Innovations galore at National Science Congress

Thiruvananthapuram: Thirty-two sugarcane farmers in Gopalpur village, Uttar Pradesh, use sprinklers filled with human hair to keep wild animals off their fields. Human hair can drive off animals was a hypothesis until proven by Ojaswi Yadav, a Class VIII student of Ishara Public School, Raghav Nagar in Deoria district of East Uttar Pradesh.

Ojaswi, a delegate at National Children’s Science Congress, being organized at Mar Ivanios Vidyanagar, Nalanchira, presented a poster on her project ‘Human hair as animal repellent’ at the event.

“Nilgai and wild pigs, a menace for north Indian farmers, can be repelled by sprinkling human hair around the agricultural fields. These animals tend to sniff everything. It is the nature of these animals to never return to a farm where they have had an unpleasant experience. They wouldn’t forget a farm where hair got into their nostrils,” said Ojaswi.

Ojaswi had discussed the topic with her guide and approached 40 farmers in Gopalpur village to test its efficacy. As per an experiment conducted by 32 sugarcane farmers in August, crop destruction was 10% or way lesser in farms where the losses used to be around 50-75% crops.

Niranjan a student of Government HSS School, Chayoth in Kasaragod, has come up with an eco-friendly diaper using palm frond. The palm frond is dipped in lime solution and later dried to make the diaper.

Shamir, a student of MASS Government Higher Secondary School, Kannur, displayed a project of grow bags made out of khadi cloth material, while P Sravan, a Class IX student from Andhra Pradesh, has presented a project on a study of using sewage water in growing green gram, maize and mustard. Spoons made from wheat flour by Pranthi Hiranmayi from GVMCHS Mathura Nagar, Visakhapatnam, was another project presented at the event.

The ‘Meet the Scientist’ programme held as part of the childrens’ science congress had an interactive session with Tessy Thomas, scientist and director general of aeronautical systems in Bengaluru. She introduced to the students evolution of aerospace, Indian space programmes, aeronautic systems, hypersonic technology, future smart materials, risk mitigation and Agni missiles. She also mentioned about missile programmes of defence research and development organization and about India’s successful aeronautical projects in her presentation.

“The space research is open for all. Our country has the capability to encourage every research project and National Children’s Science Congress is the best example. We are eagerly working on smart soldiers and future scientific developments, which will help our country’s security,” said Tessy.