New Year on the Daily Miscellany #13

NEW YEAR

Rebellion in Scotland

In order to quell a rebellion in the north of Scotland, the English king issued a proclamation to all the rebel chiefs to appear at a given place on or before the thirty-first of December, 1691, and take the oath of allegiance to the king. Those who did not appear were to be treated as outlaws, liable to execution as traitors to the crown. Although humiliating, it was useless to rebel with such small numbers.

One by one gave way, and all had affixed their names to the paper except one. Mac Ian was the leader of the smallest yet haughtiest tribe. He did not intend finally to resist, but he hoped to be the last of the Scottish chiefs to submit. A day or two before the thirty-first, he started. A severe snowstorm impeded his way, and he did not arrive till nearly a week after the king's messenger had returned to London. A band of soldiers immediately sought the Valley of Glencoe, and Mac Ian and his followers became victims of his proud obstinacy.

How many in our day hazard their souls, as Mac Ian hazarded his life, by refusing to obey the commands of the King of Kings!

William Moses Tidwell, "Pointed Illustrations."

Oh remember how short my time is: For what vanity hast thou created all the children of men!

Ps 89:47

TIME fact 13:

TIME: Bio-clock

The 'biological clock was first recognized in the third century B, C. by the Chinese. The biological clock is an intrinsic mechanism that controls the rhythm of various metabolic activities of plants and animals. The majority of these mechanisms are controlled on a 24 hour, day-night cycle that is called the circadian rhythm. This day night cycle was first recognized in plants more than 250 years ago. The circadian cycle exists in virtually all species of plants and animals. It regulates the metabolic functions of of the organisms. It regulates the opening and closing of leaves and petals of plants. It times the flowering and germination functions of plants. In humans the circadian cycle is evidenced in metabolic functions such as: changes in body temperature; hormone secretion; blood sugar level; blood pressure levels; and sleep cycles.

Some natural cycles are yearly cycles. Mating, migration and hibernation are example of yearly cycles. Other cycles are monthly cycles. These cycles are often related to lunar months. For example ovulation and the menstrual cycle of women follow the lunar month.

The study of daily rhythms is called chronobiology. Rhythms that are longer than 24 hours are called infradian. Those that are shorter than 24 hours are called ultradian. Chronobiology is a relatively new avenue of research. In psychiatry it is postulated that disturbances in periodic processes may contribute to psychopathology. It is thought that one of the first indication of a threat to the biological rhythm of a person is the feeling of restlessness. It is believed that certain sleep disorders, endocrine disorders and bipolar disorders may have circadian bases.

Circadian rhythms are endogenous. These changes occur even when people are not in their natural environment. When a person is placed in an environment that has a constant amount of light and sound over a 24 hour period, the metabolic functions still change with the daily cycle. When the individual cannot tell day from night by the environment (no sunlight or darkness) there are still predictable shifts in cortisol, body temperature, sleep and other circadian dependent variables.

Data collected reveals that between 1:00 AM and 6:00 AM, more accidents occur. Studies have shown that most babies are born during the morning hours. Heart attacks are more likely between 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM. Most Olympic records are broken in the late afternoon. It is thought that the regulator of this cycle in animals may be the pineal gland.

Sources: The Handy Science Answer Book - Visible Ink|
Microsoft(R) Encarta(R) 96 Encyclopedia. |