Reaching There

A lot of theories of everything - that is the state of science in these modern times. There is a classical theory of physics describing the motion of macroscopic objects like you, me and the millions of cars buzzing around us.  And there is a quantum theory that cuts the atoms into pieces million million (for exact measurement check out here ) times smaller until it starts behaving like strings in a space where more than four dimensions are compressed in their wavy dance! There are a few theories out there that are trying to explain the creation of universe. Ever since Edwin Hubble observed that universe is expanding the scientists, physicists, astronomers and almost everybody else is talking about the Big Bang . There is almost a theory of everything. A theory goes that our universe is like a soap bubble in a bath of soap bubbles - a multiverse . The number of universes in a multiverse are infinite. Is the multiverse itself infinite? In this infinite universe ...

I'm not a Physicist. However the wondrous nature of the universe entices me rather than the complexity and uncertainty of the mathematics that is used to describe the rules that govern the universe we live in. Apologies to my mathematician friends but I don't "feel" the equations yet. Christian Huygens attributed certain characteristics of light, like change of speed in different medium and refraction, to the wave-like behaviour of light. Sir Issac Newton firmly believed in the particle-like nature of light based on his observations on the phenomenon of reflection & refraction. Maxwell, Planck and Einstein later provided sufficient mathematical, empirical and theoretical evidence to convince the scientific to sing the song of wave-particle duality. It's a strange behaviour to say the least, something that behaves in two different ways simultaneously; kinda like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde of R. L. Stevenson. It's a cumbersome process to come up...

I am fascinated by the idea of aliens. I do believe in the line from the movie Contact - if we're all alone in this universe, it sure seems like an awful waste of space . On a humorous side note, even Steven Spielberg believes in aliens ; didn't surprise me at all! The idea of alien seems to bifurcate the otherwise open-minded scientific community into 'Hmm-not-so-sure' and 'We-should-keep-looking'. The proof of life is evident in conditions labeled hazardous by homo sapiens' norms. In fact, Biology has a word for organisms that survive in extreme conditions - extremophile. Microbes were found thriving in extreme conditions of Mariana Trench , 11 kilometers deep and a pressure of over 1000 times we human beings face on surface. "Life finds a way", said Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum's character in the movie Jurassic Park). Despite being afflicted with cardinal sins and many more; us humans are capable of reaching highest of achievements. ...

The book of April has spilled over to May. I have been a bit lazy and busy at the same time. I wonder I am lazy because I'm busy or busy because I'm lazy! I haven't figured that out yet. The month of April started with a plan to finish a long overdue book - The Long Tail by Chris Anderson . It's an interesting and enticing concept - the long tail. Apparently you can find a long tail of almost everything; whether it's iTunes, Rhapsody or Google.  Although the book concentrates on the business side of this concept, I had a rather quirky insight when I read in one of the chapters that most of the writers (include self-publishers on Kindle, bloggers, personal websites etc) are there for the passion of writing. I can imagine you shaking your head in dismay and probably shouting "show me the money!". I would personally prefer "where's my compensation?" from Jason Bateman's character in State of Play. Either way everyone of us ha...

A while back I wrote about so many books  ( so little time ) on my list. Another point of view - so many revelations waiting to be revealed to the ignorant me, lying on my desk gathering dust. So here are the two books I've on my March 2013 list: Crisis Economics - A Crash Course in the Future of Finance by Nouriel Roubini I'm still reading it! I was curious about the financial crisis of 2008. It is perhaps the biggest event of my life. It has affected millions of my generation in a way no other single event has. Subprime, derivatives, CDOs and whole other "soup of alphabets" came into the life of ordinary men and women.  It was interesting to read how regularization and de-regularization throughout this century has brought us into this mess. Is there a single right way? Why did some of the best minds in economics screwed up (maybe the greed overcame everything else)? I hope I've an answer when I'm able to finish going through this crisis. It...

FADE IN INT: AN AIRPORT TERMINAL FILLED WITH PASSENGERS AND STAFF. THE DAYLIGHT MAKING ITS WAY INSIDE THROUGH HUGE WINDOWS. A PASSENGER SITTING BESIDES AN EMPTY SEAT. I'm anxiously waiting for my flight back to home.  It's a long journey and I don't particularly enjoy sitting in a closed aluminum tubes with three-hundred other people for hours. I'm not claustrophobic or aerophobic; maybe I just share nerves and jitters before a journey with hundreds out there. A middle-aged man comes to me and asks, "May I?" as he points to the empty seat next to me. He has a warm smile and the mannerisms of a gentleman. "Of course", I answer back with a smile. He is carrying a huge duffle bag. He tucks it under his seat and ensures it doesn't invade my space . We just share a smile but no conversation for the rest of the time. However, something has changed within the last few minutes. I'm more relaxed and take out my copy o...

All of you have heard about the Hubble Space Telescope - launched into the space in 1990, named after Edwin Hubble - who made one of the greatest discoveries in the modern science; the universe is expanding! A discovery that had great cosmological and theological impacts on the psyche of human beings. However this is the story of Milton L. Humason . A man who started as a mule driver and rose to the ranks of permanent staff member who unraveled the mysteries of universe alongside great names like George Ellery Hale, Edwin Hubble and Harlow Shapley. Humason's life taught me two lessons which I hope to embed in my mind for the rest of the years I have on planet Earth. #1 It's never too late to change your life.  #2 Change is as big as your imagination. Milton Humason was a school dropout who started working as a mule driver for carrying building material for Mount Wilson Observatory in 1917. It is said he applied for the position of janitor at the observa...