General Knowledge

Earth science: How a world came to be | Nature Without geologists, the Western world would probably still hold to the biblical account of how Earth and life were created. Over the past couple of centuries, thousands have devoted their lives to meticulous studies of rocks — analysing the detailed record of what happened on our planet throughout the ages. In The Story of Earth, geologist Robert Hazen summarizes elegantly the modern story of creation. Drawing on the latest research and influenced by advances in astrobiology, Hazen takes a radical standpoint. He introduces the concept of “mineral evolution” — changes in the composition of Earth's rocks — to tell the amazing tale of our planet's intertwined living and non-living spheres. Hazen's saga starts 4.6 billion years ago, when the Solar System formed from a gigantic gas cloud, made up mostly of hydrogen with some helium. The Solar System is a relative newcomer to the Universe, which is three times older. Pris...

Muslim Rulers Sultan Mehmood Ghaznavi Mahmud of Ghazni (Nov. 2, 971–April 30, 1030), the first ruler in history to assume the title of "sultan," founded the Ghaznavid Empire. His title signified that the Muslim Caliph remained the religious leader of the empire despite being the political leader of a vast swath of land, encompassing much of what is now Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern India. Fast Facts: Mahmud of Ghazni Known For : First sultan in history Also Known As : Yamin ad-Dawlah Abdul-Qasim Mahmud ibn Sabuktegin Born : Nov. 2, 971 in Ghazna, Zabulistan, Samanid Empire Parents: Abu Mansur Sabuktigin, Mahmud-i Zavuli Died: April 30, 1030 in Ghazna Honor: Pakistan named its short-range ballistic missile the Ghaznavi Missile in his honor. Spouse: Kausari Jahan Children: Mohammad and Ma'sud (twins) Early Life On Nov. 2, 971, Yamin ad-Dawlah Abdul-Qasim Mahmud ibn Sabuktegin, better known as Mahm...

Muslim soldier Muhammad bin Qasim  Muhammad bin Qasim al-Thaqafi (Arabic: محمد بن القاسم الثقفي‎, romanized: Muḥammad bin al-Qāsim al-Thaqafī; c. 695 – 715[citation needed]), also known by the laqab (honorific epithet) of Imad ad-Din (Arabic: عماد الدين‎, romanized: ʿImād al-Dīn), was an Arab commander of the Umayyad Caliphate general, who, during the reign of Caliph al-Walid I (r. 705–715), led the Muslim conquest of Sindh and Multan (both in present-day Pakistan) from the third and the last Maharaja of the Brahmin dynasty, Raja Dahir. He was the first Muslim to have successfully invaded Sindh. Sources Information about Muhammad bin Qasim and the Arab conquest of Sind in the medieval Arabic sources is limited compared to the contemporary Muslim conquest of Transoxiana.[1] The Futuh al-Buldan (Conquests of the lands) by al-Baladhuri (d. 892) contains a few pages on the conquest of Sindh and Muhammad's forces, while biographical information is limited to a passage in th...

The King of Amir Taimur Amir Taimur (Chagatai: تيمور Temür "Iron"; 9 April 1336 – 17–19 February 1405), later Timūr Gurkānī, sometimes spelled Taimur and historically best known as Amir Timur or Tamerlane[4] (Persian: تيمور لنگ‎ Temūr(-i) Lang, "Timur the Lame"), was a Turco-Mongol Persianate[5][6] conqueror who founded the Timurid Empire in and around modern-day Iran and Central Asia, becoming the first ruler of the Timurid dynasty. As an undefeated commander, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest military leaders and tacticians in history.[7][8] Timur is also considered a great patron of art and architecture, as he interacted with intellectuals such as Ibn Khaldun and Hafiz-i Abru.[7]:341–2 He is often credited with the invention of the Tamerlane chess variant, played on a larger 10×11 board.[9] According to John Joseph Saunders, Timur was "the product of an Islamized and Iranized society", and not steppe nomadic. Born into the Barlas conf...

Do Camels Store Water in Their Humps? Camels have long been known for their ability to go weeks at a time without needing to drink water an ability that makes them particularly useful pack animals for people traveling across arid environments and that earned them the nickname “ships of the desert.” Camels are also known for their prominent humps (either one or two humps, depending on the species), which leads many people to believe that these are used to store water for access at a later time. However, camels’ humps actually store fatty tissue, not water, which is used as a source of nourishment when food is scarce. So why do camels store fat in these humps instead of having it spread equally throughout their bodies, like other mammals? Camels typically live in the desert, where food sources can be hard to come by. When a camel is unable to access food for a long period of time, its body is able to metabolize the fat in the humps for nutrition. The humps can deflate and droop...

How many days can a horse survive without water ? Assuming previous efforts at encouraging the horse to drink by offering of fresh, potable water have failed, you can treat dehydration by administering fluids and electrolyte solutions. Fluids and electrolytes are vital in treating and stabilizing horses with dehydration. However, you should seek the advice of your veterinarian and have him or her administer the fluids. Excess fluid administration can lead to physiological problems. Most of the time, electrolytes will be administered by mouth. In severe cases, they will be injected intravenously. The method used will depend on the attitude, temperament, and health of the dehydrated animal. How long a horse can go without water depends on many factors, but after three to four days, the horse will eat very little and will have experienced rapid weight loss. The weight loss is primarily due to dehydration. A horse needs clean, fresh water daily. A horse needs at least a gallon...

How long can a camel go without water? It makes sense that Eskimos have an extensive list of words to describe snow. Snow dictates their way of life and is linked inextricably to their identity in and outside of their culture. On the other side of the world, where snow never falls, nomadic bedouins in the Saharan region show a similar verbal variety in regard to camels. When referencing the tawny mammals, desert-dwellers have more than 700 related words at their disposal. If you compare bedouins to cowboys of the American West, camels are ostensibly the horses and cows of the desert. The long-lashed ungulates (hoofed animals) provide transportation, fuel (from their excretions), nutrition and material for clothing and shelter. Even in the harsh desert environment, camels can haul heavier loads across short distances than what elephants can carry [source: Simmons]. Able to travel between 25 and 30 miles (40 and 48 kilometers) per day, camels won't get you anywhere fast, but...