some wheat is used by industry for the production of starch, paste, malt, dextrose, gluten, alcohol, and other products.

  1. Rice
rice field during golden hour
Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels.com

Rice may be even more important than corn as a food crop, since corn is used for other purposes outside consumption. Rice is the staple food of over half the world’s population. It is the predominant dietary energy source for 17 countries in Asia and the Pacific, 9 countries in North and South America and 8 countries in Africa. Thus, rice is the source of more than 1/5th of all calories consumed by humans. It may also be the thirstiest crop. According to the U.N. farmers need at least 2,000 liters of water to make one kilogram of rice. It is the agricultural commodity with the third-highest worldwide production. Rice cultivation is well-suited to countries and regions with low labor costs and high rainfall, as it is labor-intensive to cultivate and requires ample water. A detailed analysis of nutrient content of rice suggests that the nutrition value of rice varies based on a number of factors. It depends on the strain of rice, such as white, brown, red, and black (or purple) varieties having different prevalence across world regions. It also depends on nutrient quality of the soil rice is grown in, whether and how the rice is polished or processed, the manner it is enriched, and how it is prepared before consumption.

Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the oldest cereal grains in the world, and people have grown it for at least 5,000 years. 90% of the world’s rice comes from Asia. Brown rice contains a higher amount of dietary fiber than white rice. However, rice can be grown practically anywhere, even on a steep hill or mountain area with the use of water-controlling terrace systems. The rice plant can grow to 1–1.8 m (3 ft 3 in–5 ft 11 in) tall, occasionally more depending on the variety and soil fertility. The leaves are long and flattened and are borne on hollow stems. The fibrous root system is often broad and spreading. The panicle, or inflorescence , is made up of spikelets bearing flowers that produce the fruit, or grain. Rice yields vary considerably, ranging from 700 to 4,000 kilograms per hectare (600 to 3,500 pounds per acre). Rice provides 20% of the world’s dietary energy supply, while wheat supplies 19% and maize (corn) 5%. Types of rice are
1.Long grains have a slender kernel over four times as long as they are wide. When cooked, long grain rice stays separate and fluffy (e.g., Jasmine and Basmati rice).
2.Medium grains have a shorter, wider kernel, yielding a tender and semi-sticky consistency when cooked (e.g., Arborio rice).
3.Short grains have a kernel only twice as long as they are wide, and yield the stickiest texture when cooked (e.g., “sushi” rice).

  1. Potatoes
photo of pile of potatoes
Photo by Marco Antonio Victorino on Pexels.com

Potatoes are the number one non-grain food product. Potatoes are edible tubers, available worldwide and all year long. They are relatively cheap to grow, rich in nutrients, and they can make a delicious treat. Originally grown in the Andes, the Spanish introduced Europe to the potato in the 16th century and the starchy crop hasn’t looked back since. China is now the largest potato-producer worldwide. The potato is a root vegetable native to the Americas, a starchy tuber of the plant Solanum tuberosum. Wild potato species, originating in modern-day Peru, can be found throughout the Americas, from Canada to southern Chile. potatoes were domesticated approximately 7,000–10,000 years ago. There are now over 5,000 different types of potatoes. They are now the biggest vegetable crop in the United States (U.S.), where the average person eats 55 pounds, or 25 kilograms (kg) of potatoes every year. It remains an essential crop in Europe, especially Northern and Eastern Europe, where per capita production is still the highest in the world. Potato plants are herbaceous perennials that grow about 60 cm (24 in) high, depending on variety, with the leaves dying back after flowering, fruiting and tuber formation. There are about 5,000 potato varieties worldwide.

Dozens of potato cultivars have been selectively bred specifically for their skin or, more commonly, flesh color, including gold, red, and blue varieties. A raw potato is 79% water, 17% carbohydrates (88% is starch), 2% protein, and contains negligible fat. A raw potato provides 77 kilocalories. Potatoes might help reduce inflammation and constipation. Potatoes contain important nutrients, even when cooked, that can benefit human health in various ways. The iron, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, and zinc in potatoes all help the body to build and maintain bone structure and strength. Potassium, calcium, and magnesium are all present in the potato. These have been found to decrease blood pressure naturally. A higher intake of potassium and a lower intake of sodium to a reduced risk of all-cause mortality and heart disease. Potatoes contain folate. Folate plays a role in DNA synthesis and repair, and so it prevents many types of cancer cells from forming due to mutations in the DNA. Dietary fibers are commonly recognized as important factors in weight management and weight loss. Vitamin C works as an antioxidant to help prevent damage caused by the sun, pollution, and smoke. Vitamin C also helps collagen smooth wrinkles and improve overall skin texture.

5.Cassava

Cassava is a root vegetable widely consumed in developing countries. Cassava also called manioc, mandioca, or yuca, tuberous edible plant of the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae) from the American tropics. It is a perennial plant, cassava is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates. It provides some important nutrients and resistant starch. In the humid and sub-humid areas of tropical Africa, it is either a primary staple food or a secondary costaple. The most commonly consumed part of cassava is the root, which is very versatile. One important note is that cassava root must be cooked before it is eaten. Cassava’s importance in Africa and South America can not be overstated. As a drought-resistant crop that does well in poor soils, cassava is a starch-heavy lifesaver for low-income areas.

Cassava eaters know that the roots and leaves must be cooked in order to lose that toxic level of cyanogenic glucosides. Boiled cassava root also contains small amounts of iron, vitamin C and niacin. Consuming high-calorie foods on a regular basis is associated with weight gain and obesity. Cassava may be dangerous if consumed raw, in large amounts or when it is prepared improperly. This is because raw cassava contains chemicals called cyanogenic glycosides, which can release cyanide in the body when consumed. Many people in these countries suffer from protein deficiencies and depend on cassava as a major source of calories. It is used for food, animal feed, and industrial purposes. It is providing a basic diet for over half a billion people. Cassava is classified as either sweet or bitter.

  1. Soybeans

Soybeans are members of the pea (legume) family of vegetables. They are an important component of Asian diets and have been consumed for thousands of years. Today, they are mainly grown in Asia and South and North America. Soybeans are a globally important crop, providing oil and protein. The soybean is native to East Asia. Soybean products, such as textured vegetable protein (TVP), are ingredients in many meat and dairy substitutes. Soybeans are among the best sources of plant-based protein. Soy beans contain significant amounts of phytic acid, dietary minerals and B vitamins. 100 grams of raw soybeans supply 446 calories and are 9% water, 30% carbohydrates, 20% total fat and 36% protein (table). The protein content of soybeans is 36–56% of the dry weight. Soybeans are a rich source of essential nutrients, providing in a 100 gram serving high contents of the Daily Value (DV) especially for protein (36% DV), dietary fiber (37%), iron (121%), manganese (120%), phosphorus (101%) and several B vitamins, including folate (94%) (table). The fat content is approximately 18% of the dry weight mainly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, with small amounts of saturated fat.

High contents also exist for vitamin K, magnesium, zinc and potassium (table). Soybeans contain antioxidants and phytonutrients that are linked to various health benefits. Consumption of soy protein has been linked with a modest decrease in cholesterol levels. Soy offers a ‘complete’ protein profile. Soybeans also contain high levels of protease inhibitors. The Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) of soy protein is the nutritional equivalent of meat, eggs, and casein for human growth and health. Soybeans are a good source of several vitamins and minerals, including vitamin K1, folate, copper, manganese, phosphorus, and thiamine. Soybeans and soy foods may reduce the risk of a range of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, coronary heart disease (CHD), some cancers as well as improving bone health. Adults who include at least 25g soy protein daily in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol can reduce LDL cholesterol by about 3–4%.

  1. Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are sweet, starchy root vegetables that are grown worldwide. They come in a variety of sizes and colors including orange, white, and purple. Sweet potatoes are another crop native to South America that is now majorly produced by China. They are only distantly related to regular potatoes. Sweet potatoes are a great source of protein, vitamins A and C, iron, fiber and calcium. They grow very harmoniously with the earth. Sweet potatoes contain two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. These are rich in antioxidants that protect your body from free radical damage, and chronic disease. Purple sweet potatoes have been found to slow the growth of certain types of cancer cells in test-tube studies. Antioxidants may help reduce Trusted Source the risk of various types of cancer, including prostate and lung cancer.

Sweet potatoes are incredibly rich in beta-carotene, the antioxidant responsible for the vegetable’s bright orange color. Severe vitamin A deficiency is a concern in developing countries and can lead to a special type of blindness known as xerophthalmia. Eating foods rich in beta-carotene, such as orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, may help prevent this condition. Consuming purple sweet potatoes may improve brain function. Vitamin A is critical to a healthy immune system, and low blood levels have been linked to reduce immunity. White skinned sweet potato improved insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes.

  1. Sorghum

It is drought and heat tolerant and thus an important crop in arid regions where major cereals do not produce sufficient yields. Sorghum grain contains gluten free, high in resistant starch, and more abundant and diverse phenolic compounds compared to other major cereal crops. Sorghum is the fifth most important cereal crop worldwide. It is also known as great millet, durra, jowar, or milo, is a grass species cultivated for its grain, which is used for food for humans, animal feed, and ethanol production. Consumption of sorghum, however, has decreased considerably in many African countries, especially in urban areas. Arid regions love sorghum. Overall consumption of sorghum has gone down in many African countries. Sorghum bicolor is the name of the edible plant. It has other, wilder relatives that are grown as foliage.

Bicolor is typically an annual, but some cultivars are perennial. It grows in clumps that may reach over 4 m high. Sweet Sorghum is primarily grown for forage and syrup production. Sorghum is cultivated in many parts of the world today. In India, where it is commonly called jowar, sorghum is one of the staple sources of nutrition in Rajasthan and the Deccan plateau states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Telangana. An Indian bread called bhakri, jowar roti is prepared from this grain. This grain is used for making liquor, animal feed, or bio-based ethanol. White sorghum is preferred for making tortillas. The starch and protein in sorghum is more difficult for animals to digest than the starches and protein in corn. In hogs, sorghum has been shown to be a more efficient feed choice than corn when both grains were processed in the same way.

  1. Yams

Yams are closely related to lilies and grasses. Most yams are produced in West and Central Africa, with Nigeria far and away the biggest producer in the world. Yam is the common name for some plant species in the genus Dioscorea that form edible tubers. It is cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in many temperate and tropical regions, especially in Africa, South America and the Caribbean, Asia, and Oceania. Yam plants can grow up to 15 m (49 ft) in length and 7.6 to 15.2 cm (3 to 6 in) high. The tuber may grow into the soil up to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) deep. They can get up to almost five feet in length. The plant disperses by seed. The substance ranges in color from white or yellow to purple or pink in mature yams.

Many cultivated species of Dioscorea yams are found throughout the humid tropics. Yam supplies 118 calories per 100 grams. Yams vary in size from that of a small potato to a record 130 pounds. There are over 600 varieties of yams and 95% of these crops are grown in Africa. Yams are consumed as cooked starchy vegetables. Yam flesh ranges in colour from white to yellow, pink, or purple and varies in taste from sweet to bitter to tasteless. Yams are the first harvested crop of the year, which marks the beginning of several Yams Festivals throughout Africa.

  1. Plantains

plantains are originally from Southeast Asia. Plantains are a staple food in the tropical regions of the world, ranking as the tenth most important staple food in the world. Many cooking bananas are referred to as plantains. They may be eaten ripe or unripe and are generally starchy. Cooking bananas are banana cultivars in the genus Musa whose fruits are generally used in cooking. The term “plantain” is used only for true plantains, while other starchy cultivars used for cooking are called “cooking bananas”. Plantains contain less sugar than dessert bananas, therefore they are usually cooked or otherwise processed before being eaten. Mature, yellow plantains can be peeled like typical dessert bananas. Despite its similar look to the banana, plantains differ from bananas in structure, feel, taste and use. They are a good source of potassium and dietary fiber. Plantains are very similar in their nutrition content, containing a variety of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Plantains are lower in sugar than bananas, and they are cooked before eating. In Africa, plantains and bananas provide more than 25 percent of the caloric requirements for over 70 million people. An average plantain provides about 920 kilojoules (220 kilocalories) of food energy and is a good source of potassium and dietary fiber. They are now grown all over the world, including in India, Egypt, Indonesia and tropical regions of the America. It contains high levels of potassium, a mineral. Adequate potassium intake may help lower blood pressure and reduce heart disease risk. Overall worldwide production of plantains have been dropping since the 1970s. They also share potential health benefits. Eating more fiber from vegetables and fruits like bananas has repeatedly been linked to lower body weight and weight loss. Potassium is a mineral that is essential for heart health especially blood pressure control. Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of dietary antioxidants. Potassium is essential for healthy kidney function.

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