Heart-related deaths
This is with regard to the news report ‘Experts warn of rising obesity’ (NT November 7). Indeed, a very frightening news report but it is the sad reality of our times. Many youngsters in their 30s and 40s are now dying of heart-related issues, which at one time were limited to the older folk. There are several reasons though like the sedentary lifestyle, as the news report says. But there is one point to be noted and that is, soon after the pandemic ended, this trend of youngsters collapsing and dying was a new phenomenon, which the medical fraternity is unable to comprehend.
Melville X D’Souza, Mumbai
Preventing stampedes
In our country, stampedes leading to the death of scores of people, particularly when they congregate in temples, have become a common feature nowadays. A lot of noise is made immediately after such gruesome incidents, and political parties start the blame game, with politicians vying with each other to gain mileage out of such tragedies. Stampedes definitely teach a big lesson to us. However, foolishly gullible and reckless that we are, we refuse to learn anything from such teachings. It is not even two months since 41 precious lives were lost in the Karur stampede when masses thronged to have a glance of an actor, and recently we learnt about another stampede in Andhra Pradesh, costing the lives of nine people and leaving many seriously injured. Unless there comes a remarkable change in the herd mentality of the people and they are determined either to avoid such large gatherings or help the police and other regulators to maintain orderly participation of everybody, stampede deaths can never be avoided.
Tharcius S Fernando, Chennai
Fusion energy
Although it is a futuristic concept, scientists are scrambling to harness the power of fusion energy. Though hydrogen bombs have been built decades ago and are very powerful, fusion of hydrogen to form helium, which generates power like our sun does, has still not yet been made commercial though a few prototypes are in the works. Unlike nuclear power plants, which use uranium, plutonium and thorium to generate nuclear energy, but which is fraught with having to dispose radioactive nuclear waste, fusion power will have no adverse impact, as helium could be put to other useful usage. With the ever-increasing demand for power supply, especially to energise Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is taking the world by storm, scientists are looking out for harnessing fusion power, which will be much more efficient and provide much greater quantity of energy for utilisation. Researchers are doubling their effort to be able to produce commercial sized fusion reactors, which will be able to supply energy in plenty. A rather glimmer of greater hope is that AI itself could help build such fusion reactors with more research and development.
Elvidio Miranda, Panaji
Road engineering
A fish-laden truck reportedly mounted a road-divider at Bambolim on Thursday. Incidentally, this incident took place near the site where two persons were killed in a road mishap on Monday night. Goa has witnessed several road accidents in the recent past, many of them ending in fatalities. It appears that some roads are more prone to accidents than others. The importance of proper road engineering can never be underestimated. Faulty road engineering can lead to accidents through various failures, including bad layouts, inadequate signage, uneven surfaces and confusing lane changes. These problems can cause drivers to lose control, misjudge situations and lead to a higher risk of collisions, sometimes despite the drivers following the rules. Poorly designed intersections can lead to confusion and collisions, especially where different traffic flows meet. Road engineers must design systems to manage water runoff to prevent damage to the road surface and ensure proper drainage. In Goa, we witness even bridges overflowing with rainwater due to poor drainage. Road engineers need to ensure the longevity of roads through regular inspection and repair work, which helps prevent accidents and maintains traffic flow. Potholes and uneven surfaces can cause drivers to lose control over their vehicles or suffer damage, increasing the chance of an accident. A lack of clear signs or faded road markings can cause drivers to miss important information, leading to wrong turns or improper lane usage. Construction of new roads can create temporary but confusing lane shifts, narrowing lanes or redirecting traffic unexpectedly, which can surprise drivers. Blind spots can prevent drivers from seeing oncoming traffic until it is too late.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
