Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 7, 2026
04:30
A Flame-Free Method for Sterilizing C. elegans Picks, Spatulas, and Scalpels
Published on: March 4, 2022
7.8K
Burning Issues: Cremation and Incineration in Modern India
1Department of History, University of Warwick, CV4 7AL, Coventry, UK. d.arnold@warwick.ac.uk.
NTM
|February 26, 2017
Summary
Western cremation and waste incineration technologies did not automatically dominate in India. Cultural and environmental factors influenced their adoption, leading to adaptations and the persistence of existing practices.
Area of Science:
- History of Technology
- Cultural Studies
- Environmental History
Background:
- The 19th and 20th centuries saw the transfer of technologies like human cremation and urban waste incineration between India and the West.
- These transfers were facilitated by colonial interactions, imperial exchange, Indian public opinion, and diasporic networks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the bidirectional travel of fire-based technologies (cremation, incineration) between India and the West.
- To examine how cultural and environmental contexts shaped the adoption and transformation of these technologies.
Main Methods:
- Comparative historical analysis of technological diffusion.
- Case studies focusing on human cremation and urban waste incineration.
- Examination of socio-political and environmental factors influencing technological adoption.
Main Results:
- Western technologies did not achieve automatic dominance; their advance was often inhibited or prevented by local conditions.
- Pre-existing technological practices and their socio-political infrastructure persisted or were re-articulated.
- Technologies underwent significant changes in meaning, context, and form during their transmission, even if seemingly unaltered.
Conclusions:
- The transfer of technology is a complex process influenced by cultural and environmental factors, not solely by technological superiority.
- The interaction between imported and indigenous practices led to hybrid technological forms and adaptations.
- Understanding these dynamics is crucial for analyzing the global history of technology and its societal impact.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Burn Injuries
4.8K
Burn injuries occur when the skin and underlying tissues are damaged due to exposure to heat, electricity, chemicals, radiation, or friction. They can vary in severity, from minor superficial burns to severe deep burns that can be life-threatening.
The damage results in the death of skin cells, which can lead to a massive loss of fluid. Dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and renal and circulatory failure follow, which can be fatal. Burn patients are treated with intravenous fluids to offset...
The damage results in the death of skin cells, which can lead to a massive loss of fluid. Dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and renal and circulatory failure follow, which can be fatal. Burn patients are treated with intravenous fluids to offset...
4.8K
02:12Enthalpy and Heat of Reaction
10.3K
Combustion, commonly known as burning, is a reaction in which a substance reacts with an oxidizing agent, which in most cases is molecular oxygen, to liberate energy in the form of heat, light, or sound. The heat of combustion is also known as the enthalpy of combustion. The energy released when one mole of a substance undergoes complete combustion at constant pressure is called molar heat of combustion. Combustion reactions are exothermic; that is, they release energy, and their ΔH sign...
10.3K
01:08Sample Preparation for Analysis: Advanced Techniques
1.6K
Accurate analysis of complex samples often requires advanced preparation techniques to achieve reliable and reproducible results. Samples containing inorganic or organic materials can be challenging to dissolve or decompose effectively. Standard sample preparation methods include acid digestion, fusion, dry ashing, and wet digestion.
Acid digestion with strong acids is commonly used to dissolve inorganic materials that are insoluble (do not dissolve) in water. This method can be useful for...
Acid digestion with strong acids is commonly used to dissolve inorganic materials that are insoluble (do not dissolve) in water. This method can be useful for...
1.6K
01:03Sublimation
5.4K
Sublimation is the direct transformation of a solid to a gaseous state. For instance, at standard pressure and room temperature, solid carbon dioxide sublimes to gaseous carbon dioxide. The phase diagram depicts the conditions required for sublimation. This process occurs at the solid-gas phase boundary and is not observed above the triple point of the substance. The reverse of sublimation is called deposition, where a gaseous substance condenses directly into a solid. Sublimation and...
5.4K
01:29Methods of Sterilization I: Physical Methods
24.6K
As used in a healthcare facility, sterilization destroys all microorganisms through physical or chemical methods. The physical method includes steam, dry heat, boiling water, and radiation.
Steam sterilization uses non-toxic, low-cost moist heat in the form of saturated steam under pressure, which is fast, microbicidal, and sporicidal, and quickly warms and penetrates fabrics. Autoclaves, or steam sterilizers, expose each item to direct steam contact for a predetermined time at the necessary...
Steam sterilization uses non-toxic, low-cost moist heat in the form of saturated steam under pressure, which is fast, microbicidal, and sporicidal, and quickly warms and penetrates fabrics. Autoclaves, or steam sterilizers, expose each item to direct steam contact for a predetermined time at the necessary...
24.6K
01:30Overview of Cell Death
10.7K
Cell death is an essential process where the body gets rid of old or damaged cells. Cell proliferation and death need to be balanced, as an imbalance between the two may lead to cancer or autoimmune diseases.
Cell death was observed in the early 19th century, but there was no experimental evidence to prove it. In 1842, Carl Vogt first discovered cell death in a metamorphic toad; however, it was not termed ‘cell death.’ Scientists discovered different cell death pathways only in the...
Cell death was observed in the early 19th century, but there was no experimental evidence to prove it. In 1842, Carl Vogt first discovered cell death in a metamorphic toad; however, it was not termed ‘cell death.’ Scientists discovered different cell death pathways only in the...
10.7K