Ukubuka Okwezwe
Ubugebengu—Ibhizinisi Elingenisa Izindodla Zemali
Ubugebengu obuhleliwe e-Italy bungenisa amaRandi alinganiselwa ezigidini eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-890 kuya kwezingu-1065 minyaka yonke, kusho i-Report of the Commercial Confederation ka-1997, okuyinhlangano yosomabhizinisi base-Italy. Okungenani amaRandi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-80 kuthiwa avela ekushushumbiseni izidakamizwa, amaRandi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-49 avela ebufebeni, kanti amaRandi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-66 kuya kwezingu-80 avela emalini ebolekisayo enenzalo enkulu nasekukhwabaniseni. Iphephandaba i-Repubblica lithi: “Amabhizinisi ezentengiselwano amathathu kwayishumi aphethwe abantu noma izinkampani ezihlobene nezinhlangano zobugebengu; amaphesenti angu-20 kuya kwangu-25 ezindaba zezimali ezisingathwa emabhange nsuku zonke zinomsuka ongaqondakali.”
Ukufunda Izincwadi Kusathandwa
Ngokokuhlola kwe-Policy Studies Institute, ubuchwepheshe bama-computer abukayishintshi imikhuba yokufunda yabantu baseBrithani. Njengoba kwabikwa kuyi-Times, “cishe ingxenye yalabo abahlolwa yathi yayifunda incwadi ukuze izijabulise, okuyisilinganiso esishintshe kancane kusukela ngo-1989.” Abesifazane bafunda izincwadi kakhulu kunabesilisa, futhi abantu abaneminyaka engaphezu kwengu-55 bafunda izincwadi kakhulu kunabo bonke. Izincwadi zokupheka zithandwa kakhulu, kulandele izincwadi zobugebengu noma izindaba ezivusa amadlingozi, izincwadi zothando nezezindaba zesayensi eziqanjiwe zekhulu lama-20. Nakuba imikhaya engamaphesenti angu-30 inama-computer, ingamaphesenti angu-7 kuphela ekwazi ukusebenzisa ama-CD-ROM, okuyiwona ancintisana nezincwadi. Futhi i-Times ithi ngokungafani nama-computer aphathekayo, incwadi ethakazelisayo ayilinyazwa izinhlamvwana zesihlabathi lapho uyifunda useholidini ebhishi noma ilinyazwe ukududulana kwezixuku eziphithizelayo emzileni ohamba ngaphansi komhlaba, futhi incwadi ebhalwe kahle “ingajabulisa inhliziyo njengoba ekuqukethe kwakha.”
Ukusebenzisa Amanzi Futhi
I-New Scientist ithi: “Ukufunwa isikhathi eside kwekhemikhali yokucisha umlilo engalulimazi ungqimba lwe-ozone ekugcineni kuye kwaholela . . . emanzini. Ngemva kokucisha ngamanzi imililo eminingi eyayihlola ngayo, i-Fire Research Laboratory yaseNorway eTrondheim iye yafinyelela esiphethweni sokuthi ukuchela ngamanzi kuyindlela okufanele isetshenziswe esikhundleni sama-halon alimaza i-ozone, asasetshenziswa kakhulu kuzicima-mlilo.” Ama-halon—ingxubevange ye-carbon, i-bromine ne-flourine—ayayicima imililo. Amaconsi amanzi enza okufanayo, ayahwamuka abese anda izikhathi ezingu-1700 ukuze akhiphe umoya-mpilo. Okuwukuphela kwesikhathi atholakala ngaso engaphumeleli njengama-halon kwakusemililweni emincane, elokozayo eyayingenalo izinga lokushisa elanele lokuwenza amanzi ahwamuke. Kodwa kusahlongozwa ukuba kwenziwe izinto ezingasetshenziswa esikhundleni sama-halon, njengoba amanzi ephakamisa enye inkinga: Akunakwenziwa izindodla zemali ngokuwathengisa.
Igciwane Elisha—I-hepatitis G
Odokotela eJapane baye baqinisekisa ukuthi phakathi nesikhathi esiyinyanga iziguli zimpontshelwe igazi, ziye zaba negciwane i-hepatitis G, okuyigciwane elisha elatholakala ngo-1995 e-United States. Ngokuhlolisisa igazi leziguli ezinomdlavuza wesibindi ezahlinzwa phakathi kuka-1992 no-1994 eToranomon Hospital yaseTokyo, odokotela bathola ukuthi iziguli ezimbili kwezingu-55 zazingenwe yileli gciwane ngaphambi kokuhlinzwa futhi ezinye ezingu-7 zaba nalo ngemva kokuhlinzwa. Odokotela bathi igazi elonakele elatholwa isiguli ngasinye kwezingu-7 lalinikelwe abantu abalinganiselwa ku-71, okubonisa ukuthi amaphesenti angu-1,4 egazi elasetshenziswa ayenaleli gciwane elisha. I-Asahi Evening News ithi kuncane kakhulu okwaziwayo ngegciwane i-hepatitis G noma ukuthi lingakanani inani labantu abanalo abasazoba nesifo sokusha kwesibindi noma abasazoba nomdlavuza wesibindi.
“IPhutha Leminyaka Eyinkulungwane”
I-U.S.News & World Report ithi: “Njengoba laziwa ngokuthi iPhutha Leminyaka Eyinkulungwane, iNkinga Yonyaka Ka-2000, noma nje i-‘Y2K [Millennium Bug, Year 2000 Problem],’” “lingamanye amandla angakhubaza kunawo wonke aziwayo kulenkathi yanamuhla yama-computer.” Laqala ngawo-1960 lapho ama-computer esabiza futhi esagcina ukwaziswa okulinganiselwe. Ukuze bonge isikhala, abahleli bezinhlelo zama-computer babhala izinsuku besebenzisa kuphela izinombolo ezimbili zokugcina zonyaka. Kuyi-computer, unyaka ka-1997 wawumane nje uwu-“97.” Iyini inkinga? “Ngo-Jan. 1, 2000, amaphesenti angu-90 ama-computer emhlabeni nezinhlelo zawo ‘ayocabanga’ ukuthi usuku lokuqala luka-1900.” Kunamaphutha asenziwe kakade. I-Newsweek ithi: “Ejele lesifundazwe esithile, lenkinga yabangela ukuba ama-computer angazibali kahle izigwebo zeziboshwa eziningana okwenza ukuba zikhululwe. Amanye amakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti aye enqatshwa ezitolo nasezindaweni okudlelwa kuzo lapho isikhathi aphela ngaso singu-‘00’ sidida ama-computer. Futhi ezifundazweni eziningi kuye kwasulwa amalayisense abashayeli bamaloli ama-computer engakwazi ukusingatha izicelo zeminyaka engalé kwalenkulungwane yeminyaka zokuwavuselela.” Izinkampani emhlabeni wonke kuyodingeka zichithe amaRandi alinganiselwa ezigidini zezigidi ezingu-2,66 ukuze kushintshwe izimiso zokubhalwa kwezinsuku—futhi zinethemba lokuthi zizokwenza kuleminyaka emibili esele.
Izilwane Ezaqopha Umlando
Iphephandaba lase-Italy i-Corriere della Sera lithi ngokobufakazi esinabo, phakathi nehlobo lango-1996, i-tern evamile yaqopha umlando “ngokundiza ibanga elide kunawo wonke ake andizwa isilwane phakathi nokufuduka.” Ngemva kokusuka eFinland, lapho yafakwa khona isongo, le-tern yatholakala emasontweni angu-18 kamuva esifundazweni saseVictoria eNingizimu-mpumalanga Australia—ngemva kohambo olungamakhilomitha angu-24 400, ihlanganisa isilinganiso esingamakhilomitha angu-200 ngosuku. Irekhodi langaphambili lalenziwe yi-arctic tern eyandiza amakhilomitha angu-22 530 isuka eRussia iya e-Australia ngo-1955. Ezinye izilwane ezihamba amakhilomitha ayizinkulungwane lapho zifuduka yi-red salmon, imibokwane, izimvemvane ama-monarch, ama-green turtle nemikhomo engama-humpback.
Ngokuvamile imikhomo engama-humpback ithatha izinsuku ezingu-102 lapho ifuduka isuka e-Alaska iya eHawaii, kodwa abacwaningi baye bathola omunye owathatha izinsuku ezingu-39 kuphela ukutshuza leli banga elingamakhilomitha angu-4465! Lolu hambo lwahlanganiswa ngesilinganiso esiyijubane elingamakhilomitha angu-4,8 ngehora. Lomkhomo futhi uye wabonwa eMexico. Imikhomo engama-humpback ifudukela eHawaii ukuze iyozalela khona ngoba abantwana bayo abanawo amafutha asemzimbeni angamelana namanzi aqandayo ase-Alaska. I-Times yaseLondon ibika ukuthi ukufuduka kwayo kungolunye lohambo olude olwenziwa izilwane ezincelisayo zasolwandle.
Impukane Ephunyukayo!
Kungani kunzima kangaka ukubulala impukane? Ikwazi kanjani ukubaleka ngokushesha kangaka? Imfihlo isesithweni esisebuchosheni bayo okuthiwa i-giant fiber. Leli ingqamuzana elinjengomdweshwana elikhulumisana nezinye izingxenye zobuchopho bempukane ngogesi, esikhundleni samakhemikhali. Ngenxa yalokho, isigijimi sidlulela ngokushesha engxenyeni yobuchopho eyishukumisela ukuba igxume noma indize, okwenza ukuba impukane ikwazi ukusuka ngokuphazima kweso endaweni eyingozi. Ngokwesibonelo, kumuntu ngokuvamile kuthatha cishe ingxenye yesine yomzuzwana ngaphambi kokuba isandla sisabele entweni ebonwa yiso. I-Times yaseLondon ibika ukuthi njengoba abacwaningi baseSussex University eBrithani benalokhu kwaziswa ngezimpukane, banethemba lokuthi bazokwenza isibulala-zinambuzane esizophumelela ekunqandeni lokhu kusabela kwempukane.
Inhlekelele Yezimfudu Zasolwandle
I-Weekend Australian ibika ukuthi izimfudu zasolwandle zincipha ngendlela emangalisayo ngoba zizingelwa ngokweqile olwandle lwase-Asia-Pacific. Lokhu kwaholela ekutheni i-Australia ne-Indonesia zibize umhlangano eJava ngenjongo yokuthuthukisa izindlela zokulondoloza izimfudu. Ngenxa yokuthi izimfudu ziyafuduka futhi azihlali ezweni elilodwa, izinhlelo zokuzilondoloza ezingcono kwelinye izwe azisizi uma elinye izwe ezidlula kulo lapho zifuduka lizizingela ngaphandle kokucabangela isikhathi esizayo. Leli phephandaba lithi: “Kulinganiselwa ukuthi izimfudu ezingu-50 000 ziyabulawa unyaka ngamunye eBali kuphela ngenxa yezivakashi ezibuka amazwe, futhi amakhulu ezinkulungwane zamaqanda ezimfudu ayathathwa ukuze adliwe.” IPapua New Guinea nayo ihweba ngezimfudu zasolwandle, kuhlanganise nama-loggerhead asengcupheni yokuqothulwa nama-leatherback angavikelekile kanye nama-green turtle. Ezinye izinhlobo zezimfudu ezisengozini ama-hawksbill, ama-flatback nezimfudu okuthiwa ama-Oliver Ridley.
I-Morse Code Esineminyaka Engu-150 Ikhona Isengcupheni Yokuphela
Eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-150 edlule, uSamuel Morse, umsunguli ongumMelika, wabela uhlamvu ngalunye lwamagama indlela ekhethekile yamachashazi nemidwa. Lokhu kwenza ukuba imiyalezo idluliselwe ngamaza omsakazo ngomshini okuthiwa i-Morse key. Kuye kwatakulwa abantu abayizinkulungwane olwandle lapho imikhumbi esengozini isebenzisa indlela yesimiso esiphuthumayo i-SOS. Amabutho omhlaba nawo aye ayisebenzisa lendlela elula yokuxhumana, njengoba nezimfundamakhwela ezingenakubalwa ziye zayisebenzisa ukuze zizijabulise. I-Morse code isebenziseka kalula kakhulu ngoba icacile, okuyisici esibalulekile lapho othumela umyalezo ephimisela ngokugcizelela noma engakwazi ukukhuluma ulimi lwendawo lapho umyalezo wakhe uyozwakala khona. Kodwa imiyalezo kaMorse kancane kancane iye yathathelwa indawo imisakazo yokuxhumana nezimiso zokukhulumisana zeziphuphutheki. Ngo-1993 lendlela yayingasafuneki emikhunjini ehamba olwandle. Isimiso sikaMorse sayeka ukusetshenziswa eFrance ekuqaleni kwalonyaka, futhi ngo-1999 siyobe singasasetshenziswa nhlobo emhlabeni wonke.