The Big Picture

Two Europeans Win 2016 Economics Nobel for Contract Theory

2016-10-10T18:20:00.000+05:30

The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2016 has been awarded jointly to a British-born American economist Oliver Hart, Andrew E. Furer Professor of Economics at Harvard University and a Finnish national Bengt R.Holmström, who is currently the Paul A. Samuelson Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for their discoveries in Contract Theory. Both will jointly share the 8m Kroner prize money. “The new theoretical tools created by Hart and Holmström are valuable to the understanding of real-life contracts and institutions, as well as potential pitfalls in contract design.” Said the Nobel committee in its press release.

Holstrom's multi-tasking model shows that if the manager's performance pay emphasizes short-term cash-flow, his actions may neglect the company's long-term health. Courtesy: ©Johan Jarnestad/The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Molecular Machines Fetches 2016 Chemistry Nobel For Stoddart, Sauvage, and Feringa

2016-10-05T16:38:00.001+05:30

This year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded jointly to UK-born Sir J. FraserStoddart of Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA, a French national Jean-PierreSauvage of University of Strasbourg, France, and Bernard L. Feringa of University of Groningen, of the Netherlands for their design and synthesis of the molecular machines. The trio will share the 8m kronor or USD 932,210 prize money. The nanomolecular machines developed by the trio are tiny. They could be used to deliver drugs within the human body and have potential applications in the pharmaceutical industry. They have the potential to unleash the whole new era in the design of smart molecules.

Stoddart’s (a) Molecular Borromean Rings (Credit: M. Stone, Wikimedia Commons) and (b) Rotaxane-based Molecular Machines (Stoddart, J. F. et al. A Molecular Elevator. Science 2004, 303 (5665), 1845–1849).

The Real Measure of Success!

2016-03-25T19:16:00.000+05:30

Whether you run a 2-member organization or a 2-million one; whether you run a small gram panchayat or a mammoth Parliament, the real measure of success lies in how well you enforce TEA -Transparency, Empowerment & Accountability - and nothing else, period! – Dr. M. Sirish

"Whether you run a 2-member organization or a 2-million one; whether you run a small gram panchayat or a mammoth Parliament, the real measure of success lies in how well you enforce TEA -Transparency, Empowerment & Accountability - and nothing else, period!" – Dr. M. Sirish

Thought-Provoking Insights from the Content Strategy MOOC

2014-04-19T09:55:00.001+05:30

video credit: coursera.org

Climate Change and Low-carbon Economy

2013-12-23T22:22:00.001+05:30

I would like to share this essay, which I wrote as part of the assignment for a MOOC entitled, "Climate Change," on Coursera. Rapid climate change driven by global warming associated with human activity is seen as one of the biggest threats to the future of humanity. The rate at which the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs, primarily carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons) in the atmosphere is quite alarming. Greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere absorb thermal radiation emitted from the earth’s surface, thus acting as a blanket causing global warming. Carbon dioxide is regarded as the most important of the manmade greenhouse gases blamed for raising the temperature on the planet (Figure 1). It is worth noting that GHG concentrations have increased from around 285 ppm CO₂e in the 1800s to around 445 ppm as on today and it is estimated that this is likely to reach 750 ppm by the end of this century. This could result in an eventual temperature increase of more than 5 ^oC compared with the pre-industrial era. In fact, the planet has not seen even 3 ^oC for about 3 million years and it is predicted that a 450 ppm gives rise to around 20% chance of greater than 3 ^oC [1]. Therefore, there is an urgent need to contain these greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. Solving this problem poses unprecedented challenges to the mankind. It requires multipronged strategy involving scientific, technical, economic, cultural, social, and political elements and a switch towards low-carbon economy (LCE).

Figure 1: Figure showing the overlay of the average global surface

temperature and atmospheric CO2 for the past million years follow

a similar trend. Notice that warmer temperatures and higher CO2

levels as well as colder temperatures and lower CO2 levels correlate

well with each other (top). Figure showing the history of atmospheric

carbon dioxide concentrations as directly measured at Mauna Loa,

Hawaii (bottom). Bottom Image credit: Narayanese, Semhur, and
NOAA via Creative Commons.

What is a low-carbon economy or LCE?

LCE is an economy characterized by low energy consumption, low emission, and less polluting. It is characterized by the range of activities which emit low levels of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In other words, LCE is higher energy efficiency and a cleaner energy structure which will maximize the value and growth across the whole economy [2]. Traditional economy focuses on the continuous growth, prosperity, costs and opportunities without paying any attention to the increased emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. LCE on the other hand emphasizes the need for sustainable growth with efficient use of resources, technology and man power, which are environmental-friendly compared to high carbon resource-intensive traditional growth economy.

In October 2006, British government issued a report “Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change” by Sir Nicholas Stern, former chief economist of the World Bank. In the report, Sir Stern claims that with 1% of annual global GDP invested to address climate change, we could avoid future loss worth 5% to 20% of annual GDP [1]. He further called a transformation to LCE. According to Lord Stern, “The evidence shows that ignoring climate change will eventually damage economic growth. Our actions over the coming few decades could create risks of major disruption to economic and social activity, later in this century and in the next, on a scale similar to those associated with the great wars and the economic depression of the first half of the 20th century. And it will be difficult or impossible to reverse these changes. Tackling climate change is the pro-growth strategy for the longer term, and it can be done in a way that does not cap the aspirations for growth of rich or poor countries. The earlier effective action is taken, the less costly it will be."

For effective minimization of carbon dioxide emissions from all sectors in a LCE requires innovative solutions including new technologies and new energy sources. This will attract new ideas bringing new technologies from prototype to mass market and presents significant investment opportunities. These can include renewable energy sources such as marine or wind energy or other low-carbon technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells. Thus, a LCE not only opens up new investment opportunities but also new business as new markets emerge. Because LCE involves diverse sectors, the nature of its growth is also unpredictable unlike the traditional growth economy.

Need for Private and Public Sector Investment

LCE offers significant commercial potential and encourages private sector organizations to enter and capitalize on the revenues that are available in this area. Nearly, $2.5 trillion is estimated to be financed by the sources procuring low-carbon technologies. A case in point is “The Carbon Trust” set up in UK. Their ventures like Connective Energy and Partnerships for Renewables are a great success [3]. Likewise there are many others who ventured in this sector such as Accenture, McKinsey and others [4]. There’s a need to spread this across the spectrum rather than limiting to few large companies. Climate bonds set up recently would suit this purpose very well. Climate bonds, which are defined as asset-backed infrastructure bonds designed specifically to finance climate change solutions like climate change adaptation measures and or mitigation projects that deliver genuine reductions in emissions. Climate bonds allow governments and/or private sector to raise funds to build renewable energy generation and related infrastructure, implement energy efficiency measures in cities and industries as well as support the adaptation measures. This market has touched more than $12 billion as per 2011 estimates [5,6].

Social and Cultural Costs

Climate change impacts the economic, social, cultural, and religious practices of all people of all religions in the world. Therefore, the cost of living, moving, eating, and consuming aspects of people across the globe plays a major role in mitigation and adaptation strategies of climate change and thereby the cost benefit analysis in a LCE as well [7]. It is estimated that the monetary losses as a result of global damages related to climate change will equal to 1.5% to 2% of Gross World Product (GWP, defined as the market value of all the goods and services sold throughout the world). This is an estimate for a single, unspecified year – the year when CO2e concentrations will have doubled, which is thought to occur in around 2050 or 2060 [8]. The Working Group III (WG3) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also estimated damage costs of 1% to 1.5% of Gross National Product (GNP) in OECD countries and between 2% and 9% of GNP in countries outside the OECD.

Need for Ethical and Political Framework

The LCE does require ethical and political framework for the governments to support the low-carbon economic activities and development of new technologies. The governments are in a position to plan a long-term strategic perspective regarding the future development of these activities. The governments need to have proper agenda and plans in this direction if they were to cut the global carbon dioxide emissions. Governments need to identify the LCE as an area for global economic growth in the coming decades. The wider political, economic and social context must also be addressed. A coherent portfolio of policy measures and specific mechanisms is needed to drive the transition to a LCE and only the governments can play a critical role in doing so.

Role of Science and Technology

The research and development is a key for a LCE as it involves the development of new and high energy-efficient end-use technologies, natural energy technologies, employing innovative manufacturing techniques such as iron (steel) making techniques using hydrogen instead of coal as a reducing agent, which results in large reduction of CO₂ emissions, building highly efficient zero-emission thermal power stations, advanced atomic power generation, highly efficient electric power transmission etc. Development of alternative energy sources involve the renewable energy sources including bioenergy, which may be used to produce electricity or heat for home heating and transport through biofuels, advanced solar power generation, and wind farms. Other areas of interest include hybrid technologies in cars driven by hybridized electric motors and batteries, all-electric battery vehicles or fuel-cell vehicles probably fuelled by hydrogen or the combination of the two, etc. Production of Shale gas for example will reduce the overdependence on LNG as Shale gas life cycle emissions (especially methane leakage, more potent of GHGs) are thought to be lower compared to LNG [9]. Energy Systems Modeling (ESM) by UKERC is designed to develop insights into a range of scenarios of future energy system evolution and the resultant technology pathways, sector trade-offs, and economic implications [10].

Divide Between Developed and Developing Economies

According to Stern review, the poorest countries will be hit earliest and hardest by climate change, even though they have contributed little to causing the problem. Their low incomes make it difficult to finance adaptation. Therefore, the international community has an obligation to support them in adapting to climate change. Without this support, there is a serious risk that development progress will be undermined and also it is for the developing countries themselves to determine their approach to adaptation in the context of circumstances and aspirations of their people. Due to this economic and consumption mismatch between the developing and the developed world, many developing countries are unable to come to terms with any international agreements on climate change. The transfer of low carbon technologies – including some cleaner coal technologies - could play a pivotal role in creating incentives for developing countries such as China and India to enter a post-2012 Kyoto agreement.

Leadership and Regulation from an International Body

Taking cues from the Stern review, the key building blocks of any collective action include developing a shared understanding of the long-term goals of climate policy, building effective institutions for co-operation, and demonstrating leadership and working to build trust with others. Therefore, building and sustaining collective action is very much in need and there is still time to avoid this catastrophe of climate change if strong collective action starts now. Intense strategies are being pursued for a global agreement that will bring all countries to the table. They include funding by the developed countries in most of the investment and R&D to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the transfer of technology at minimal or zero cost to developing countries; and the developed countries to transfer funds to developing countries in exchange for cost of effective reductions of pollution. Let’s hope a global treaty on climate change, which remained elusive would be a reality sooner rather than the later.

[1]. Stern, N. Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, 2007, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

[2]. Shengxian, Z. In “Introduction of Low-carbon Economy” Kunmin, Z.; Jiahua, P.; Depeng, C (Eds.) 2008.

[3]. Delay, T. Low-carbon Economy – What are the opportunities? The Guide to the UK Environmental Industry, 2008, p.53.
[4]. Whitehouse, S.; Lacy, P.; Veillard, X.; Keeble, J.; Richardson, S. Carbon Capital - Financing the Low-carbon Economy, Social Intelligence Series, 2011, Barclays, London.
[5]. Kidney, S.; Mallon, K.; Silver, N.; Williams, C. Financing a rapid, global, transition to a Low-carbon Economy, Climate Solutions II: Low Carbon Re-Industrialiazation, A Report to WWF International, 2009, Climate Risk Ltd.
[6]. Kidney, S.; Clenaghan, S.; Oliver, P. Climate bonds – the investment case, Bond Markets, City UK Financial Services, 2011.
[7]. Kysar, D. A. Climate Change, Cultural Transformation, and Comprehensive Rationality, Faculty Scholarship Series. Paper 383, 2004, 555-589. Retrieved 20 October 2013 from http://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/fss_papers/383
[8]. Meyer, A.; Cooper, T. A Recalculation of the Social Costs of Climate Change, Global Commons Institutet Report, London, UK, 1995.
[9] Joffe, D. A role for Shale Gas in a Low-carbon Economy, Modelling at CCC, 2012. Retrieved on 20 October, 2013 from www.theccc.org.uk/blog/a-role-for-shale-gas-in-a-low-carbon-economy/
[10]. Anandarajah, G.; Strachan, N.; Ekins, P.; Kannan, R.; Hughes, N. Pathways to a Low Carbon Economy: Energy Systems Modelling, UKERC Energy 2050 Research Report 1, 2012, UKERC/RR/ESM/2009/001.

Union Cabinet Clears Telangana

2013-12-05T21:58:00.000+05:30

Indian Home Minister, Mr. Susheel Kumar Shinde announcing the Cabinet's

decision to clear Telangana on Thursday.

After intense deliberations that lasted for over three hours, the Union Cabinet at its meeting on Thursday formally cleared the Telangana draft bill bifurcating South India’s largest state of Andhra Pradesh. Addressing the press conference soon after the meeting, Union Home Minister, Mr. Susheel Kumar Shinde said that the newly formed Telangana State comprises of the same 10 districts of the erstwhile Hyderabad state of 1956 with Hyderabad as its capital. The ten districts of Telangana include Adilabad, Hyderabad, Karimnagar, Khammam, Mahbubnagar, Medak, Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Ranga Reddy, and Warangal. Mr. Shinde also said that Hyderabad will act as the common capital for both the divided states for 10 years and that the law and order machinery during this period would rest with the governor of the newly formed Telangana state. Mr. Shinde also said that a committee would be constituted which will then decide on the capital for the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh within a period of 45 days. Mr. Shinde further added that the Polavaram multi-purpose irrigation project across the Godavari River will be constructed wholly by the center after securing all the approvals from the ministry of environment and forests. The project when completed will irrigate the upland areas of Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari and Krishna districts apart from providing drinking water to the Visakhapatnam city.

An Experiment With The History Of Internet

2013-10-27T22:00:00.000+05:30

Come November, the focus shifts to the internet ─ the great significance this month has in the history of the World Wide Web. It was in November 1990 the British-born Tim Berners Lee submitted the final project proposal entitled WorldWideWeb: Proposal for the HyperText Project to CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, which led to the discovery of World Wide Web or simply Web, the way of accessing information over the medium of internet. The Web uses hyper text transfer protocol (HTTP) to transmit data and services over the internet. In this backdrop, I would like to share here my first experience with the internet and the World Wide Web. Although I worked with computers since 1988, starting with the fourth generation IBM XT 286 computers during my post graduation till the most modern ones today, my real sojourn with internet began sometime in mid 1995. It was in 1995 when I was doing my Ph. D. at a university in India. Those were the days; the internet was just beginning to take shape in the select few universities and academic institutions in India. Being a top-rated university in India, University of Hyderabad has been chosen to host one of the regional hubs for internet access, a privilege very few centers of excellence enjoyed at that time. I still vividly remember how I used to type simple text commands on a UNIX-based Sun Microsystems computer to browse the internet only to see a lengthy text in return at snail’s pace because of the prevailing low bandwidth at that time and also the images/graphics were not prevalent as they are today. Lot of browsing went with texting instead. It was an amazing experience indeed! Later on, I started to communicate through email, which came into being in late 1995. Since, we, students did not have the email facility at that time as it was just evolving; I used my mentor’s address initially to communicate with my peers in the field to exchange ideas and/or research data during my thesis phase from both within and outside the country. I don’t exactly remember what my first email communication on the internet was, but vaguely, it was something to do with a business mail, a symposium-related one that I was replying to the organizing committee thanking them for accepting my presentation at the conference organized by the Indian Academy of Sciences in Bangalore, India. In that sense, I didn’t have much privacy those days because the mails were to and from my mentor’s address and I get a copy of the print out whenever they concerned me.

Bletchley Park – the birthplace of world's first electronic computer.

Image credit: Draco via Creative Commons.

It was in Oxford, UK that I got my first official email when I moved there as a postdoctoral at the University of Oxford in 1996. It was a great experience indeed! It was here in Oxford, my exposure to the full-fledged internet came into being. It was in the historic Dyson Perrins Laboratory building (1916-2004, Department of Organic Chemistry) at the University of Oxford that I accessed for the first time some of the oldest, largest, and most modern chemical databases and journals on a daily basis on the internet in pursuit of my larger research interests. Though I visited Cambridge and London several times during my stay in England attending conferences or on collaborative work meetings, what I didn’t know at that time was the significance of Bletchley Park near Cambridge, which played a key role in the victory of Allied forces and the birthplace of world's first electronic computer. It’s really amazing to know that the entire Bletchley Park laboratory (close to where I worked 50 years later) was set up to decode wartime messages from German forces during the Second World War and the father of computing Alan Turing broke some of the highly secretive codes of German Enigma, which subsequently laid the foundation for one of the major discoveries the world has ever seen, i.e., the internet, and the World Wide Web almost fifty years later by Tim Berners Lee and Robert Calliau from CERN, Geneva ─ the Mecca of experimental Physics I would say, where Physicists from all over the world would love to visit, work, and collaborate with and while doing so they tend to make some of the best discoveries; a case in point being the discovery of ‘God Particle,’ Higgs Boson in 2012, which fetched this year’s Nobel Prize in Physics for Peter Higgs and Francois Englert ─ virtually transforming the world and the way we conduct our lives today. No surprise, World Wide Web would remain as a feather in CERN’s cap.

Internet users per 100 inhabitants based on data from International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Internet users 2001-2011 and Key Figures 2006-2013. Image credit: Jeff Ogden via Creative Commons.

When I moved to Germany in ‘97 on an “Alexander Humboldt Fellowship” at the University of Saarlandes, Saarbrucken situated next to French border; my association with internet grew further just as the internet itself. Those were also the times internet was literally growing at astronomical speeds. More and more businesses went online and so are publishers, electronic journals etc., and the way we publish our books and research articles became as simple as the click of a mouse. What was a single server when Tim Berners Lee invented World Wide Web in late 1990 has grown into quarter-million servers by mid 1996 and this unparalleled growth of the World Wide Web also triggered the rapid rise of stock markets and economic growth during late 90s and early 2000 that's when the proverbial dot-com bubble or internet bubble or information technology bubble began to burst, which lead to the crash of global markets. I still vividly remember one of those weekly group meetings where we used to exchange ideas primarily of Chemistry; one of my mentors even brought up a discussion on the internet and how fast it was growing and the total number of web pages of information internet already boasts, etc. Well, a bunch of chemists discussing about the progress of internet – internet has come of age! Another connection comes to my mind in this saga of internet and the World War II as they are intertwined in a way (vide supra), my own visit to the city of Nuremburg during my stay in Germany. The city is famous for Nuremburg Trials, military tribunals held by the Allied forces for the prosecution of prominent members of the political and military leadership of Germany. From here on, internet has virtually revolutionized the way I conduct research and many other activities (blogging, http://www.drsirish.blogspot.com/) on a daily basis just as it did to the rest of the world. I just can’t imagine a day without the internet today and in a way, it has transformed the entire society for the better. As an aside, the indexed web contains at least 4.13 billion pages as on Sunday 27 October 2013 (http://www.worldwidewebsize.com/). As per latest estimate, 39% of world population use internet. While 75 out of 100 Europeans surf the web, this number is followed by 61/100 for North America, 32/100 for Asia & Pacific, and only 16 out of 100 for Africa.

Shiller, Hansen, and Fama 'Shares' 2013 Economics Nobel

2013-10-14T17:25:00.000+05:30

The 2013 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel was awarded jointly to Eugene F. Fama and Lars Peter Hansen of of University of Chicago, IL, USA, and Robert J. Shiller of Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA "for their empirical analysis of asset prices," said Nobel Committee in its press release. The trio will share the coveted 8 m Swedish Kroner ($1.2 m) prize money for their pioneering discoveries on predicting the asset prices using empirical models, which provide greater understanding of how financial markets work and stock prices react over a longer periods of time, say 3-7 years horizon. Fama and his colleagues studied short-term predictability of asset prices from different angles and found that the amount of short-run predictability in stock markets is very limited. This has had a profound impact on the academic literature as well as on market practices.

Source: Adapted from "The Prize in Economic Sciences 2013 - Popular Information".

Nobelprize.org, and citations therein.

Robert Shiller discovered in the early 1980s that stock prices fluctuate much more than corporate dividends, and that the ratio of prices to dividends tends to fall when it is high, and to increase when it is low. This pattern holds not only for stocks, but also for bonds and other assets. Hansen made fundamental contributions first by developing an econometric method – the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM), the findings of which broadly supported Shiller's preliminary conclusions that asset prices fluctuate too much to be reconciled with standard theory, the so-called Consumption Capital Asset Pricing Model (CCAPM). Together, the three Laureates have laid the foundation for current understanding of the asset prices. When asked about his first reaction over telephone by one of the committee members, Professor Shiller expressed his disbelief and replying to a question about the predictability of asset pricing, he felt that there's an element of uncertainty and irreducible human element in predicting what asset prices will do and that's part of the reason why the field of finance will never completely understand asset pricing movements.

Chemical Weapons Watchdog Chosen for 2013 Nobel Peace Prize

2013-10-11T20:57:00.000+05:30

The Nobel Peace Prize for 2013 has been awarded to the chemical weapons watchdog, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons. Founded in 1997 and headquartered in The Hague, The Netherlands, OPCW with its 189 member states is the implementing body of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the 1925 Geneva Protocol, which prohibited the use, but not the production or storage of chemical weapons. Through inspections, destruction and by other means OPCW has been playing a buoyant role in implementing the 1925 Geneva Protocol including the most recent and ongoing inspections in Syria.

The OPCW Inspection Team leaving for Syria on 30 September.

Image credit: opcw.org

Canadian Author Alice Munro Wins 2013 Literature Nobel

2013-10-10T17:43:00.000+05:30

The Nobel Prize for Literature for 2013 has been awarded to Canadian author Alice Munro for her contributions in the literary field, what the Norwegian Nobel Committee termed as “master of the contemporary short story”. Born in the Canadian Province of Ontario, Munro is primarily known for her short stories and has published many collections over the years. Her works include Who Do You Think You Are? (1978), The Moons of Jupiter (1982), Runaway (2004), The View from Castle Rock (2006) and Too Much Happiness (2009). The collection Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage (2001) became the basis of the film Away from Her from 2006, directed by Sarah Polley. Her most recent collection is Dear Life (2012).

Karplus, Levitt, and Warshel bags 2013 Nobel Prize for Chemistry

2013-10-09T16:47:00.003+05:30

This year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry was jointly awarded to three American Scientists of varying nationalities ─ Martin Karplus (Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA, and Université de Strasbourg, France; born in Austria; US and Austrian citizen) Michael Levitt (Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA; born in South Africa; US, British, and Israeli citizen) and Arieh Warshel (University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, born in Israel; US and Israeli citizen) for their pioneering discoveries, which laid foundation for the powerful programs that are used to understand and predict chemical processes. Computer models mirroring real life have become crucial for most advances made in chemistry today, opines Nobel Committee in its press release.

Modelling of an Enzyme-DNA complex depicts the molecular interactions at play.

Molecular modelling plays a vital role in our understanding of chemical processes
in real life. Image credit: Zephyris via creative commons.

‘God Particle’ Fetches Nobel for Higgs and Englert

2013-10-08T18:28:00.003+05:30

Peter W. Higgs (left) and Francois Englert (right). Simulated experimental data showing the collision of two protons producing the God Particle, Higgs Boson, which decays into two jets of hadrons and two electrons. The bright orange lines represent the possible paths of particles produced by the proton-proton collision in the detector (Center). Image credit: Lucas Taylor via creative commons.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Physics for 2013 jointly to a British-born Peter W. Higgs of University of Edinburgh, and a Belgium-born François Englert of Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, for their pioneering research on the theory of how particles acquire mass. The theory, originally conceived in 1964 by the duo independently of each other was later confirmed in 2012 by the discovery of a so called God Particle, Higgs Boson at the now famous CERN’s subterranean laboratory, Large Hadron Collider (LHC) located just outside Geneva, Switzerland. The duo was awarded the coveted prize “for the theoretical discovery of a mechanism that contributes to our understanding of the origin of mass of subatomic particles, and which recently was confirmed through the discovery of the predicted fundamental particle, by the ATLAS and CMS experiments at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider” said Nobel Committee in its press release.

CERN's main site, from Switzerland looking towards France (Image credit: Brucke-Osteuropa via Creative Commons). Did the Nobel Committee overlook CERN ─ Europe’s and world's leading particle physics laboratory, the very organization that is instrumental in finding out the existence of Higgs boson in 2012 after a series of experiments conducted at its LHC, a particle accelerator ─ while awarding this year's prize?

“Cell Transport & Delivery System” Fetches Medicine Nobel for 3 Scientists

2013-10-08T17:21:00.001+05:30

The 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was jointly awarded to two Americans, James E. Rothman (Yale University), Randy W. Schekman (University of California at Berkeley), and a German, Thomas C. Südhof (Stanford University) for their discoveries of machinery regulating vesicle traffic, a major transport system in our cells. The three will share the coveted 8 m Swedish Kroner ($1.2 m) prize money for their independent work on how tiny membrane-bound sacs called vesicles pass through the cell compartments and deliver the cargo of chemicals to the right address. Vesicle transport throws insight into disease processes. “The three Nobel Laureates have discovered a fundamental process in cell physiology. These discoveries have had a major impact on our understanding of how cargo is delivered with timing and precision within and outside the cell,” the Nobel Committee said in its press release. Randy W. Schekman discovered genes encoding proteins that are key regulators of vesicle traffic. James E. Rothman discovered that a protein complex enables vesicles to fuse with their target membranes. Thomas C. Südhof studied how signals are transmitted from one nerve cell to another in the brain, and how calcium controls this process.

It's Official Now - Telangana Is Born!

2013-10-03T21:26:00.002+05:30

Nearly two months after Congress Working Committee (CWC) unanimously voted in favor of bifurcating South India's largest state of Andhra Pradesh, Indian Cabinet formally okays the proposal on Thursday's cabinet meeting thus formalizing the birth of a new state of Telangana with Hyderabad as the capital amidst serious protests from the people of Seemandhra, who are fighting for the United Andhra Pradesh. The city of Hyderabad however will act as the joint capital for 10 years after which new capital will be identified for the rest of Andhra Pradesh. Image credit: Rajesh Dayanchal via Wikimedia Commons.

India carves out a new state of Telangana

2013-07-30T21:30:00.003+05:30

A tv-grab of the press conference by Mr. Digvijay Singh, the in-charge of Andhra Pradesh affairs and Mr. Ajay Maken, AICC general secretary announcing Congress party's decision to create a separate state of Telangana (right). Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh is seen walking into the CWC meeting on the left.

India’s Congress party, the major partner in the ruling coalition, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) headed by Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh has finally recommended the cabinet to create a separate state of Telangana bifurcating South India’s largest state, Andhra Pradesh. Addressing a press conference soon after the meeting of the party's august decision making body, Congress Working Committee (CWC), its general secretary Mr. Ajay Maken and the in-charge of Andhra Pradesh affairs, Mr. Digvijay Singh revealed that CWC has unanimously voted in favor of the creation of a separate state and the new Telangana state constitutes the same ten districts of the erstwhile Hyderabad state that were merged with the then Andhra state to form Andhra Pradesh in 1956 with Hyderabad as its capital. The city of Hyderabad, the bone of contention between the two states and the Information Technology hotbed however will act as the common capital for 10 years to both states. The new capital will be identified thereafter for the rest of Andhra Pradesh. The constitutional process for the new state becoming a reality may take anywhere between four to five months and the new Telangana state when formed will be the 29^th in the Union of States of India. This also puts an end to the six-decade-old struggle for the demand of a separate state by the people of Telangana. Listen to the podcast below.

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The nation betrayed ─ Why a rich nation India remained poor?

2013-07-02T00:39:00.000+05:30

According to Planning Commission of India, 3 out of every 10 Indians live below

poverty line earning less than 50 cents a day!

“He is a barbarian and thinks that the customs of his tribe and island are the laws of nature.” This popular quotation from George Bernard Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra, suits India’s politicians more than anybody else. I am constantly embroiled in a battle with myself trying to find answer to the question, why a rich nation, India, remained poor? By saying that, I am not exaggerating the facts here. India is culturally, emotionally, scientifically, and intellectually a rich nation. Before, anybody else, Indians invented the numerical zero [1]. Apparently, Sanskrit, the ancient and classical language of India is believed to be the oldest and most systematic languages of the world. According to Forbes magazine (July 1987), Sanskrit is the most convenient language for computer software programming. Indians or persons of Indian origin have won Nobel Prizes for Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Economics, Literature, and Peace. Yet, this nation remained poor. Why? The answer to this question must lie with India’s politicians. They had completely let down 1.2 billion odd Indians. They are responsible for the sad state of affairs that the country is in today even after sixty-six years of self-rule ever since India gained its independence at the stroke of the midnight hour on August 15, 1947 from Great Britain [2]. Before drawing any conclusions, I thought I would examine some of the key statistical evidence on human development and the good governance, the two critical aspects of any nation’s progress.

The other day, I stumbled upon a news report on the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Human Development Report 2013, which ranks India at 136 out of 186 countries measured using the Human Development Index (HDI) [3, 4]. Put into perspective ─ this is below Ghana (135), a younger sub-Saharan-African nation, which received independence in 1957 much later than India, and has been marked by military coups and frequent government overthrows ─ and just above the war-ravaged Cambodia (138). What an irony! Here comes another startling fact. According to a recent report released by the Planning Commission of India, three out of every ten Indians are living below the poverty line earning less than 50 cents a day. The study is based on the monthly per capita expenditure (MCPE) of Rs. 673 for rural areas and Rs. 860 for urban areas [5]. According to some unofficial estimates, as many as 5 out of 10 Indians are living under the poverty line.

Is India world's largest open toilet?

The numbers don't end there. The Census data of 2011 show that more than 40% of Mumbai, 35% of Delhi, and 30% each of Kolkata and Chennai's population lives in slums, the residential areas, where the dwellings are unfit for human habitation by reasons of dilapidation, overcrowding, lack of ventilation, or sanitation. The same census also points out that nearly half of India's 1.2 billion people have no toilet at home and more than 53% defecate in the open. This is more than half of all people in the world who defecate in the open according to Asian Development Bank's (ADB) report on Asian Water Development Outlook 2013 [6], which forced India’s rural development minister, Mr. Jairam Ramesh to brand India as the “world’s largest open toilet,” and he even angered some religious groups by claiming “India has more temples than toilets.” The ADB report goes on to add that about 88% of all diarrheal diseases reported worldwide, caused mainly by the ingestion of pathogens in water, have been attributed to the lack of adequate sanitation and accounts for the death of more children under the age of five than anywhere else in the world. That’s 1.7 million children or almost 5000 child deaths a day in India alone, according to a new report by the UNICEF [7]. These are the deaths caused by the curable diseases, which could have been prevented by the proper planning and timely intervention. Aren't these deaths then caused by our insensitive and uncommitted leaders? Shouldn't they be listed as homicides and the leaders prosecuted?

Not that I am perplexed, but what is worrying is that every time a new report surfaces replacing the old one, the numbers are staggering and the ranks hitting rock bottom. According to a survey conducted by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), a nonprofit organization, more than one-third legislators of the 543-member lower house of Parliament faces criminal charges of rape, sexual abuse, and assault against women pending in courts. More than 200 others from state legislatures are facing similar charges in various lower courts. No surprise then that a recent report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reveals that since 1971, there has been an increase of 873% in India's rape related crimes, i.e. more than 20% per annum surpassing all the economic and social indicators [8].

The flood-ravaged temple town of Kedarnath [9] in Uttarakhand on June 18, 2013

after it was hit by the "Himalayan Tsunami," which is believed to have claimed the

lives of more than 10,000 and is a direct offshoot of deforestation caused by the
rampant illegal mining and mindless construction of dams in the most eco-sensitive
region of Himalayas, according to environmentalists [10]. Image courtesy: Amitabh
Nath, Aaj Tak/India Today via Wikimedia Commons.

The list goes on and on if one looks at the number of corruption scandals that rocked the country during the past five years alone. The loss to the exchequer due to these scandals runs into billions of dollars. Ironically, even the Transparency International (TI) in its 2012 report of Corruption Perception Index (CPI) ranked India 94th out of 176 nations, below its neighboring countries like Sri Lanka and China [11]. Take the case of recent “Himalayan Tsunami” that hit Northern India’s Uttarakhand state, which is believed to have claimed the lives of more than 10000. This man-made disaster could have been averted and so many lives could have been saved, had Indian leaders heeded the repeated warnings of the expert panel report [12] commissioned by the ministry of environment and forests, Government of India and other environmental organizations [13]; and not give in to the whims and fancies of politically influential sand, mining, and construction mafia responsible for the rampant deforestation of this most eco-sensitive region of Himalayas. Henry Kissinger once said, "It’s the 90% of politicians that give the other 10% a bad name," and he was absolutely right. Weren't these politicians who "ruled the roost" and held the country to ransom through endemic misgovernance and pandemic corruption? Aren't these leaders responsible for the sad state of affairs the country is in today? The buck should stop at them. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? Well, there is ─ only if all the political parties of India exercise greater wisdom and caution while nominating candidates with clean image and impeccable character for the upcoming parliamentary elections, which are due 10 months from now and give the people of India a much needed choice in determining their fate. It is high time that they do so!

Reference:

[1] Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, E. (2000). The Nothing that Is: A Natural History of Zero, Oxford, UK; Oxford University Press.

[2] Prime Minister Nehru Speaks on Indian Independence Day and related Media – History.com (n.d.) History Channel. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://www.history.com/speeches/nehru-speaks-on-indian-independence-day#nehru-speaks-onindian-independence-day

[3] 2013 Human Development Report – undp.org (n.d.) UNDP. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/hdr/human-development-report-2013/

[4] Human Development Index (HDI) value – undp.org (n.d.) UNDP. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/indicators/103106.html

[5] Key Indicators of Household Consumer Expenditure in India, 2009-10 – pib.nic.in (n.d.) Press Information Bureau, Government of India. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=73098

[6] Asian Water Development Outlook 2013 – adb.org (n.d.) Asian Development Bank. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://www.adb.org/publications/asian-water-development-outlook-2013

[7] Committing to Child Survival: A Promise Renewed – unicef.org (n.d.) UNICEF. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://www.unicef.org/videoaudio/PDFs/APR_Progress_Report_2012_final.pdf

[8] National Crime Records Bureau Home Page. (n.d.) NCRB India. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://ncrb.gov.in/

[9] The 5000 odd year-old Kedarnath temple was believed to have been built by Pandavas around 3150 B.C. before the start of Kaliyug in 3102 B.C. and later renovated by Shri Adi Shankaracharya during his time around 1000 A.D. See also The Vedic Foundation - vedicfoundation.org (n.d.). Retrieved June 28, 2013 from http://www.thevedicfoundation.org/bhartiya_history/mahabharat.htm
[10] Indian flood deaths blamed on 'mindless' construction - newscientist.com (n.d.) New Scientist. Retrieved on June 29, 2013 from http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn23753-indian-flood-deaths-blamed-on-mindless-construction.html?full=true&print=true#.Uc7r-Dsya5w
[11] Corruption Perceptions Index 2012 – transparency.org (n.d.) Transparency International. Retrieved June 24, 2013 from http://www.transparency.org/cpi2012/results

[12] Assessment of Cumulative Impacts of Hydroelectric Projects on Aquatic and Terrestrial Biodiversity in Alaknanda and Bhagirathi Basins, Uttarakhand - moef.nic.in (n.d.) Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/SEA-Hydro-Report-1604.pdf

[13] Comment on IMG (B.K. Chaturvedi) Committee Report on Upper Ganga Hydro and the River – sandrp.in (n.d,) South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://sandrp.in/IMG_report_on_Ganga_has_Pro_Hydro_Bias_June2013.pdf

The Silent Killer!

2013-05-23T07:02:00.000+05:30

The rapid surge in telecommunication industry has witnessed an unprecedented growth in the number of mobile phones in India reaching 867 millions, which is second only to China in the total number of mobile phones in use. This has led to the erection of cell phone towers by the mobile phone companies almost every nook and corner of the country irrespective of the places be it in residential rooftops; schools or college buildings; hospitals or office buildings throwing caution to the wind in every which way. The lackadaisical attitude of the governments both at the central and state level towards these companies in curbing this practice only added to this problem. For a country with the population of 1.27 billion and growing, and according to the world bank report published in 2012, the population density in India was 411 per square kilometer, which is more than 12 times that of the United States also means that these many lives are under constant threat of mugging under the heat of microwave radiation emanating from these ubiquitous towers, majority of which are illegally sited and without any clearances from the government. As per the recent estimate by the Delhi Municipal Corporation, the nation’s capital alone has more than 2700 such illegal structures hovering over the residential rooftops or inhabited properties. Though this has generated a lot of concern among the general public in the recent past, but many of them are still oblivious of the dangers lurking right over their heads. This is my little attempt to spread that general awareness among the public on the health concerns that these towers pose. This is aimed at keeping it simple without going into the technicalities of radiofrequency radiation exposure, the details of which were discussed in my earlier post entitled, "Why cell phone towers are so bad for your health?", and only highlights the possible heath risks as a general awareness campaign and a free-to-use poster.

If I were to throw a rhetorical analysis of this poster, it appeals to all the three elements of the rhetorical triangle, i.e., Ethos, Logos, and Pathos. By choosing the powerful title, "The Silent Killer," I appealed to both the pathos and the logos. The title not only appeals emotionally to the target audience but also justifies the invisible nature of radiofrequency radiation thus satisfying both the pathos and the logos. Apart from this, incorporation of various logos in the middle depicts the underlying diseases associated with radiofrequency radiation emanating from the cell phone towers, informs the general public on the ill-effects these towers pose on their health, and the lurking dangers ahead of them because of these towers thus appealing to the pathos. The text "prolonged exposure" underlines the importance of maximum exposure, i.e., 24x7 received by those living in close proximity to the cell tower. The primary colors along with the carefully chosen fonts used in this poster appeals to the logos. Furthermore, the text "Say no to Cell Tower in Your Neighborhood!" appeals to the commonplaces. Finally, the title and the images together with the caption underlines the sense of urgency with which the governments needed to take proactive steps in curbing the practice of siting illegal cell phone towers primarily in the residential areas, schools and hospital buildings thus appealing to the kairos as well.

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Holistic Management or Livestock Manipulation?

2013-05-13T22:41:00.001+05:30

In this captivating talk, Zimbabwean-born Allan Savory, a biologist, an ecologist, an environmentalist, a politician, and an activist, makes a compelling case for reversing the trend of desertification of two-thirds of world's grasslands and the interrelated problems of poverty and climate change by applying the natural principles of holistic management. Desertification is a fancy word for land that is turning into desert. He points out that desertification is responsible for large-scale migration of people, poverty, social breakdown of societies, climate change and this is only occurring in the arid and semi-arid areas of the world. Savory argues that desertification is caused by the livestock, goats, and overgrazing of animals leaving the soil bare and giving off methane to the atmosphere. To arrest this trend, Savory comes up with a solution based on what he calls holistic management or planned grazing, a planning process that does address all of nature’s complexity and our social, environmental, and economic complexity. Take a look! Video Credit: TED

MOOCs: Elements, Ordeals, and Love

2013-05-06T03:58:00.000+05:30

MOOCs or "Massive Open Online Courses" had virtually revolutionized the higher education in the recent past. To gain first-hand knowledge of this phenomenon, I decided to enroll in one of Coursera's Writing II: Rhetorical Composing course. The course is being taught by The Ohio State University's Susan Delagrange, Cynthia Selfe, Kay Halasek, Ben McCorkle, and Scott Lloyd DeWitt. This essay was written as part of the assignment, "Getting to know one another," which requires a writer to pick any three essays written by the fellow writers and compose an essay while sharing their own experiences as writer in relation to others.

Elements, Ordeals, and Love

In my previous assignment, “Getting to know you,” I wrote about “English, a universal language of mankind.” I discussed my experiences as a writer and the importance of learning English or any language for that matter in its original and unadulterated form and stressed the need for giving importance to the pronunciation in our classrooms. My commitment towards scientific writing and the importance of taking the latest research findings and discoveries to the common man was also highlighted.

While searching Digital Archive of Literacy Narratives (DALN) as part of my writing assignment, “Getting to know one another,” I was overawed by the sheer number of essays written by fellow writers. Each is a masterpiece in its own right. Reading a plethora of lifetime experiences written in a wide variety of styles, syntax, semantics, and phonology by native as well as non-native English writers has not only enhanced my knowledge of English writing skills but also enriched various aspects of my life. Choosing only three among them is not an easy task nor would I be doing justice to the heaps of knowledge laid before my eyes on my computer monitor. For constraints of time and space, I limit my discussion to three of them here.

Firstly, Karim Teresa Rochelle’s “William Strunk taught me how to write,” particularly caught my attention. This essay is more of Karim’s tribute to the great literary legend William Strunk and his book, "The Elements of Style." Indeed I could relate to Karim’s saga of learning English writing in more ways than one. I join her in paying my tribute to this literary gaint through this essay. I came to know of Strunk’s master piece “The Elements of Style,” myself a decade ago when I was just beginning to write my Ph. D. thesis through one of my mentors. Though I have written few research publications for peer-reviewed Journals earlier, most of the writing was supported by my mentors at the university. Like any university setting at the time, my role was more or less limited to doing experiments in the laboratory. I then used to present the results with the help of exotic figures, schemes, and tables and discuss the same with my mentors in weekly group meetings. My mentors did most of the writing part. But when it came to writing my Ph. D. thesis, the onus fell on me. I had to do all the writing part myself, which I did. Thanks to this bible called “The Elements of Style” by William Strunk Jr. It’s not an exaggeration to say that I learned for the first time from this book, the proper usage of simple things like comma, semicolon, or the use of colon after an independent clause, or hyphen etc. My emphasis is to learn the language in its original and unadulterated form. I truly believe in writing simple and yet effective, which I learnt from this book. I must add, I may not be perfect in English writing, but whatever little I could, is because of this book. I could relate to every element of Karim’s journey of English learning.

Hailing from India and a non-native speaker of English, my attention then turned to global Englishes. This led me to pick my Polish counterpart, Mr. Kamil A. Lipinski’s essay “The Gap.” Here, Kamil describes his ordeals of learning English in a highly Russian-influenced Polish society and how Hollywood movies and video games played a key role in his English learning process during childhood. This is in quite contrast to my personal exposure to English learning. India was largely influenced by the “British Raj,” a euphemism for the British Rule in India, which dates back to the late 16^th century and mid 20^th century. If the colonial past had left an indelible impression on India through English as the official language of governance, the multitude of languages spoken across the length and breadth of the country also solidified English as the unifying force and the preferred medium of choice in India. Having said that, the differences end there. The ordeal of learning to write and speak English remains as such. I fully share and concur with Kamil’s feelings that being a non-native speaker, how hard it is to express inner artistic self on paper or to impress the audience with a vivid narrative. I could empathize with Kamil and how he felt when that coveted prize for his poetry recital went to some influenced son of a jury member. A similar incident occurred in my life when I attended an interview for an assistant professor post at a university. I topped the formal written test and did the oral very well. Despite this, I was shown the door. Later on, I came to know that the job has gone to a more influenced person, who has the blessings of the sate's education minister. This incident did not dampen my spirits in any way. A scientist myself, I knew the importance of writing and publishing in peer-reviewed journals. The only way to do it is through learn how to write and write well in English. The thumb rule of success in scientific world is to "publish or perish" and I couldn’t agree more with Kamil that learning to write in English, the international language of science (may I add, "a universal language of mankind!") is the only way to succeed in the scientific world.

A view of a busy street in Mumbai's red-light area, Kamathipura,

Finally, my association with social organizations and my interest in social service has prompted me to pick this touching essay, “Stop Remembering Now” by Kiran Sergeeva. This deals with one of Kiran’s unforgettable experiences in her life. This is a story of a socially ostracized and a HIV-positive woman called Rekha, who is a sex-worker in one of Asia’s largest red-light districts located in India. The story was told in a touching style by Kiran, which captivated my attention. First and foremost, I appreciate the desire and passion displayed by the author to devote the rest of her life for social cause. She chose to work as a project coordinator for an international NGO that deals with mainstreaming sex-workers, their children, and HIV-positive women. The courage shown by the author while choosing to work in such unsafe environments as red-light areas; bearing the brunt of social stigma that comes with it; and even against the wishes of her parents, who opposed her initially; is particularly laudable. The details of her first encounter with a HIV- positive Rekha during a community visit and the drama that unfolded thereafter was described in a compelling manner. Author’s remorse in the end towards Rekha is worth the mention. This story captures the inner beauty of a socially ostracized and HIV-positive woman in the society. Kiran succeeded in bringing out that eternal bond of Love between a daughter and a mother, who is a HIV-positive sex-worker and wasn't even invited to attend her own daughter's marriage because of her illness. Author’s imagination and her ability to convey the inner feelings cannot be understated.

In conclusion, if the essay by Karim Teresa Rochelle’s “William Strunk taught me how to write,” highlights the importance of basic Elements of writing in English; Kamil A. Lipinski’s essay “The Gap.” describes the ordeals of non-native speaker learning English in a highly Russian-influenced Poland, his setbacks in poetry recital, and his experiences as a scientific writer. In the essay, “Stop Remembering Now,” Kiran Sergeeva delineates the eternal bond of Love between a daughter and a HIV-positive mother, who was also a sex-worker. Thus this assignment has brought back my memories and experiences as a writer and sharing the same with all my fellow writers is a great feeling in itself.

Solar flares, beauty and the Sun

2013-04-24T18:42:00.001+05:30

This week marks the celebration of Earth Day on April 22. On this occasion, I would like to share this amazing video, which gives a greater perspective of what is going on in our Sun. Solar flares are nothing but the ejection of superhot clouds of plasma from the Sun's corona at very high speeds even greater than 1 million miles per hour or simply put, Coronal Mass Ejection (CME). This intense radiation of plasma waves could pose threat to the on-board computer electronics of communication satellites and spacecrafts in its path and can affect the power infrastructure on the surface of these satellites and their navigation systems. It has been three years since NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) orbiting our planet started sending the images of the Sun. We have witnessed several things during this period including intense solar flares, planets transiting the solar face and the amazing solar rain. This video compresses these three years of intense activity into little over 3 minutes. The spacecraft SDO captures the shot of the Sun every 12 seconds in 10 different wavelengths and the images shown in this video are based on a wavelength of 171 Angstroms, and then four synchronized wavelengths of 171, 304, 193, and 4500.

The subtle changes seen in apparent size of the Sun during the course of this video are due to the changes in orbiting distance of SDO from the Sun since SDO orbits the Earth at 6,876 miles per hour while the Earth orbits the Sun at 67,062 miles per hour. The four-wavelength view presented at the end of the video shows light at 4500 Angstroms, the visible light view of the Sun, which highlights the material at 6,000 K and reveal the Sun spots and the photosphere of the Sun; light at 193 Angstroms highlights the material at 1 million Kelvin and reveal the features in the corona, the flare plasma, and the dark areas called coronal holes, where the high-speed solar wind originates; light at 304 Angstroms highlights the material at 50,000 Kelvin and show the features in the chromosphere of the Sun; and light at 171 Angstroms highlights the material at 600,000 Kelvin and reveal the features of the quiet corona. Take a look! Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/SDO

Star Streaks, Earth, & Oceans - DSLR time-lapse images from the International Space Station

2013-03-14T21:54:00.002+05:30

Here's an amazing short film produced by the Austrian photographer Christopher Malin featuring a time-lapse photography taken by Dr. Don Pettit, NASA Austronaut and ISS Astrophotographer, who uses Nikon DSLRs to capture the unique perspective of Earth from aboard the ISS. A tribute to the International Space Station Program, this video combines time-lapse footage as well as the lecture by Dr. Pettit in which he discusses the considerable challenges of photographing from space. Everyone must see this incredibly breathtaking video and I am sure you wouldn't complain what with its scintillating sound background and narration! Take a look. Video credit: Vimeo.

Caffeine enhances memory In Bees!

2013-03-11T03:01:00.000+05:30

Honey bee extracting nectar from a flower. Image credit: John
Severns via Creative Commons.

We all know what a cup of coffee can do ^__ it instantly stimulates the body and mind and keeps us mentally alert and awake. The anti-oxidant caffeine present in coffee improves the insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism apart from preventing cell damage. Effects of caffeine on human memory are unclear as some studies indicate caffeine impairs the short-term memory and working memory whereas the others contradict these results. Researchers at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom have found that caffeine boosts the memory in bees. In an article published in this week’s Science magazine, Wright et. al have shown that the honeybees, which received a natural dose of caffeine displayed preferential selection for the nectar present in the flowers when pollinating and were three times more likely to remember a learned floral scent than those which received sucrose alone (Science 8 March 2013: Vol. 339 no. 6124 pp. 1202-1204 ).

Gaint Star Makes Waves In Space

2012-12-22T11:58:00.001+05:30

This gaint star Zeta Ophiuchi, a relatively young, located about 370 light-years away, makes waves in the surrounding dust clouds of space, according to NASA experts. Zeta Ophiuchi is about twenty times massive, eight times hotter, and thousands of times brighter than the Sun and travels at a speed of 55,000 miles/hour. This infrared image captured by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveals 'shocking' bow effect produced by this fast moving hot blue star on the surrounding dust clouds seen here as red bow. Credit: NASA.

The ISS and the Spacetalk

2012-11-26T23:31:00.002+05:30

The plasma trail of a Russian-built Soyuz TMA-05M space capsule (inset) while re-entering the earth’s atmosphere on Nov’19, 2012. The space capsule landed safely in Arkalyk, a remote town of Kazakhstan bringing back to earth the three astronauts; Commander Sunita Williams, and Flight Engineers Yuri Malenchenko and Aki Hoshide from the International Space Station, ISS. (Right) Astronauts busy constructing the Space Station over New Zealand. Image courtesy: NASA.

November has been the month of space exploration and it was on November 20, 1998 that a first module 'Zarya' was launched into the space and the works began on the assembly of International Space Station (ISS) at an orbital altitude of 350 km; the final assembly of which was only completed last year. The Space Station now enters the fifteenth year of its existence and therefore, it is only appropriate to mark the occasion and comment on what is one of the largest and most complex international projects in the history of mankind. As an outsider looking into the Space and while sifting through the volumes of available information, I was profoundly struck by the enormous progress that has been made in space exploration by the human being and all credit goes to NASA and the Project Team of ISS, which comprises of 16 nations including USA, Russia, Japan, 11 European nations, Canada, and Brazil. Surely, many more surprises are in store as NASA nurtures its ambitious plans to move away from the lower Earth orbit (LEO, an orbit below an altitude of 2000 kms or 1200 miles from Earth) to deep space exploration: Moon, Mars, and beyond!

Space Station orbits the Earth 16 times a day or once every
90 minutes with a speed of nearly 28,000 km/h. Credit: NASA..

Of late, the project has been mired in a controversy and attracted much criticism from both scientific and political circles alike on the grounds of delays in completion, budgetary overruns, access to the space station and optimal laboratory facilities. This may be untrue because much of the initial phase of ISS has been relegated to the assembly and the research on biomedical, materials science, and the development of space technology for obvious reasons as maintaining the safety, health, and optimum performance of the astronauts and or the space station is of paramount importance and that the human presence in space is vital to any mission success. The achievements cannot be understated as more than 200 research publications have resulted from the direct offshoot of the experiments conducted under microgravity conditions aboard ISS.

Earthrise: Planet Earth rising over the Moon's horizon
captured by the crew of Appollo 8. Image courtesy:NASA

Isn't it high time that the Nobel Committee take a serious look at the unprecedented cooperation between the nations cross continents and the tremendous progress achieved by the multinational Team ISS and award its coveted Peace Prize to the mission. I am sure such a move would send positive signals across the international community and open up new avenues for the exchange of cooperation on a similar scale between the nations not only in the softer areas of science and technology but also harder aspects of missile defense and guided technologies and in reducing the arsenals of mass destruction thus directly furthering the cause of global peace.

Big Bang Revisited!

2012-11-17T11:06:00.000+05:30

This computer animation, created using new software called Arepo, simulates nine billion years of cosmic history. Created by a team at the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics (CfA) in collaboration with researchers at the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS), Arepo can accurately follow the birth and evolution of thousands of galaxies over billions of years. Credit: CfA/UCSD/HITS/