The Most Amazing Structure on Earth

There are people who say the most amazing structure on

earth is the human brain. It is so complex that it took about 700 million years to develop.
Humans started out as wormlike creatures that used one end of the body to move forward. Ever
so slowly, a bunch of nerves began developing at that one end — the head. These nerves
helped the creature to sense light, food and danger. Eventually, this bunch of nerves became
the creature’s brain. To carry messages from the brain to other parts of the body, the creature
grew a spinal cord. Later, the creature became a fish with eyes, ears and a nose that could send
the brain information about sights, sounds and smells.

More time passed, and the fish grew arms and legs so it could move about on land. For this, it
needed a larger and more complex brain. It became an ape-like creature, and the parts of the
brain used for seeing images and being social grew much stronger. Finally, the ape-like
creature became human, with a brain that was capable of reason, emotion, creativity, memory
and the ability to judge right from wrong.

The human brain is very mysterious. Many questions about the brain have not yet been
answered. For example, why do we need to sleep or why do we dream? There is a lot about the
brain that we do not yet understand. Believe it or not, people used to think of the brain as
useless stuffing. Of course, we now know the brain is our control centre. The surface of the
brain is called the cerebral cortex. It is the part of the brain that makes us intelligent, and it
consists of four parts called lobes. The front lobe is where much of our thinking and feeling
happens. The top lobe processes information which is coming from parts of our bodies, such as
our skin and muscles. The side lobe plays an important role in hearing, speech and long-term
memories while the back lobe processes images from our eyes.

Which do you think is more powerful: your brain or a supercomputer? You might be surprised
to learn that the world’s best supercomputer is only about as powerful as half a mouse brain!
Your brain is packed with 100 billion brain cells called neurons. They send information to your
body telling it what to do, and they receive information from each of your senses, what you see,
feel, taste, hear and touch. All of this information travels to and from parts of your body along
your spinal cord, which is like a highway found down the centre of your back. As the
information travels from neuron to neuron, pathways are created. When you think about or
practice something again and again, those pathways get stronger. That’s how the brain learns
and remembers. Actually, you were born with most of the neurons you have now, but when you
were a baby, you didn’t have many pathways to connect them. As an adult, you now have more
than 125 trillion connections between your neurons. No computer on earth can compete with
the speed of your brain and how much information it can hold.
 Boost Your Brainpower

Many different factors affect how well we learn. While we can’t

control all of these factors, there are many that we can. For example, fuel for our brain comes
from calories in the food we eat. In fact, 20% of the calories we eat are used by our brain.
Although not all calories help the brain, research suggests that some foods, such as egg yolk,
whole grains, nuts, fish, dark leafy green vegetables, beans, strawberries and blueberries might
be especially good for concentration and memory.

Drinking enough water is also important. The brain is more than 70% water. If we don’t drink
enough water, it affects our concentration. We need around six to eight glasses of non-sugary,
non-alcoholic fluid each day. Moreover, studies suggest that the brain does not do well with
sudden rushes of sugar, so sweet, fizzy drinks do not help the brain either.

Remember also the importance of oxygen, which is carried to the brain by your blood. When
you move your body, your blood flow increases and your brain gets more oxygen. Going for a
walk, running, or riding a bike really help get oxygen to the brain, as do stretching and
breathing deeply.

Besides exercise, rest is important. Getting enough rest boosts our mood and helps us
concentrate. What’s more, when we are asleep, the brain practices what we did during the day.
We actually learn in our sleep. If you have a hard time falling asleep, try listening to gentle
music, thinking positive thoughts, or reading something funny to relax. Avoid video games and
exciting TV shows in the hour before bedtime.

Stress can also stop the brain from working at its best. Some people fight stress by imagining a
beautiful box. When it’s time to concentrate on something, they imagine filling that box with all
the things that give them stress. Then they imagine putting that box away until they have time
to deal with whatever is inside.

Don’t forget that your brain gets information from your senses. Therefore, your brain will have
an easier time focusing and remembering when vision, hearing, smell, touch and taste are
involved. Use your vision to help you learn by imagining what you read – like a movie in your
mind. This is called visualizing. Underline or highlight important information in a text with a
yellow marker and use different colours when you take notes. Make charts, mind maps,
flashcards, diagrams, or draw pictures. Use your hearing to help you learn by reading out loud
or explaining the new information to someone else. Use your sense of taste by chewing gum
while you learn.

Yet another way to boost your brainpower is to create an environment where you work well.
Many people, for instance, work better in light from a window. Temperature can also make a
difference. A room that is too warm might make you feel sleepy. Lots of people find it easier to
concentrate in rooms that are tidy. Some people find it helpful to listen to music when they
study while others prefer silence. Get rid of any distractions, whatever they may be. For
example, turn off your cell phone and let people in your home know that you need to be left
alone.
 The Effects of Stress

There is a famous expression in English: "Stop the world, I want to get off!" This
expression refers to a feeling of panic, or stress, that makes a person want to stop whatever
they are doing, try to relax, and become calm again. 'Stress' means pressure or tension. It is
one of the most common causes of health problems in modern life. Too much stress results in
physical, emotional, and mental health problems.

There are numerous physical effects of stress. Stress can affect the heart. It can increase the
pulse rate, make the heart miss beats, and can cause high blood pressure. Stress can affect the
respiratory system. It can lead to asthma. It can cause a person to breathe too fast, resulting in
a loss of important carbon dioxide. Stress can affect the stomach. It can cause stomach aches
and problems digesting food. These are only a few examples of the wide range of illnesses and
symptoms resulting from stress.

Emotions are also easily affected by stress. People suffering from stress often feel anxious.
They may have panic attacks. They may feel tired all the time. When people are under stress,
they often overreact to little problems. For example, a normally gentle parent under a lot of
stress at work may yell at a child for dropping a glass of juice. Stress can make people angry,
moody, or nervous.

Long-term stress can lead to a variety of serious mental illnesses. Depression, an extreme
feeling of sadness and hopelessness, can be the result of continued and increasing stress.
Alcoholism and other addictions often develop as a result of overuse of alcohol or drugs to try
to relieve stress. Eating disorders, such as anorexia, are sometimes caused by stress and are
often made worse by stress. If stress is allowed to continue, then one's mental health is put at
risk.

It is obvious that stress is a serious problem. It attacks the body. It affects the emotions.
Untreated, it may eventually result in mental illness. Stress has a great influence on the health
and well-being of our bodies, our feelings, and our minds. So, reduce stress: stop the world
and rest for a while.
 Causes of Floods

Floods are second only to fire as the most common of all natural disasters. They
occur almost everywhere in the world, resulting in widespread damage and even death.
Consequently, scientists have long tried to perfect their ability to predict floods. So far, the best
that scientists can do is to recognize the potential for flooding in certain conditions. There are a
number of conditions, from deep snow on the ground to human error, that cause flooding.

When deep snow melts it creates a large amount of water. Although deep snow alone rarely
causes floods, when it occurs together with heavy rain and sudden warmer weather it can lead
to serious flooding. If there is a fast snow melt on top of frozen or very wet ground, flooding is
more likely to occur than when the ground is not frozen. Frozen ground or ground that is very
wet and already saturated with water cannot absorb the additional water created by the melting
snow. Melting snow also contributes to high water levels in rivers and streams. Whenever rivers
are already at their full capacity of water, heavy rains will result in the rivers overflowing and
flooding the surrounding land.

Rivers that are covered in ice can also lead to flooding. When ice begins to melt, the surface of
the ice cracks and breaks into large pieces. These pieces of ice move and float down the river.
They can form a dam in the river, causing the water behind the dam to rise and flood the land
upstream. If the dam breaks suddenly, then the large amount of water held behind the dam can
flood the areas downstream too.

Broken ice dams are not the only dam problems that can cause flooding. When a large human-
made dam breaks or fails to hold the water collected behind it, the results can be devastating.
Dams contain such huge amounts of water behind them that when sudden breaks occur, the
destructive force of the water is like a great tidal wave. Unleashed dam waters can travel tens of
kilometres, cover the ground in metres of mud and debris, and drown and crush every thing
and creature in their path.

Although scientists cannot always predict exactly when floods will occur, they do know a great
deal about when floods are likely, or probably, going to occur. Deep snow, ice-covered rivers,
and weak dams are all strong conditions for potential flooding. Hopefully, this knowledge of
why floods happen can help us reduce the damage they cause.
 The Death Car

It was a cold night in September. The rain was drumming on the car roof as George and
Marie Winston drove through the empty country roads towards the house of their friends, the
Harrisons, where they were going to attend a party to celebrate the engagement of the
Harrisons' daughter, Lisa. As they drove, they listened to the local radio station, which was
playing classical music.
They were about five miles from their destination when the music on the radio was
interrupted by a news announcement:
"The Cheshire police have issued a serious warning after a man escaped from Colford
Mental Hospital earlier this evening. The man, John Downey, is a murderer who killed six people
before he was captured two years ago. He is described as large, very strong and extremely
dangerous. People in the Cheshire area are warned to keep their doors and windows locked,
and to call the police immediately if they see anyone acting strangely."
Marie shivered. "A crazy killer. And he's out there somewhere. That's scary."
"Don't worry about it," said her husband. "We're nearly there now. Anyway, we have more
important things to worry about. This car is losing power for some reason -- it must be that old
problem with the carburetor. If it gets any worse, we'll have to stay at the Harrisons' tonight and
get it fixed before we travel back tomorrow."
As he spoke, the car began to slow down. George pressed the accelerator, but the engine
only coughed. Finally they rolled to a halt, as the engine died completely. Just as they stopped,
George pulled the car off the road, and it came to rest under a large tree.
"Blast!" said George angrily. "Now we'll have to walk in the rain."
"But that'll take us an hour at least," said Marie. "And I have my high-heeled shoes and my
nice clothes on. They'll be ruined!"
"Well, you'll have to wait while I run to the nearest house and call the Harrisons. Someone
can come out and pick us up," said George.
"But George! Have you forgotten what the radio said? There's a homicidal maniac out there!
You can't leave me here alone!"
"You'll have to hide in the back of the car. Lock all the doors and lie on the floor in the back,
under this blanket. No one will see you. When I come back, I'll knock three times on the door.
Then you can get up and open it. Don't open it unless you hear three knocks." George opened
the door and slipped out into the rain. He quickly disappeared into the blackness.
Marie quickly locked the doors and settled down under the blanket in the back for a long
wait. She was frightened and worried, but she was a strong-minded woman. She had not been
waiting long, however, when she heard a strange scratching noise. It seemed to be coming from
the roof of the car.
Marie was terrified. She listened, holding her breath. Then she heard three slow knocks, one
after the other, also on the roof of the car. Was it her husband? Should she open the door? Then
she heard another knock, and another. This was not her husband. It was somebody — or
something — else. She was shaking with fear, but she forced herself to lie still. The knocking
continued — bump, bump, bump, bump.
Many hours later, as the sun rose, she was still lying there. She had not slept for a moment.
The knocking had never stopped, all night long. She did not know what to do. Where was
George? Why had he not come for her?
Suddenly, she heard the sound of three or four vehicles, racing quickly down the road. All
of them pulled up around her, their tires screeching on the road. At last! Someone had come!
Marie sat up quickly and looked out of the window.
The three vehicles were all police cars, and two still had their lights flashing. Several
policemen leaped out. One of them rushed towards the car as Marie opened the door. He took
her by the hand.
"Get out of the car and walk with me to the police vehicle, Miss. You're safe now. Look
straight ahead. Keep looking at the police car. Don't look back. Just don't look back."
Something in the way he spoke filled Marie with cold horror. She could not help herself.
About ten yards from the police car, she stopped, turned and looked back at the empty vehicle.
George was hanging from the tree above the car, a rope tied around his neck. As the wind
blew his body back and forth, his feet were bumping gently on the roof of the car — bump,
bump, bump, bump.
 Memory Magic

Dave Farrow is a Canadian who appears in the Guinness Book of World

Records for having the greatest memory. As a student, Dave had a learning disability called
dyslexia. Despite his struggles with subjects like reading and writing, Dave found ways to
improve his memory in order to do well in school. In 2008, he set a world record by
memorizing the order of 59 decks of playing cards in two days. How did his brain store all of
this information? According to Dave, anybody’s brain can do it, but it helps to understand how
memory works.

Your brain is constantly taking in information through your senses. The information enters your
sensory memory, which has the capacity to hold lots of information, but only for a few seconds.
If you ignore the information, your brain will discard it. However, if you pay attention to it, the
information goes into your short-term memory. This is why learning to pay attention is an
important first step to improving your ability to recall what you learn.

To help the brain focus, Dave recommends breaking big tasks down into smaller ones. He sets
a timer and works as hard as he can for short periods of time until the timer alarm sounds.
Then he takes a small break. This keeps his focus strong.

Your short-term memory can only hold information from 15 seconds to a few minutes. In
addition, short-term memory can only hold about seven things at one time. Memory champions
like Dave have to hold long lists of information in their short-term memory at one time. To do
this, they rely on different tricks.

One trick is to look at the first letter of every word you want to memorize. Then, create your
own word, phrase or sentence using all of those letters. This is called an acronym. For example,
if you want to remember all the colours in a rainbow, try remembering the name Roy G. Biv.
Each letter in this fictional name matches the first letter of a colour: red, orange, yellow, green,
blue, indigo, and violet. When you want to remember the colours of a rainbow, just think of Roy
G. Biv and you will have an easier time.

Another trick is to organize information into chunks. For example, when you try to remember a
telephone number, your brain usually remembers it in chunks. You remember the area code as
one chunk, the next three numbers as a chunk, and the last four numbers as a chunk. This way,
your brain only has to remember three things instead of ten. This works for words as well as
numbers. Imagine that you wish to improve your vocabulary. Whenever you learn a new word,
study words that share the same meaning. This way, you learn several new words at the same
time and you only need to memorize one definition. Such words are called synonyms. For
example, synonyms for the word big are huge, enormous, gigantic, large and massive.

A third memory trick is to use visualization. Say you wanted to memorize how people developed
from wormlike creatures into human beings. First, create a picture in your mind for each stage
(picture a worm, a fish, a monkey and a human). Then think of a path you regularly walk along.
For example, you might normally walk from the path outside your home, into your house and
into the kitchen. Finally, imagine each picture in a place along that path. For instance, in the
garden you might see a worm. There might be a garbage can in the garden. You can imagine
that the garbage can is full of rainwater and inside you can see a fish. When you enter the
house you might see a bedroom door. You can imagine a monkey is jumping on the bed. Then
you might see a member of your family, a human, cooking dinner. Visualize that path a few
times and you’ll have the information memorized. Visualization works because the brain
remembers images well, and the wackier an image is, the easier it is to remember.

If you don’t keep using the information, your brain throws it away. If you keep reviewing the
information, it will go into your long-term memory. The more you practice recalling the
information, the better you will be at remembering it. Try these tips the next time you need to
remember a phone number, a new word or something for school.
 The Positive Effects on Children of Owning a Dog

Brendan's best friend is Tip. Tip and Brendan are inseparable. They
teach each other things and they look after each other. Tip has helped Brendan
become more responsible, more caring, and a better friend. Brendan is a nine-
year-old boy, and Tip is a ten-year-old dog. Brendan and Tip are an example of
how owning a dog can have a positive effect on a child's development. Having a
dog develops a child's sense of responsibility, broadens his capacity for
empathy, and teaches the nature of friendship.

Having a dog helps a child learn how to act responsibly. As a dog owner, the
child must take care of the animal's daily needs. The dog must be fed and
exercised every day. A dog is completely dependent on its owner for all its
needs, including the need for good health and a safe environment. Therefore,
being responsible for a dog also means taking care of the dog so that it stays
healthy. Furthermore, the owner must take responsibility for the safety of the
dog and the safety of the people it comes into contact with. If the child forgets
any of these duties and responsibilities, or ignores any of the dog's needs, the
dog will suffer. This teaches the child that his responsibility to the dog is more
important than his desire to play with his toys, talk on the phone, or watch TV.
This is true not only for the care of a dog, but also for the care of oneself,
another person, or one's job. Learning how to take responsibility for the health
and welfare of a dog leads to learning how to take responsibility for oneself.

Another lesson that a child can learn from having a dog is how to be
empathetic. Empathy is the ability to put oneself in another person's, or in this
case another creature's, situation and imagine that person's or creature's
feelings or problems. A dog cannot express itself with speech, so its owner
must learn how to interpret its behaviour. The child must learn to understand
what the dog's behaviour means. Is the dog frightened, aggressive, or sick? The
child needs to understand what is going on in the dog's mind. Understanding a
situation from the dog's perspective helps the child understand why the dog is
behaving in a certain way and what the dog needs. The result of learning to
read a dog's behaviour is that the child develops empathy. By learning how to
empathize with a dog, the child also learns how to empathize with other
people. This leads to the child becoming a more considerate and caring person.

Being considerate and caring are important characteristics in a good friend. One
of the most significant benefits of owning a dog is the example of true
friendship that a dog provides. A dog gives unconditional love to its owner. A
dog will not stop loving its owner because of a little anger, indifference, or
neglect. The dog will wait patiently for its owner to pat its head and say a few
kind words. This acceptance of the negative qualities and appreciation for the
positive qualities of its owner provide a wonderful model of how to be a good
friend. A child soon realizes that his dog will always listen to him, will always be
ready to play with him, will always protect him, and will always forgive him. A
child who has learned to be even half as good a friend to others as his dog is to
him will have learned one of the most valuable lessons in life.

These are some of the most important lessons a child will ever learn. The
benefits of owning a dog will last the child's entire lifetime. The understanding
and appreciation of responsibility, empathy, and friendship that a child
develops from the experience of having a dog will help him or her grow into a
reliable, caring, and mature adult.