The Ramayana and Trade Case Essay Example for Free

The Ramayana and Trade Case Essay When we talk about Ramayana, we look at it as an epic story of powerful people, of gods and goddesses intervening with the people’s affairs, and of other-worldly creatures which one could never imagine. Truly, it is a wonderful, fictional story. But it is not only about legendary battles and imaginary characters. We can also associate it with real-life activities which are being conducted in a day-to-day basis. A good example of such activity is trade, which is evident in the epic story Ramayana.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One evident example of Trade in Ramayana is the existence of different races and classes of people. It is inevitable that they would interact with each other in exchange of goods coming from one kingdom to another. The people coexisted with other races like the demons and the monkeys by establishing connections with each other through exchanges of merchandise, goods, and even services. Weapons were also evidently traded in the story of Ramayana, since there are a lot of wars going on in the kingdom. Another manifestation of trade in the story is the flow of people in different kingdoms. People come and go to different places by trading their goods with other groups of people. Being exiled or being overthrown from a kingdom could have resulted from wrong trading practices which attracted disapproval from the people (Narayan, 1993).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Despite being an epic story, The Ramayana still has several attributes wherein we could associate it with our real day-to-day activities. Trade is one of these activities, and it is well depicted throughout the epic story. Works Cited: Narayan, R. K. (1993). Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. USA: Penguin Group.

Climate Change Impacts On Plankton In Oceans Environmental Sciences Essay

Climate Change Impacts On Plankton In Oceans Environmental Sciences Essay Plankton are pelagic organisms as primary production providing food for marine mammals and commercially important fish. However, nowadays, it is widely accepted that global warming is occurring, and it is inevitable to impact on the marine pelagic realm. Any decline or increase in abundance, growth and trophic efficiency of phytoplankton and zooplankton communities will lead to decline or increase in higher tropic levels, even the entire ecosystems. The only way to reduce these effects is to reduce CO2 emissions to atmosphere. Further, the consideration of research should be including long-term changes in plankton biomass and community structure. Plankton are organisms that have limited locomotive ability relative to the water where they live. These organisms are ranging in size from viruses to large jellyfish. In tropical scale, plankton communities are highly diverse, containing organisms from almost all phyla and families. Furthermore, these organisms use their environment, its resources, and each other, in a wide variety of ways. The way to classify planktonic organisms is based on their size, which affects sinking, light utilization, mobility and tropic status. In addition, they have particular functional roles (grazers and nitrogen-fixers) in the ecosystem as well (McKinnon et al. 2007). However, nowadays, more and more marine scientists have paid attention on climate change which has strong impacts on these organisms in the ocean. For example, increased water temperature and ocean acidification have impacts on those tiny organisms in biological and physical ways (Richardson et al. 2004; Riebesell et al. 2000; Beaugrand et al. 2003; Lynam et al. 2005). The role of plankton in the ocean Phytoplankton account for approximately half the global primary production Richardson et al. 2004), and consequently play an important role in cycling of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Micro- and Macrozooplankton are the basis of food webs supporting oceanic and many coastal fisheries (Richardson et al. 2004). In addition, they are also playing an important role in linking pelagic and benthic environment (McKinnon et al. 2007). Critical factors regulating plankton communities To date, a number of studies have demonstrated that the abundance and growth of plankton are affected by several climate stressors that will respond to climate change, including water temperature, ocean chemistry, light, ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and nutrient enrichment (McKinnon et al. 2007). Although there are still having a limited understanding of how climate change will affect planktonic organisms, more studies have done that trying to find out profound meaning. Vulnerability Planktonic organisms all have short life cycles: hours to days for phytoplankton, seven to ten days for copepods, and weeks to months for macrozooplankton. This means that plankton respond quickly to changes in their physical environment. Therefore, they respond more rapidly than longer-lived animals such as fish, and mammals (McKinnon et al. 2007). Changes in water temperature All plankton are poikilothermic. A number of studies have shown that plankton growth rate, abundance, distribution, and timing of bloom are all influenced by temperature (Beaugrand et al. 2002; Edwards and Richardson 2004; Kirby et al. 2007; Richardson and Schoeman 2004). Besides, studies have shown that plankton species changes in temperature are more likely to directly affect metabolic processes rather than the whole community biomass, especially if plankton communities are resource limited. Moreover, changes in phytoplankton community composition and productivity will have flow-on effects on the productivity of zooplankton grazers (McKinnon et al. 2007). Ocean acidification and increased dissolved CO2 The direct effect of ocean acidification on zooplankton will be to dissolve their shells, increasing shell maintenance costs and reducing growth (Hallegraeff 1984). Furthermore, the declining pH may also change the growth rates of photosynthetic organisms. This means changes in pH will affect nutrient taking and thus alter rates of growth and photosynthesis (McKinnon et al. 2007). Changes may also occur in phytoplankton cell composition, which could affect their nutritional value for higher trophic levels (Richardson et al. 2004). Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) Studies have found that UVR impacts growth, mobility, and the relative dominance of many phytoplanktonic organisms (McKinnon et al. 2007). These effects compromise the ability of phytoplankton to adapt to changing environmental conditions (Hader and Hader 1989; Hader and Liu 1990). They also result in changes in cellular elemental stoichometry including increased cellular carbon content and decreased chlorophyll content (Hessen et al 1997). Further, in large-scale, UVR can cause changes in phytoplankton community structure because small cells are more prone to effects of UVR than large cells, and have comparatively high metabolic costs to screen out damaging UVR (Raven and Gilmartin 1982). Consequently, these negative effects of such changing can propagate to zooplankton (Keller et al. 1997). Linkages with other ecosystem components Some studies have shown that any decline or increase in abundance, growth and trophic efficiency of phytoplankton and zooplankton communities that is influenced by climate change is likely to lead to the decline or increase in higher trophic levels (Hunter 1981; Richardson et al. 2004; McKinnon et al. 2007). For example, fish larvae feed on plankton, and variations in the timing and extent of plankton reproduction could influence patterns of recruitment of fishes and invertebrates (Hunter 1981; Lynam et al. 2005). Management strategies The large-scale oceanographic, weather and climate processes are driving climate change impacting on plankton. Furthermore, due to the enhanced levels of CO2 in the atmosphere and rates of fossil burning, the process of ocean acidification is deterioration inevitable over next several centuries. To re-equilibrate the pH is not practical, and this will take a long time for ocean chemistry to return to a condition before industrial times. The only way to reduce these effects is to reduce CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. Conclusion The lack of information on the state of specific regions of plankton communities currently hinders biologists from being able to address the impacts of climate changes on those areas. Therefore, in the future, the consideration should be given to the inclusion of more plankton monitoring sites in that specific region to track long-term changes in plankton biomass and community structure, particularly for those few organisms that are at risk from ocean acidification.

Women and Self-Reliance, Is This Possible? Essay -- Feminism Feminist

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Ralph Waldo Emerson, we live in a society of conformity that is, "in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members . . . the virtue in most request is conformity. Self-reliance is its aversion" (Emerson, 21). Since Civil War Nursing, women in the work force have been faced with this dilemma of self-reliance and conformity. As women have been discriminated against, and referred to as inferior to men, it has not been an easy task to over come the social barriers, without giving in to conformity, especially when it comes to the work place. As their role in the Civil War, nurses "fulfilled more of a replacement mother position, rather than a healthcare provider"(Hamway, 2001).   During the Civil War, women began to feel like part of the work force, but along with it, was the downfall of being considered "service workers", which is very similar to being a servant. Nurses had to suffer through much conformity, as they had to wait hand and foot on male patients, while at the same time being scrutinized by their male "overseers". These issues that nurses faced in the nineteenth century, continue even to this day, with a little more ease, but we are still driven by a patriarchal society that just isn't ready to let go. Through the works of Louisa May Alcott and Charlotte Perkins Gillman, one can see the hardships that Nineteenth century women were faced with when it came to working. These stories bring to light the fact that, by overcoming oppression, through the strength and desire that leads to resistance, women have been able to achieve self-reliance, which makes their "service work" considered to have with it, an achieved independence. These stories show us the struggles that women faced in the nin... ...heir own sense of independence. But they also present the reality of it all, that in the end they are back to where they started, and that women will never be able to let their guard down, because of the constant struggle of becoming equally self-reliant as men are, which still remains today.    Works Cited Adams, Jill. "Nursing as a Profession and Florence Nightingale". 2001. . Alcott, Louisa May. Short Stories. Dover Publications, 1996. Emerson, Ralph Waldo. Self-Reliance and Other Essays. Dover Publications, 1993. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. "The Yellow Wallpaper" and Other Stories. Dover Publications, 1997. Hamway, Theresa. "Civil War Nursing". 2001. http://bizntech.rutgers.edu/worknlit/civil_war_nursing_bib.html Summers, Anne. Angels and Citizens. Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1988. Women and Self-Reliance, Is This Possible? Essay -- Feminism Feminist   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Ralph Waldo Emerson, we live in a society of conformity that is, "in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members . . . the virtue in most request is conformity. Self-reliance is its aversion" (Emerson, 21). Since Civil War Nursing, women in the work force have been faced with this dilemma of self-reliance and conformity. As women have been discriminated against, and referred to as inferior to men, it has not been an easy task to over come the social barriers, without giving in to conformity, especially when it comes to the work place. As their role in the Civil War, nurses "fulfilled more of a replacement mother position, rather than a healthcare provider"(Hamway, 2001).   During the Civil War, women began to feel like part of the work force, but along with it, was the downfall of being considered "service workers", which is very similar to being a servant. Nurses had to suffer through much conformity, as they had to wait hand and foot on male patients, while at the same time being scrutinized by their male "overseers". These issues that nurses faced in the nineteenth century, continue even to this day, with a little more ease, but we are still driven by a patriarchal society that just isn't ready to let go. Through the works of Louisa May Alcott and Charlotte Perkins Gillman, one can see the hardships that Nineteenth century women were faced with when it came to working. These stories bring to light the fact that, by overcoming oppression, through the strength and desire that leads to resistance, women have been able to achieve self-reliance, which makes their "service work" considered to have with it, an achieved independence. These stories show us the struggles that women faced in the nin... ...heir own sense of independence. But they also present the reality of it all, that in the end they are back to where they started, and that women will never be able to let their guard down, because of the constant struggle of becoming equally self-reliant as men are, which still remains today.    Works Cited Adams, Jill. "Nursing as a Profession and Florence Nightingale". 2001. . Alcott, Louisa May. Short Stories. Dover Publications, 1996. Emerson, Ralph Waldo. Self-Reliance and Other Essays. Dover Publications, 1993. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. "The Yellow Wallpaper" and Other Stories. Dover Publications, 1997. Hamway, Theresa. "Civil War Nursing". 2001. http://bizntech.rutgers.edu/worknlit/civil_war_nursing_bib.html Summers, Anne. Angels and Citizens. Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1988.

The Gaelic Athletic Association Essay -- Essays Papers

The Gaelic Athletic Association After the Great Potato Famine in the country of Ireland, the culture and pride of the land began to disappear. The Irish had lost around one million people after this tragedy struck the land, and the Irish morale was low. People began to emigrate to other countries and British customs and language were beginning to take over. It became evident that the Irish needed a cultural revolution to restore all that had been lost in their culture. The solution to this problem was found in the creation the Gaelic Athletic Association. While its main focus may have only appeared to involve sports, it was very influential in the cultural and political revolutions to come in the future. The GAA has been described as a sum bigger than its parts because of the fact that it involved so many more aspects of Irish life than just sports (Fair). The revival was seen by most people as an effective way to enter the modern world as an Irish nation instead being associated with Britain. Ireland was at a cruc ial part in its history and the GAA played a major role in politics and in restoring the Irish pride that makes Ireland so famous today. It is generally viewed that the GAA had the biggest impact on Irish society during this very unstable time period because it "spread the country like prairie fire." (Gaelic Athletic Association). Sports played an important role in Irish culture and it was essential to organize them as best as possible for the people of Ireland. The Gaelic Athletic Association was organized by Michael Cusack in 1885 to restore traditional Irish games that had been overrun by British sports (Hutchinson 158). Games such as hurling and Gaelic football were revived to give the Irish sports to associate... ...d that Ireland had a unique and interesting cultural identity through the works of literature during this time period (Hachney and Hernon an McCaffrey 142). The importance of the Gaelic Athletic Association can be viewed in the impact it has had on Irish society in the 20th century. At a time when Irish morale was depleted and cultural identity was almost non-existent, the GAA helped restore both through the sports and programs it created. These sports brought the Irish together as a nation and helped improve the overall condition of Ireland. The nationalistic feelings that the GAA brought to Ireland became the driving force for the rebellions to come in the near future and the political culture was legitimized through GAA influence. Without a doubt the GAA has done more for Ireland than simply organizing sports, and have shaped the Irish nation that exists today.

Symbols and Symbolism in Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay -- Heart Dar

Use of Symbolism in Heart of Darkness       Joseph Conrad played a major role in the development of the twentieth-century novel.   Many devices that Conrad applied for the first time to his novels gained wide usage in the literary period he helped to create.   Perhaps the most effective of his pioneering techniques was his application of symbolism in his novels.   In Heart of Darkness, Conrad's symbolism plays a dominant role in the advancement of themes in the novel.   These themes are revealed not through plot, but instead through the symbolic characters and elements present in the narrative.   Joseph Conrad's use of symbolism in his portrayal of the Africans, the Company, and Kurtz in Heart of Darkness illustrates the value of had work and self-restraint.      Ã‚  Ã‚   The format of Heart of Darkness is a narrative of the ship captain Charlie Marlow's experiences in the Congo Free State, told to companions on a ship moored at the mouth of the Thames River, southeast of London.   As the vast majority of the text is the story told by Marlow, the reader is intimately acquainted with Marlow‚s opinions and judgments throughout his first-person account.   Thus the relationships between Marlow and other characters in the novel are of greater importance than the characters themselves.   The actions that Marlow takes notice of are used chiefly to serve a symbolic purpose rather than to advance the plot.   The flow of the novel itself is rough and illogical at times, as Marlow's chain of thought is not entirely chronological.   This is one stylistic technique that other authors of the twentieth century, particularly James Joyce and William Faulkner, would make greater use of in their literature (Jericho 23).      Ã‚  Ã‚   The first of the ma... ...ction is not as important as the effects of that action, a world that would be exploited in the years to come.    Works Cited: Conrad, Joseph Heart of Darkness and The Secret Sharer, 1902. Signet Classic, New York 1997. Jericho, Jeremy, Tessa Krailing Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness Barron's 1985.    Works Consulted: Adelman, Gary. Heart of Darkness: Search for the Unconscious. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1987. Fothergill, Anthony. Open Guides to Literature: Heart of Darkness. Philadelphia: Open University Press, 1989. Glassman, Peter J. Language and Being: Joseph Conrad and the Literature of the Personality. New York and London: Columbia: University Press, 1976. Tindall, W.Y. "The Duty of Marlow." In Conrad's Heart of Darkness and the Critics. Ed. Bruce Harkness. Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing Company Inc., 1968.

Imagery Tone and Word of Choice

â€Å"Imagery, Tone and Word Choice† An author can establish the mood of the story by either using figurative language or through using word of choice. Figurative language means the language that utilizes expressions or words with a meaning which is totally different from the literal interpretation. It can also mean different words but that have the same meaning. Word of choice is when you choose to use words that are descriptive and specific that tell your readers what you are trying to say. For example: instead of using a word like sad or unhappy the author decides to use instead a word like sorrowful or morbid.Or instead of using a word like happy the author uses a word like overjoyed or pleasant to be specific to the readers. In the readings Beowulf and Grendel translated by Seamus Heaney, Beowulf translated by Francis B. Gummere, Beowulf translated by Benjamin Slade, and Beowulf translated by David Breeden the translators used word of choice imagery, and tone both similar and differently to be precise about what they wanted to tell the readers. There is a difference in complexity of the writing when it comes to word choice. In the reading Beowulf and Grendel translated by Seamus Heaney the translator chose to begin the story with: So. The Spear-Danes in days gone by and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness. We have heard of those princes’ heroic campaigns. † (249). While in the reading Beowulf translated by Francis B. Gummere the translator started the story with: â€Å"LO, praise of the prowess of people-kings of spear-armed Danes, in days long sped, we have heard, and what honor the athelings won! † (1). Both readings Beowulf translated by Benjamin Slade and Beowulf translated by David Breeden started somehow the same.Beowulf translated by Benjamin Slade started by: â€Å"Listen! We—of the Spear-Danes in the days of yore, of those clan-kings—heard of their glory. how these nobles performed courageou s deeds. † (1). The translator David Breeden began his translation with: â€Å"Listen: You have heard of the Danish Kings in the old days and how they were great warriors. Shield, the son of Sheaf, took many an enemy’s chair, terrified many a warrior, after he was found an orphan. (1). The translation by David Breeden and Benjamin Slade started with â€Å"Listen† but they both used a different expression towards the word. Benjamin Slade used the word like in a more aggressive and possessive manner while David Breeden used the word in a more calmly and peaceful manner. Seamus Heaney and Francis B. Gummere started their translations differently from David Breeden’s and Benjamin Slade’s translations but both of their translations were written like in more of a poetry format than the other two translations.Imagery was also used by the translators to create visual descriptive images in the readers minds. David Breeden used imagery to create a visual ima ge of when one of the characters died and his people carried him to the sea and his body was laid in a ship which was conducted by the sea with no destination. This part of the translations gives a briefly description of what occurred: â€Å"Shield died at his fated hour, went to God still strong. His people carried him to the sea, which was his last request.In the harbor stood a well-built ship, icy but ready for the sea. They laid Shield there, propped him against the mast surrounded by gold and treasure from distant lands. † (1-2). Francis B. Gummere used imagery to give us an image of Beowulf’s life in the sea and adventures with evil monsters and other creatures. The translator used: â€Å"ME thus often the evil monsters thronging threatened.With trust of my sword, the darling, I dealt them due return! Nowise had they bliss from their booty then to devour their victim, vengeful creatures, seated to banquet at bottom of sea; but at break of day, by my brand sore h urt, on the edge of the ocean up they lay, put to sleep by the sword. † (66). David Breeden gave us an image of Shield’s last death wish. He used some words like for example: sea, ship, treasure and gold. Francis.B Gummere gave us an image of Beowulf’s adventures with monsters and how they laid at the edge of the sea after he defeated them. Gummere used some words that point imagery like for example: evil monsters, sword, vengeful creatures, and sea. Slade’s translation used imagery to make us imagine or picture the hardships and journeys on the sea. How Beowulf’s and the other warriors lives were risked and the battles they had with monsters. He translated: â€Å" ‘Listen, you a great deal—Unferth, my friend Breca, told of his journey.Truth I claim that I sea-strength greater had, hardship on the waves, than any other man; we had it agreed, being lads, and vowed— being both then still in the years of youth—that we out o n the ocean our lives would risk, and thus we did. We had naked swords when we rowed on the ocean-sound. † (12). Benjamin Slade used words like for example: journey, hardship, waves, youth, risk, and naked swords to give imagery.Tone was used differently by some of the translators then the others. Some used more positive tones in their translations. While other of the translators used more negative tones. Francis B. Gummere used a negative tone in the translation. This part of the translation has a tone of negative attitude: â€Å"With envy and anger and evil spirit endured the dole in his dark adobe, that he heard each day the din of revel high in the hall: there harps rang out, clear song of the singer†¦.. riumphant, sun and moon for a light to lighten the land-dwellers, and braided bright the breast of earth with limbs and leaves, made life for all of mortal beings that breathe and move. † (3). Some words that point out a negative tone are: envy, anger, triumph ant and mortal. Benjamin Slade also used a negative tone in this part of the translation: â€Å"That was great misery for the Friend of the Scyldings, a breaking of his spirit.Many often sat the mighty at counsel; pondered a plan†¦.. against the sudden horror, to do; sometimes they pledged at holy temples sacred honouring, in words bid that them the demon-slayer would offer succor from the plight of the people. † (4). Benjamin used different words that point out a negative tone, some are: misery, horror, demon-slayer and spirit.David Breeden used a positive tone in this part of his translation: â€Å"The words of the poet, the sounds of the harp, the joy of people echoed. The poet told how the world came to be, how God made the earth and the water surrounding, how he set the sun and the moon as lights for people and adorned the earth with limbs and leaves for everyone.Hrothgar’s people lived in joy, happy until that wanderer of the wasteland, Grendel the demo n, possessor of the moors, began his crime. † (3). Some of the clue words that he used a positive tone are: harp, joy, sun, moon, earth and happy. Which makes it some sort of like a peaceful tone. Seamus Heaney translation used a positive tone in the following part of his translation: â€Å"Beyond the whale-road had to yield to him and begin to pay tribute.That was one good king. Afterwards a boy-child was born to Shield, a cub in the yard, a comfort sent by God to that nation†¦. Shield had fathered a famous son: Beow’s name was known through the north†¦. behaviour that’s admired is the path to power among people everywhere. † (427. ) Some clue words that Heaney used that points out tone are: tribute, famous, power, and admired .In conclusion the translators used word of choice, imagery, and tone both similar and differently to be precise about what they wanted to tell the readers. It is like a comparing and contrasting on what in the translation s was common and what was different. Primary Source: Heaney, Seamus. â€Å"Beowulf’. Norton. Kindle Edition. (2001-02-17). Kindle Location 434. Secondary Sources: Breeden, David. â€Å"Beowulf’. The adventures of Beowulf an Adaption from the Old English. 1-4. Print. Gummere, B. Francis. â€Å"Beowulf†. Beowulf, 8th century. 1-66. Print. Slade, Benjamin. Beowulf. (2002-12). 1-65. Print

The Nuclear Age Begins

The first nuclear explosion, named â€Å"Trinity†, was detonated July 16, 1945. Main article: History of nuclear weapons During the 1930s, innovations in physics made it apparent that it could be possible to develop nuclear weapons of incredible power using nuclear reactions. When World War II broke out, scientists and advisors among the Allies feared that Nazi Germany may have been trying to develop its own atomic weapons, and the United States and the United Kingdom pooled their efforts in what became known as the Manhattan Project to beat them to it.At the secret Los Alamos laboratory in New Mexico, scientist Robert Oppenheimer led a team of the world's top scientists to develop the first nuclear weapons, the first of which was tested at the Trinity site in July 1945. However, Germany had surrendered in May 1945, and it had been discovered that the German atomic bomb program had not been very close to success. The Allied team produced two nuclear weapons for use in the war, one powered by uranium-235 and the other by plutonium as fissionable material, named â€Å"Little Boy† and â€Å"Fat Man†.These were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. This, in combination with the Soviet entrance in the war, convinced the Japanese to surrender unconditionally. These two weapons remain the only two nuclear weapons ever used against other countries in war. Nuclear weapons brought an entirely new and terrifying possibility to warfare: a nuclear holocaust. While at first the United States held a monopoly on the production of nuclear weapons, the Soviet Union, with some assistance from espionage, managed to detonate its first weapon (dubbed â€Å"Joe-1† by the West) in August 1949.The post-war relations between the two, which had already been deteriorating, began to rapidly disintegrate. Soon the two were locked in a massive stockpiling of nuclear weapons. The United States began a crash-program to develop the first hydrogen bomb in 1950, and detonated its first thermonuclear weapon in 1952. This new weapon was alone over 400 times as powerful as the weapons used against Japan. The Soviet Union detonated a primitive thermonuclear weapon in 1953 and a full-fledged one in 1955.Nuclear missiles and computerized launch systems increased the range and scope of possible nuclear war. The conflict continued to escalate, with the major superpowers developing long-range missiles (such as the ICBM) and a nuclear strategy which guaranteed that any use of the nuclear weapons would be suicide for the attacking nation (Mutually Assured Destruction). The creation of early warning systems put the control of these weapons into the hands of newly created computers, and they served as a tense backdrop throughout the Cold War.Since the 1940s there were concerns about the rising proliferation of nuclear weapons to new countries, which was seen as being destabilizing to international relations, spurring regiona l arms races, and generally increasing the likelihood of some form of nuclear war. Eventually, seven nations would overtly develop nuclear weapons, and still maintain stockpiles today: the United States, the Soviet Union (and later Russia would inherit these), the United Kingdom, France, China, India, and Pakistan.South Africa developed six crude weapons in the 1980s (which it later dismantled), and Israel almost certainly developed nuclear weapons though it never confirmed nor denied it. The creation of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty in 1968 was an attempt to curtail such proliferation, but a number of countries developed nuclear weapons since it was signed (and many did not sign it), and a number of other countries, including Libya, Iran, and North Korea, were suspected of having clandestine nuclear weapons programs