After tigress Shefali’s cubs died last year, a pall of gloom descended on the Lucknow Zoo. But now, it seems, happy times are back, thanks to white tigress Reema. Brought to the zoo here along with her mate, Rupesh, in November 1997 from Nandan Kanan National Park in exchange for 12 barasingas, she has delivered three cubs of the albino variety. The zoo authorities said the birth of the albino cubs is the rarest of rare happenings. One of the cubs died after it was trampled on by the mother, but the other two are doing just fine. The zoo’s staff are taking no chances. They are not even touching the cubs lest this upset the mother.

Now let’s talk about non-biodegradable material. How dangerous are they to our environment? The 37-acre Maharashtra Nature Park, which has 40,000 trees, is fast being depleted. Why?Because the thin layer of soil comprising non-biodegradable material such as plastic is inadequate to support the anchorage of a tree. Developed on a garbage dumping ground, the park was nurtured after two metres of soil were laid on top of the dump in 1984. But the soil was not mixed properly, leaving metals ad plastics on the upper layer, which obstructed the trees’ roots. In the case of trees whose roots grow vertically and penetrate deep, the garage proves to be an obstruction. Then, high-velocity winds take their toll. About 140 trees of the park have fallen in the past month. So the solution? The MNP Society will conduct tests for toxicity by taking soil, leaf and water samples in october.

Have you ever noticed your fingers become white and painful in winter? Well, many people also notice it during monsoon. What does this mean? It sounds like you may have Raynaud’s disease, when small blood vessels go into spasm, temporarily shutting down the blood supply and making the skin white and cold. It is usually found in the fingers and toes, but any part of the body may be affected. Although it’s estimated that many people suffer from this condition, it is still unclear exactly what causes it. However, as nine times more women than men suffer, it is thought that there may be a hormonal connection. Symptoms include the skin going white initially, then probably turning blue and finally red before returning to its normal colour. An attack may last from a few minutes to an hour or two. The affected areas can be very painful, and in extreme circumstances, ulceration and even gangrene can occur. Thankfully, this is very rare. To prevent it try to avoid extremes of temperature. In cold weather, always wear mittens (or better still, gloves under mittens, as gloves alone often allow heat to escape), boots and warm socks. It is also sensible to wear thick socks and slippers indoors.

People who are horrified by the prospect of losing their teeth when they get older can take heart from a research project at King’s College, London, where dental genetics experts are working on the development of laboratory grown teeth. They have established that there are only two types of genes involved in kick-starting the tooth-growing process in human embryos. Once the role of the tooth-generating genes is fully understood, it will become possible to "seed" the gums with chemicals that trigger the growth process and make new teeth to order.

Couple’s crying has become undeniably hip, and the more people that see you do it, the better. So popular is weeping that Tom Lutz, who has written a book about the history of crying that has taken America by storm, claims that tears are the new Prozac, and that welling up, spilling over and streaking your face with tears is the best therapy for the blues that you can get. "Crying is the first method of communication we learn", says Lutz. "The only way a newborn baby can tell its mother that it is uncomfortable is to use its lungs and howl. It’s basically the same when we are adults. When words turn into sobs, we are reverting to that original cry for help, which simply means, I want to feel better". Scientists who have studied the make-up of tears have found that there are three different types, each with a complex mix of hormones and chemicals. Basal tears are those that lubricate the eyeballs; reflex, or irritant tears are the type produced when we chop onions. But it is the emotional, or psychic tears that are triggered when we are sad, happy or upset that have attracted the attention of researchers. These are unique to humans and chemically they are far removed from any other fluid found in the eyes. Most psychologists believe that crying is a good way to reduce tension and that bottling up emotions can lead to serious health problems such as depression and heart disease.