Ten biggest scientific breakthroughs of 2012

 Higgs Boson

The capture of the most wanted sub-atomic particle in physics was today named as Science journal's Biggest Breakthrough of the Year.Scientists had been chasing the Higgs boson, nicknamed the 'God particle' for more than four decades. In July the team from the European nuclear research facility at Cern in Geneva announced the detection of a particle that fitted the description of the elusive Higgs.The boson is believed to give matter mass via an associated 'Higgs field' that permeates space. Without the property of mass, the universe we live in could not exist. Scientists used the world's biggest atom smashing machine, the £2.6billion Large Hadron Collider on the Swiss-French border, to track down the missing particle.Finding the Higgs topped the list of most important discoveries of 2012 released today by Science, one of the world's most prestigious scientific journals.

The Denisovan Genome

 

 

Scientists sequenced the DNA blueprint of the Denisovans, an extinct species of human that lived alongside Neanderthals and the ancestors of people living today.

Making Eggs From Stem Cells

 

 

Japanese researchers showed that embryonic stem cells from mice could be coaxed into becoming viable egg cells.

Curiosity's Landing System

 

 

Mission engineers at the American space agency NASA safely and precisely placed the Curiosity rover on the surface of Mars. They used a 'sky crane' that dropped the 3.3 ton rover to the surface from a hovering platform on three cables.

X-ray Laser Provides Protein Structure

 

 

Researchers used an X-ray laser, which shines a billion times brighter than traditional synchrotron sources, to determine the structure of an enzyme required by the parasite that causes African sleeping sickness.

Precision Engineering of Genomes

 The revision and deletion of DNA in higher organisms has generally been hit-or-miss. In 2012, a tool known as TALENs, which stands for 'transcription activator-like effector nucleases,' allowed scientists to alter or inactivate specific genes in animals such as zebra fish and toads, and cells from patients with disease.

Majorana Fermions

 

 

The existence of Majorana fermions, particles that act as their own antimatter and annihilate themselves, has been debated for more than seven decades. This year, a team of physicists and chemists in the Netherlands provided the first solid evidence that such exotic matter exists, in the form of quasi-particles. These are groups of interacting electrons that behave like single particles.

 

more info 

The ENCODE Project

 

 

 

A decade-long study reported this year in more than 30 papers revealed that the human genetic code is more functional than researchers had believed. Although just 2% of the genome codes for actual proteins, the Encyclopaedia of DNA Elements, or ENCODE, project indicated that about 80% of it is active in ways such as helping to switch genes on or off.

Brain-Machine Interfaces

 

 

Scientists showed that paralysed human patients could move a mechanical arm with their minds and perform complex movements in three dimensions.

Neutrino Mixing Angle

 

 

Hundreds of researchers working on the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment in China found the last part of the jigsaw describing how particles known as neutrinos morph from one strain or 'flavour' to another as they travel at near-light speed. daily times monitor

The Space Race

 The race between two defiant superpowers for supremacy over the outer space is also a secret battle between two extraordinary men.

The story of the race into space is marked by the greatest superpower rivalries, political paranoia, and technological feats of the twentieth century. But until now, we have only known half the story. With the end of the Cold War, a generation of secrets and cover-ups has been revealed.This is the true story about the American and Soviet space race led by Wernher von Braun and Sergei Korolev. The two men, thousands of miles apart, battled for the same goals.The documentary shows how Americans chief rocket designer, ex-Nazi Wernher von Braun  was hurriedly white-washed by the US to lead the way, against the obscure Russian engineer Sergei Korolev - a genius known only as the 'Chief Designer' - whose story has long remained a mystery. Both were men of their times, but with visions that were timeless. And both were prepared to go to extraordinary lengths to see the fulfilment of their dreams. The world watched as the American and Soviet teams, impervious to disaster, took the fight for the coveted prize right up to the wire....

 

Financial Inclusion

 
Financial inclusion or inclusive financing is the delivery of financial services, at affordable costs, to sections of disadvantaged and low income segments of society.Financial inclusion refers to the strategy adopted to make banking activities and its benefits reach the unbanked areas. It is a drive to bring the unprivileged people at par with the mainstream. It is argued that as banking services are in the nature of public good; the availability of banking and payment services to the entire population without discrimination is the prime objective of this public policy. The term "financial inclusion" has gained importance since the early 2000s, and is a result of findings about financial exclusion and its direct correlation to poverty. Financial inclusion is now a common objective for many central banks among the developing nations.

Need for Financial Inclusion

The Indian economy is the second fastest growing economy in the world. Majority of the population in India resides in rural areas. Thus development of rural India is a key step towards economic development for a country like ours.Credit is one of the very important inputs of economic development. The timely availability of credit at an affordable cost has a big role to play in contributing to the well being of the weaker sections of the society. Proper access to finance by the rural people is a key requisite to employment, economic growth and poverty reduction which are primary tools of economic development.

India has a huge network of institutional credit. Institutional credit refers to credit offered by financial institutions like banks. The Indian financial system is considered to be one of the finest systems in the world. It is only because of the strong grip of the financial system that even the global financial crisis could not affect India that severely.In spite of having such a strong financial system it has been evident that financial awareness has not been able to penetrate into the rural sections of the society. Non institutional credit givers in the form of money lenders still continue to grasp the poor in their clutches. This is a matter of concern and proper action needs to be taken for the same.

Credit can be penetrated into rural India through appropriate banking channels. The Indian banking industry has shown tremendous growth in the last few decades. But despite such growth, the banks have been unable to reach a vast segment of the Indian population causing financial exclusion. This void ultimately led to the emergence of policy for financial inclusion.

People residing in rural areas where banking facilities have not yet touched foot are unaware of the benefits of financial services. Finance is an integral part of every life. Managing the hard earned money so that it grows to yield more money is very important. But people who are financially unaware often fall prey in the hands of greedy money lenders. These money lenders take undue advantage of the ignorant people and they fall in debt trap that lasts for not only their life but for generations to come.  

•  It is now widely acknowledged that financial exclusion leads to non accessibility, non-affordability and non-availability of financial products. Limited access to funds in an underdeveloped financial system restricts the availability of their own funds to individuals and also leads to high cost credit from informal sources such as moneylenders.
• Due to lack of access to a bank account and remittance facilities, the individual pays higher charges for basic financial transactions.
• Absence of bank account also leads to security threat and loss of interest by holding cash. All these impose real costs on individuals.
• Prolonged and persistent deprivation of banking services to a large segment of the population leads to a decline in investment and has the potential to fuel social tensions causing social exclusion.

Thus, financial inclusion is an explicit strategy for accelerated economic growth and is considered to be critical for achieving inclusive growth in the country.

Extent of Financial Exclusion in India

In India, almost half the country is unbanked.Only 55 per cent of the population has deposit accounts and 9 per cent have credit accounts with banks. India has the highest number of households (145 million) excluded from Banking. There was only one bank branch per 14,000 people.In 6 lakh villages in India, rural branches of Schedule Commercial Banks including Regional Rural Banks number 33,495 only.Only a little less than 20% of the population has any kind of life insurance and 9.6%  of the population has non‐life insurance coverage.Just 18 per cent had debit cards and less than 2 per cent has credit cards.

 Reasons for Financial Exclusion 

(i) Geographical Location

• remoteness of residence,hilly & sparsely populated areas with poor infrastructure & difficult physical access.
• distance from bank branch
• branch timings

(ii) Economic Factors

• low income
• low assets

(iii) Social Factors

•  ease of availability of informal credit
•  culture
•  Gender

(iv) Financial illiteracy

•  illiteracy
•  lack of awareness

(v) Documentation Process

• Cumbersome
•  KYC – documentary proof of identity/ address

(vi) Inefficiency of the financial Institutions

•  high cost of operations
•  less volume & more number of clients
•  unsuitable products
•  language
•  staff attitude
•  poor functioning and financial health of some financial institutions (such as financial cooperatives) which limit the effectiveness of their outreach figures.
•  Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS), which restrict their membership to persons with land ownership are also not effective in offering savings services.

Consequences of Financial Exclusion 

• Affects individuals and economy alike
• The households, micro and small enterprises dealing entirely in cash are susceptible to irregular cash flows would be affected
• Limits options for providing for old age security
• Recourse to informal lenders
• Exposed to higher interest rates charged by informal lender
• Highest risk as loans are often secured against the borrower’s property
• Banking with informal sources does not provide interest benefit and tax advantages and are far less secure

Benefits of Financial Inclusion 

Financial inclusion does not restrict itself to credit. It includes financial awareness, knowledge about banks and banking channels, facilities provided by banks and the advantages of using the banking route. It involves educating people financially; making them financially literate.

Inclusive financial system allows poor households to save and manage their money in a secure manner, decreases their exposure to economic shocks in the form of drought, floods or any calamity of the kind which affects people dependant on agricultural activities.

An important measure of financial inclusion is to check the number of people who own a bank account. A person holding a bank account is considered to have elementary banking knowledge. Thus a count of the number of bank accounts gives an idea of the percentage of people who are aware of banking and what percentage still needs to be included. However financial inclusion does not end with opening of bank accounts. It has to be a continuous effort.

Steps taken so far to eliminate financial exclusion 

• Focus on Inclusive Growth
• Improving Banking Technology
• The Indian Way- Multi Agency Approach
• Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) mandated to focus on Financial Inclusion and Financial Literacy
• Financial Sector Regulators including the Reserve Bank committed to FI Mission
• Financial services through mainstream financial institutions to 6 lakh villages
• ​Banking Correspondent Model

The drive for financial inclusion has been started in India by the monetary regulator, Reserve Bank of India.The Reserve Bank of India has initiated several policy measures to ensure financial inclusion and increase the outreach of the banking sector. A major initiative taken by the Bank in this direction is the introduction of the business correspondent model.Under this model RBI has permitted banks to use the services of intermediaries such as business facilitators and correspondents to provide banking services for ensuring greater financial inclusion and increasing the outreach of the banking sector.
 
By using the Information Technology  the banking services in the rural areas are being improved

What has been done so far?

• ICT based Business Correspondent (BC) Model for low cost door step banking services in remote villages .
• RBI Board approved Financial Inclusion Plans (FIPs) of banks for 3 years, starting April 2010.Roadmap to cover villages of above 2000 population by march 2012
• Availability of minimum four banking products through ICT model has been ensured
• Mandatory opening of 25 % of new branches in unbanked rural centers.
• KYC documentation requirements significantly simplified for small account
• Guidelines for convergence between Electronic Benefit Transfer and FIP have been issued.
• Pricing for banks totally freed . Interest rates on advances totally deregulated.

Approach adopted by RBI:

• Achieving planned, sustained and structured Financial inclusion.
• Technology-To be fixed first
•  ​All Bank branches must be on Core Banking Solution (CBS). All Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) to be on CBS by September 2011.
•  Multi-channel approach (Handheld devices, mobiles, cards, Micro-ATMs, Branches, Kiosks, etc.)
•  Front-end devices transactions must be seamlessly integrated with the banks’ CBS.
• Coverage- Ensuring Transparency 

 

Important Info: 

1-Click Here 

2-Click Here   
3-Click Here

Internet Governance

The Internet is quite different to all previous communication media since it is much less easy for governments to control and shape its development. On the print media, TV, phone and radio the governments can exercise a fair degree of control .With the Internet, governments can have a say, but their control is diminished. Governance is traditionally undertaken by government, but the global nature of the Internet makes it less practical for a government to control cyberspace.

How Internet works ? 

The Internet works because open standards allow every network to connect to every other network.This is what makes it possible for anyone to create content, offer services, and sell products without requiring permission from a central authority.It levels the playing field for everyone and it’s the reason why we have a rich diversity of applications and services that many of us enjoy today. No one is in charge of the Internet.Unlike the telephone network, which for years in most countries, was run by a single company, the global Internet consists of tens of thousands of interconnected networks run by service providers, individual companies, universities, governments, and others.

Who makes the Internet work ?

Internet bodies

• Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)
• Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA)
• ICANN - the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
• Internet Society (ISOC)
• Number Resource Organization
• Regional Internet Registry (RIR)
• Internet Research Task Force (IRTF)
• Internet Architecture Board (IAB)
• Operators, engineers, and vendors that provide network infrastructure services such as Domain Name Service (DNS) providers, network operators, and Internet Exchange Points (IXPs).

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is the non-profit body formed for domain name and IP address allocation and management. It is perhaps, the most public of the Internet control organisations since domain names or web addresses are one of the most tangible aspects of the Internet for users. IANA - Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, is based at ICANN. IANA is in charge of all "unique parameters" on the Internet, including IP (Internet Protocol) addresses. Each domain name is associated with a unique IP address, a numerical name consisting of four blocks of up to three digits each, e.g. 204.146.46.8, which systems use to direct information through the network.

The  Internet Society is a professional membership society formed in 1992. In 2002 it had more than 150 organization and 11,000 individual members in over 182 countries. It summarizes its aims as ‘To provide leadership in addressing issues that confront the future of the Internet, and is the organization home for the groups responsible for Internet infrastructure standards, including the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and the Internet Architecture Board (IAB).A key aspect of their mission statement is: ‘To assure the open development, evolution and use of the Internet for the benefit of people throughout the world’

 The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) is one of the main technical bodies. It is an international community of network designers, operators, vendors and researchers concerned with the development of the Internets architecture and its transport protocols such as IP. Significant sub-groups are the   Internet Architecture Board, a technical advisory group of ISOC with a wide range of responsibilities and the  Internet Engineering Steering Group, which is responsible for overseeing the activities of the IETF and the Internet standards process.The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) is a large open international community of network designers, operators, vendors, and researchers concerned with the evolution of the Internet architecture and the smooth operation of the Internet. It is open to any interested individual.

The World Wide Web consortium is the organisation responsible for web standards.It focuses on improving publishing standards such as HTML and XML. XML is an important development in forming what the WWW organisation refers to as the ‘Semantic web’.  The consortium also aims to promote accessibility to the web for those with disabilities – for instance, it is working on a voice-based browser. 

TINA-C (Telecommunications Information Networking Architecture Consortium) is somewhat different to the others, in that it takes a higher-level view of how applications communicate over communications networks. It does not define detailed standards. Its principles are based on an object-oriented approach to enable easier integration of systems.

What is Internet Governance ?

Internet governance is the development and application by Governments, the private sector and civil society, in their respective roles, of shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures, and programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet.Internet governance is not restricted to the activities of governments. Many different types of stakeholders have a role in defining and carrying out Internet governance activities .Internet regulation is part of Internet Governance.Internet regulation is basically restricting or controlling access to certain aspects or information. Internet regulation consists of: Censorship of data, and controlling aspects of the Internet such as domain registration, IP address control and more.

Steps towards (multi-stakeholder) Internet Governance 

At the inaugural World Summit on the Information Society in 2003, global attention turned to the notion of Internet Governance.The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) was a unique two-phase United Nations (UN) summit that began with the goal of achieving a common vision, desire and commitment to build a people-centric, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society where everyone can create, access, utilize and share information. One of its chief aims was to bridge the so-called global digital divide separating rich countries from poor countries by spreading access to the Internet in the developing world. The ITU was the lead organizing agency of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).

At the first World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva 2003 the topic of Internet governance was discussed. ICANN's status as a private corporation under contract to the U.S. government created controversy among other governments, especially Brazil, China, South Africa and some Arab states. Since no general agreement existed even on the definition of what comprised Internet governance, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan initiated a Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG) to clarify the issues and report before the second part of the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis 2005. After much controversial debate, during which the US delegation refused to consider surrendering the US control of the Root Zone file, participants agreed on a compromise to allow for wider international debate on the policy principles. They agreed to establish an Internet Governance Forum, to be convened by United Nations Secretary General before the end of the second quarter of the year 2006.

In November 2005, the World Summit on the Information Society, held in Tunis, established the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) to open an ongoing, non-binding conversation among multiple stakeholders about the future of Internet governance.The United Nations created the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) to continue the work of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). The IGF has brought together stakeholders from government, industry, and civil society to discuss Internet governance issues at a series of annual meetings since 2006. 

Details :

Tunis Summit 2005

The position of the US Department of Commerce as the controller of the Internet gradually attracted criticism from those who felt that control should be more international. A hands-off philosophy by the US Dept. of Commerce helped limit this criticism, but this was undermined in 2005 when the Bush administration intervened to help kill the .xxx top level domain proposal.When the IANA functions were given to a new US non-profit Corporation called ICANN, controversy increased. ICANN's decision-making process was criticised by some observers as being secretive and unaccountable. 

Globalization and Governance controversy

WCIT-12 

In December 2012 , ITU facilitated the The World Conference on International Telecommunications 2012 (WCIT-12) in Dubai. WCIT-12 was a treaty-level conference to address international rules for telecommunications, including international tariffs. The previous conference to update the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs) was held in Melbourne in 1988.

In August 2012, ITU called for a public consultation on a draft document ahead of the conference.It is claimed the proposal would allow government restriction or blocking of information disseminated via the internet and create a global regime of monitoring internet communications – including the demand that those who send and receive information identify themselves. It would also allow governments to shut down the internet if there is the belief that it may interfere in the internal affairs of other states or that information of a sensitive nature might be shared.

Why WCIT matters ?

Decisions made by governments at WCIT could redefine both how we use the Internet and how it's goverened.  Modifications to the ITRs could result in changes to the Internet’s architecture, operations, content and security.

Reaction of different members of ITU : click here

India on Internet Governance : Link 1 & Link 2

Why WCIT-12 failed to deliver?

 Details

Battle of the Hydaspes

Battle of the Hydaspes (River Jhelum) (326 bce), fourth and last pitched battle fought by Alexander the Great during his campaign of conquest in Asia. It took place after Alexander’s conquest of the  Achaemenid Persian Empire  and immediately before his army began the journey homeward to Macedonia. Porus, the Indian ruler of the territory between the Jhelum and the Chenab rivers (in modern Pakistan), was his opponent. After facing the Indians for days across an unfordable river, Alexander, by using diversionary tactics, managed to cross the stream above their camp. More troublesome to Alexander than the numerical superiority of Porus’s 34,000-man army were the 200 elephants that threatened the effectiveness of the Macedonian cavalry. During the battle, Alexander overwhelmed Porus’s left wing, forcing it back upon the elephants, which panicked and plunged riderless into the Indian ranks. The Macedonian phalanx then routed the Porus's army. Alexander made an alliance with Porus and allowed him to remain ruler in his kingdom.This documentary focuses on the Indian campaigns of Alexander the Great. It goes into great detail of Battle of the Hydaspes (Jhelum).

Family - A Social Institution

Society is composition of people.People interact,interrelate with the society. Their needs are fulfilled by the society.Order,unity,coordination,control are some elements that are required for a society to sustain.These functions of the society are performed through certain social institutions.These institutions while fulfilling the needs of the individual and society as well,they maintain order and stability of the societies.Social institutions consist of ideas,interests and structure with a set of common values and procedures in order to meet needs of the society. 

Types of Social Institutions :

Social institutions are enduring relationships that result from human interaction. Over a period of time, these relationships have established predictable patterns that allow the members of society to pursue life, their dreams and happiness. Social institutions are natural products or creations of societies, the primary function of which is to help societies meet basic needs. They exist in every known society. They overlap, interact, and support one another. It would be impossible to think of a social order without any existing social institution for they serve as the bedrock of human society.

There are six major social institutions, namely: family, marriage, education, economics, politics, and religion. These institutions have shown continuity and stability for they are products of relationships that have long endured the test of time Other social institutions may have developed out of these major social institutions as we see them existing in society at present.

Family as an Institution

Family is the primary social unit.Of all human groups family is the most important primary groups.The exact definition of  family can vary greatly from time to time and from culture to culture. How a society defines family as a primary group, and the functions it asks families to perform, are by no means constant.Generally it is defined as basic social unit consisting of persons united by ties of marriage(affinity), “blood”(consanguinity), or adoption and usually representing a single household. The essence of the family group is the parent-child relationship, whose outlines vary widely among cultures.The family as an institution provides for the rearing and socialization of children, the care of the aged, sick, or disabled, the legitimation of procreation, and the regulation of sexual conduct in addition to supplying basic physical, economic, and emotional security for its members. 

It means family institution fulfills basic and primary needs like food,clothing,shelter,protection and economic needs of the people sharing common living space.Family ensures continuity of society through function of reproduction.Since the family consists of man and woman who are married and have legal sanction for mating and progeny,the function of reproduction is being done by the family.It also fulfills psychological needs like love and affection,it is an effective agency of social control and it also performs religious functions which has immense influence and control on the behaviour of the individual.

Some common features of Family : 

• Family is a primary social unit.It is considered as an universal unit because it is seen in one form or the other in all the communities. 
• It is a close knit group and is limited in size because all the people in a society cannot become members unless they have biological or marital relations.
• The new members or children learn the traditions,beliefs,norms,values,etc. from the family.
• There is common and mutual responsibility among the members.
• It is both temporary and permanent .It is permanent because it is as old as the society itself.It is temporary because the members of family would change each time with the events like birth,death,marriage and migrations.
• All the family members have a common house and live together. 
• Families are identified by nomenclature.The members of family bear a common nomenclature. 

Functions of Family :

1.  Fulfilling the biological needs
2.  Satisfying the Psychological and emotional needs
3.  Economic co-operation
4.  Maintaining the morality
5.  Giving legitimacy to the children
6.  Gives social, religious and cultural recognitions for sexual mating after marriage
7.  It plays a prominent role in the socialization process of an individual
8.  It acts as an agency of social control - it controls the behaviour of the individuals
9.  It acts as a basic unit for performing religious functions
10.Still many families esp. in the developing countries are acting as basic economic units.
11.It takes care of the aged, sick, or disabled  and young members.Family plays an integral role in children's development.

Types of Families :

1.On the basis of marriage: Family has been classified into three major types:

• Polygynous family (having more than one wife) 
• Polyandrous family (having more than one husband)
• Monogamous family (one spouse/one couple)

2.Based on size and structure family are three types:

• Nuclear Family 
• Joint Family 
• Extended Family 

Nuclear family, also called elementary family,  in sociology and anthropology, is a group of people who are united by ties of partnership and parenthood and consisting of a pair of adults and their socially recognized children. Typically, but not always, the adults in a nuclear family are married. Although such couples are most often a man and a woman, the definition of the nuclear family has expanded with the advent of same-sex marriage in some countries. Children in a nuclear family may be the couple’s biological or adopted offspring.

Extended family includes a group of relatives.It includes a  nuclear family and their blood relatives consisting of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins all living nearby or in the same household.The extended family system often, but not exclusively, occurs in regions in which economic conditions make it difficult for the nuclear family to achieve self-sufficiency.

Joint Family is a type of extended family composed of parents, their children, and the children's spouses and offspring in one household.In general, a family is called a joint family where the members in a house, taking food in a common cookery enjoy undivided landed property, participate in a common worship and united in blood relationship. 

3.On the basis of the nature of residence family can be classified into five main forms :

• Family of matrilocal residence
• Family of patrilocal residence
• Bilocal family
• Avunculocal family
• Neolocal family

Matrilocal residence or matrilocality (also uxorilocal residence or uxorilocality) is a term referring to the societal system in which a married couple resides with or near the wife's parents, thus the female offspring of a mother remain living in (or near) the mother's house, thereby forming large clan-families, typically consisting of three or four generations living in the same place.

Patrilocal family is a family system in which the wife is expected to live near the husband's parents.

Bilocal family is a family system in which the couple lives in the house of the father of  groom for some time and in the house of the mother of the bride for some time.

Avunculocal Family is a family where the couple lives in the house of maternal uncle of the bride after marriage.

Neolocal family is a family where the couple choose a new residence after marriage.

4.On the basis of ancestry or descent family can be classified into three main types:

• Matrilineal family-descent that follows a female line is known as matrilineal.Both males and females belong to their mother's kin group 
• Patrilineal family-both males and females belong to their father's kin group but not their mother's.
• Ambilineal family-descent from either male or female is recognized, but individuals may select only one line to trace descent.  

5.Classification on the basis of authority :

• Patriarchal Family - form of family in which the male is the family head and lineage is traced through the male line
• Matriarchal Family - A family group, in which the wife has the highest status, controls the other family members and makes important decisions affecting the family group.

Lost Temples of India

Historians and others examine temples built in India more than 1,000 years ago. They remain quite intriguing, though today’s tourists rarely visit them. Records reveal that trained elephants had to drag millions of stone blocks to help erect these structures. The program notes that due to the temples’ size, the U.S. Senate, Versailles, the Houses of Parliament, and St. Paul’s Basilica in Rome could all fit within a single one of them. Michael Bell narrates as footage and animated maps are used to help viewers learn more about what these ancient structures look like and why they were built. In this intriguing program, we are transported to this exotic land and examine the mysteries behind some of the most fascinating structures found there. Southern India has the largest temple complexes ever built. In “Lost Temples of India”, we examine these 1,000-year-old temples adorned with intricate and beautiful sculptures. We learn how the kings used large herds of trained elephants to drag the millions of stone blocks into place and how these temples are virtually unknown and unvisited by Western tourists.