History of Sports

One only has to look at the animal world to find evidence that play is an inborn characteristic of virtually all developed species. It plays an important role in education and development. We see kittens and pups fight mock battles to develop their strength, speed, endurance and will. By such innocent play, they prepare themselves for survival and fulfill their desire for challenge and pleasure.

We human beings are not just rational animals. We have an infinite thirst for knowledge, truth and happiness. It is these spiritual characteristics which distinguish human beings from animals. In the onward advance of human civilization, sports and games have also played an integral role in this unfolding of human potential. At every stage of the evolutionary process, sport has played a vital role in helping to develop, define and test newly acquired physical, psychic and social skills.

As we changed from food-gatherers to hunters, sport and play were no longer simply exercises of the "fight or flight" mechanism. They became the training which would prepare young hunters for the hunt. Youths emulated the elders of the tribe, to ready themselves for the day when they would have to do the providing. It was probably at this time that the first team sports evolved, as a result of the collective effort needed in stalking, trapping, killing and transporting.

As the population increased, conflicts arose between tribes over territory,herds,wealth, prestige and due to mutual fears. As tribes clashed with each other, the sport field became the training ground for battle. Those who succeeded in the warrior-like play of the sport field were best equipped for survival and victory on the battlefield. Spprt kept the skills and mind of the warriors sharp and ready. As well as a training for survival, it became the way in which a youth made the transition to adulthood. Young men proved their valor, strength and intelligence and thus their capacity to lead and protect their people. It was probably at this stage that the first spectator sports originated, as the community gathered round to see who would be their victors. Once this stage was reached, there is no evidence to show that there was any great advancement in the concept or purpose of sports for many millennia, save for the occasional introduction of new weapons and fighting arts.

"We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done." - HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

Tennis History

Games of racket and ball (including real tennis in Great Britain, royal tennis in Australia, and court tennis in the United States, all of which are the same game and played indoors) originated from a 12th- and 13th-century French handball game called jeu de paume ("game of the palm"). In 1873 Major Walter Wingfield invented a game called Sphairistikè, from which modern outdoor tennis evolved. - Encyclopedia Britannica

ISLAND

Island are bodies of land surrounding by water.Continents are islands in the strict sense of the words differing from other island only in size.
Classification of Islands:

Islands are classified in
(a) Continental Islands

(b) Oceanic Islands

(c) Coral Islands
Coral formation is of three types:

1) Fringing Reefs

2) Barrier Reefs

3)Atolls

All About Eclipses

An eclipse is defined as an astronomical event that occurs when one celestial object moves into the shadow of another, partially or fully obscuring it from view.
An eclipse on Earth occurs when the Sun, the Earth and the moon are all in a line together. The two primary types of eclipses seen from Earth are the solar eclipse and the lunar eclipse. These two types of eclipses can then be broken down into four different types; a total eclipse, partial eclipse, annular eclipse or hybrid eclipse.
The term solar eclipse describes the occurrence of when the moon travels between the Sun and the Earth, blocking the Sun’s light from the Earth in the middle of the day, and generally giving the appearance of a ring of light in the darkened sky.
During a lunar eclipse, the moon moves into the shadow of the Earth during night time hours, gradually blocking the view of the moon form the Earth. Eclipses have also been known to occur on other planets as well. On Earth, there can be anywhere from four to seven eclipses of varying degrees within any given year.
For more eclipse information on both lunar and solar eclipses, simply select any eclipse article, eclipse picture or other interactive eclipse feature below.

Types of waterfalls

Block: Water descends from a relatively wide stream or river.
Cascade: Water descends a series of rock steps.
Cataract: A large waterfall.
Fan: Water spreads horizontally as it descends while remaining in contact with bedrock.
Horsetail: Descending water maintains some contact with bedrock.
Plunge: Water descends vertically, losing contact with the bedrock surface.
Punchbowl: Water descends in a constricted form, then spreads out in a wider pool.
Segmented: Distinctly separate flows of water form as it descends.
Tiered: Water drops in a series of distinct steps or falls.
Multi-step: A series of waterfalls one after another of roughly the same size each with its own sunken plunge pool.

Types of Deserts

There are four types of Desrts

The Hamada Type:

In which the surface consists of bare,polished rock.

The Reg (or Serir) Type:

Consisting of vast sheets of angular pebbels.

The Mountain Type:

Consisting of stark peaks, precipitious slopes and deeply cut ravines

The Erg Type:

Consisting of extensive areas of undulating sand dunes

World's Famous Currents

The names of the famous oceans currents are given as under:

Currents of the Atlantic

1 Benguela current

2-South equatorial current

3-The Brazil current

4-North equatorial current

5-Gulf stream

6-Canaries current

7- Arctic current

8-The Labrador and Greenland current

Currents of the Pacific

1- The Peruvian or Humboldt current

2-New South Wales current

3-Japn current or Kuro Siwo

4-California current

5-Kurile current

Current of Indian Ocean

(South)

1-Antarctic current

2-West Australian current

3-Agulhas current

(North)

4-Somali current