Why the possibility of a nuclear leak in Pakistan scared everyone!
The possibility of a nuclear leak in Pakistan has got everyone worried. Rumours of this spread like wildfire in the aftermath of India and Pakistan's military conflict. Matters weren't helped by the circumstances surrounding it.The US intervention, a sudden ceasefire, a US emergency plane hovering around Kirana Hills, and an Egyptian plane flying in a zigzag pattern — all of this added fuel to the fire.advertisementWhile news reports suggest that the International Atomic Energy Agency denied any report of a nuclear leak, let's look at why speculation brought the world to its feet.PLUTONIUM IS POISONA nuclear leak, that too from a military-grade warhead, would not only cause devastation in the short run, but also for thousands of years. We are already exposed to plutonium present in the environment, which came from nuclear testing that took place 80 years ago. This is due to the 24,110-year-long half-life of plutonium-239.According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, 'The microscopic particles from atmospheric nuclear weapons testing are dispersed widely in the environment. As a result, virtually everyone comes into contact with extremely small amounts of plutonium.'Plutonium-239, a key fissile material used in nuclear warheads, is one of the world's most toxic substances if inhaled. Only a gram of the substance leaked in the air can overdose one crore people, according to the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility.advertisementOTHER CANCER RISKSWhile plutonium-239 inhalation causes the highest level of danger, there are other cancer-causing elements too. Iodine-131, caesium-137, strontium-90, and uranium-235 are among them.Iodine-131 and caesium-137 are by-products of a nuclear fission reaction. They are also found after nuclear accidents. They cause thyroid cancer and muscle tissue cancer, respectively, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.Strontium-90 is also a by-product and is found after nuclear accidents. It acts like calcium and enters bones and teeth, causing cancer. Uranium-235 is a key component in nuclear warheads, and it can cause cancer in the lungs, bones, or liver if exposed.All of this is extremely worrisome, and it makes sense why rumours of a nuclear leak in Pakistan cause mass panic there and in India.Tune InTrending Reel
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Time of India
14 hours ago
- Time of India
UAE welcomes first Eid babies of 2025: Joyous births across the nation
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Business Standard
How Aquascaping is Redefining Interior Design in India -- And Why Reef & Stream Is at the Centre of It
VMPL New Delhi [India], June 4: In India's evolving design landscape, aquascaping -- the art of creating living aquatic environments -- is quietly emerging as a medium that unites wellness, sustainability, and spatial aesthetics. Once limited to hobbyist forums or corner aquariums, aquascaping is now capturing the imagination of architects, interior designers, and homeowners alike. It is being recognised not just as a visual art but as an immersive experience that offers meditative stillness, ecological awareness, and architectural storytelling. At the forefront of this quiet revolution is Reef & Stream Aquascapes Pvt Ltd, a Delhi NCR-based firm that has become synonymous with high-concept aquatic installations. Founded by Abhik Mazumdar, the company specialises in creating bespoke aquatic ecosystems that balance cutting-edge engineering with nature-inspired design. From freshwater biotopes to elaborate saltwater environments, their work spans private villas, corporate lounges, and boutique hospitality spaces. The company's ethos is rooted in both artistic expression and ecological responsibility. "We don't build aquariums," says founder Abhik Mazumdar. "We create living environments. Our goal is to design ecosystems that integrate into the architecture, reflect the spirit of the space, and above all, sustain life with care and intelligence." Abhik's journey into aquascaping is as layered as the environments he builds. A trained lawyer and former litigator, his fascination with aquatic life began in childhood, watching fish being sold in Horlicks bottles outside his school in Kolkata. His passion followed him through law school and even into his professional career, where, as a hobby, he installed his first marine aquarium in the office of senior advocate K.K. Venugopal. One of these early projects in his own chambers with his senior, Mr. Sanjay Jain's law firm, caught the attention of industrialist Mr. Anil Nanda, who would later commission his first large-scale installation -- and hence, the birth of Reef & Stream. "Great things often happen when quiet passion meets sustained discipline," Abhik reflects. "For me, aquascaping was initially not about commercialisation. It was about finding a way to translate emotion into ecology, continuing my hobby, and then building it, one layer at a time." Among the company's standout installations is the widely admired Temple of Anubis, a 35,000-litre marine aquascape designed to resemble a sunken Egyptian sanctuary. Complete with sculptural representations, custom lighting to mimic underwater sun cycles, and ethically sourced marine life, the installation blurs the line between myth and biology. It is both an artistic centrepiece and a functioning, sustainable habitat. 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Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Mother of jailed UK-Egyptian hospitalised 242 days into hunger strike
Mother of jailed Egyptian democracy activist hospitalized after resuming hunger strike (AP) LONDON: The mother of Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abdel Fattah has been hospitalised 242 days into a hunger strike protesting her son's continued imprisonment in Egypt, her family said Thursday. Laila Soueif, 69, has been on hunger strike since September 29, 2024, the day her son was expected to be released after completing a five-year prison sentence. She resumed a full hunger strike last week after two months of easing her protest to a partial hunger strike. The academic and veteran activist was taken to a London hospital Monday with a "critically low" blood sugar level, her campaign group said in a brief statement. It is her second hospitalisation since February. Soueif's son Abdel Fattah was arrested in September 2019 and sentenced to five years for "spreading false news" after sharing a Facebook post about police brutality. A United Nations panel of experts on Wednesday determined his detention was arbitrary and illegal and called for his immediate release. Abdel Fattah, who has spent most of the past decade behind bars, has been on hunger strike himself since March 1 after learning his mother was hospitalised with dangerously low blood sugar and blood pressure, and given a glucose drip. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 노안+백내장 안보이는 답답함! 더는 방치 하지 마세요! 부산백내장노안 전문안과 더 알아보기 Undo Following her February hospitalisation, Soueif decided to ease her strike after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he had pressed for her son's release in a call with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. She began consuming 300 calories a day through a liquid nutritional supplement, still going without food until last week, when she returned to only consuming rehydration salts, tea without sugar and vitamins. Her family says she has lost over 40 percent of her bodyweight since September. Soueif has also since last week returned to protesting outside Downing Street for an hour every week day, demanding the British government do more to secure her son's freedom. Last week, Starmer's office again said the prime minister pressed for Abdel Fattah's release in a call with Sisi. Abdel Fattah, a 43-year-old writer and activist, has become a symbol of the plight of Egypt's political prisoners. A key figure in the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak, he has been detained under successive administrations since. Since 2022, Sisi's administration has released hundreds of detainees and pardoned several high-profile dissidents, including Abdel Fattah's lawyer Mohamed al-Baqer, but the activist's name has been repeatedly excluded.
