Scientist of the day-Igne Lehman

Igne Lehman

Lived 1888 – 1993.

Inge Lehmann overturned the idea that our planet’s metallic core is entirely molten liquid. She used mathematics to analyze the way energy released by earthquakes travels through the earth.

She discovered something eternally concealed from the naked eye – thousands of miles below our feet, at its center, the earth is solid. In fact, it has a solid inner core and a liquid outer core.

Inge Lehmann is also remarkable in that she is one of the longest lived scientists in history, living to 104 years of age.

Beginnings

Inge Lehmann was born in Denmark’s capital city, Copenhagen, on May 13, 1888. Her father, Alfred Georg Ludvik Lehmann, was a psychologist and her mother, Ida Sophie Tørsleff, was a housewife. Both parents came from prominent families.

In 1928, Lehmann was appointed head of the Department of Seismology at the Royal Danish Geodetic Institute, with responsibility for running the Copenhagen, Ivigtut and Scoresbysund seismographic observatories.

Her job was administrative, but she made time for scientific research, including improving the coordination and analysis of measurements from Europe’s seismographic observatories. This was important, because it ensured data from the observatories could be better compared and interpreted. Lehmann’s actions to improve the trustworthiness of measurements lay at the heart of her later discovery.

Dreaming of a World Deep Below

The interior of our planet has long held a fascination for philosophers and story tellers.

Some have speculated that another inhabited world lies beneath our own.

In 1864, Jules Verne published Journey to the Center of the Earth, describing the fictional adventures of explorers traveling under our planet’s surface.

It was a best-seller.

People wondered if the world Verne had described below our own could be real.

We now know the solid core Inge Lehmann discovered:

• is about the same temperature as the sun’s surface!
• is made of iron-nickel alloy
• is solid because of the enormous pressure from the outer layers of the earth pushing down on it
• has a radius of 1220 km, making it somewhat smaller than the moon

The End

Inge Lehmann died at the age of 104 on February 21, 1993. She had not married and had no children. She left all of her possessions to The Danish Academy.

About Sunstroke

The most common health problem during summer months is Sunstroke or Heatstroke. Sunstroke is a severe and life threatening condition where the heat regulating system fails in our body due to excessive exposure to high temperatures or production of excessive heat in the body. The person with sun stroke will stops sweating due to failure in heat control system. Particularly children up to age 5 and adults over 65 are more vulnerable because they cannot adjust to heat like others. Prolonged heatstroke sometimes may damage heart, brain, muscles and kidneys. In severe conditions, sunstroke can even damages the brain and function of organs leading to death.

Causes:

• Excessive exposure to sunlight
• Working in extreme hot environment.
• Excessive consumption of alcohol
• Failure of heat regulating system
• Heavy clothing
• Humidity
• Dry air
• Excessive sweating
• Excessive exercises or workouts
• Excessive loss of water from our body i.e dehydration

Symptoms:

Listed below are some of the most commons symptoms :

• Extreme rise in body temperature (up to 106°F) 41°C
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Lack of sweating
• Unconsciousness or sometimes Coma
• Nausea
• Weakness
• Swollen face
• Muscle cramps
• Fainting
• Vomiting
• Fast Breathing or difficulty in breathing
• Rapid pulse
• Fits
• Dark colored urine
• Dry skin
  

Who is at Risk of Sunstroke?

• People with obesity or over weight
• Infants and Younger children
• Old age people
• Heart patients
• People with uncontrolled diabetes
• Alcoholism
• Undergoing certain temperature regulating medications
• People who are known to be more sensitive to excessive heat.
• High blood pressure patients
• People with Kidney diseases
• Sunburns
• People with sleeping deprivation
• Person with sunstroke before are at higher risk.

Emergency steps to treat Sunstroke victim:

Sunstroke is a medical emergency. If you suspect someone with sunstroke call for a doctor or an ambulance. But before that follow some important first-aid steps listed below

• First get the person into a cool shady area preferably to a air conditioned room.
• Remove any unnecessary clothing and cover the body with a wet towel or involve the victim in a cool shower or bath to bring down the high temperature.
• If the victim is conscious offer him to drink fluids like juice and cool water.
• Never give beverages that contain alcohol or caffeine.
• Place ice packs to the victim’s armpits, neck and back side.
• Slow down the cooling treatment when the person starts shivering which in turn raises core temperature.
• Check the victim’s temperature every 20-30 minutes.
• Have a continuous look on breathing system, if you find any sign of failure in breathing then get ready to give mouth to mouth resuscitation i.e. rescue breathing.
• Consult your doctor or health care provider as soon as possible.

Preventive Steps:

Follow the below guidelines to prevent from sunstroke or heat stroke-

• The first best step is to stay in a shady cool room when the temperature is extremely high.
• Prefer to wear loose and light colored clothes, preferably cotton clothes.
• Always use umbrella while going outside and wear a wide hat.
• Drink lots of water even if you don’t feel thirsty.
• Drink 8-10 glasses of water and fruit juices per day to prevent dehydration.
• Schedule your exercising time early in the morning or after sunset.
• Avoid consuming fluids that contains alcohol or caffeine because they dehydrate the body.