If passion can be guiding force to pursue anything although it is not profitable, then Oriya scientist, late Dr Dhirendra Narayan Nanda’s life story holds good for this notion. He invented Quantum theory but his work went unnoticed in his own soil.

DR DHIRENDRA Narayan Nanda, the inventor of Quantum theory is one of the nominees for the Science Award this year to be given by the Orissa Vigyan Akademi. Although Nanda’s scientific achievements have been appreciated worldwide, he is still an unknown figure in the state, even nine years after his death.

Born and brought up in Bhadrak, Nanda was determined and sincere in studies since his childhood. He evinced interest in homeopathy during his college days and did research work in the same field. The discovery in homeopathy helped him to know the reason for the slow but sure actions of the homeopathic medicines. Later, he left a flourishing career in chemistry to take up the cause of research work. His initial efforts were to develop the Quantum theory.

Nanda joined Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur as a research scholar and received a scholarship award by the American Chemical Society as the best graduate. In 1974, he did his Ph D there, and three years later, joined Hanover University as a post-doctoral researcher. Famous scientist Prof Karl Jug hailed his theory of SINDO1, who was impressed with Nanda’s work, as at least five scientists had worked in this field before him but failed to come up with what the Oriya scientist achieved.

Man… how come this kind of thing can be happened?
I really don’t understand.

Read here for more info.

This is a great book about Einstein and how science gets done, or sometimes doesn’t get done. As for Big Al’s eccentricities and quirks, I would sum them up as being a combination of self-indulgence and a great work ethic. That is not so rare, but the way Einstein carried it off created a peculiar stereotype for scientists that often hits the mark.

No doubt it was very well researched, and includes new details uncovered from Einstein’s letters recently made available for the public. Very well written, and Isaacson ability to explain complex science is outstanding, although my guess is that more than a bit of basic knowledge of physics is required to fully grasp the scientific discussions of relativity, quantum mechanics and the like.

While there are parts of the discussion of Einstein’s theories that would a tough read for anyone not already grounded in the subject, for the most part, Isaacson makes the science that Einstein helped developed understandable. Most importantly, though, the book isn’t just a history of science, but a history of a very fascinating man.

Many of us know how to pronounce and spell it but not many realize about the actual meaning of science. Actually, science (from the Latin scientia, ‘knowledge’), in a historical sense, refers to any systematic knowledge or practice. The modern use of the term refers to a system of acquiring knowledge based on the scientific method, as well as to the organized body of knowledge gained through such research; the more general meaning continues to be common in European usage, however.

Fields of science are commonly classified along two major lines:

* Natural sciences, which study natural phenomena (including biological life), and
* Social sciences, which study human behavior and societies.

The history of science is marked by a chain of advances in technology and knowledge that have always complemented each other. Technological innovations bring about new discoveries and are bred by other discoveries which inspire new possibilities and approaches to longstanding science issues.

Investing in science and technology is critical to ensuring prosperity and a high quality of life. Scientists are at the forefront of the development of scientific and technological innovations. The primary objectives of these professionals are to create and develop novel research that can be used to solve problems for both the states’ populations, as well as individual entities like companies.

Science as discussed in this article is sometimes termed experimental science to differentiate it from applied science, which is the application of scientific research to specific human needs, though the two are often interconnected.

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Energy saving light bulbs can trigger migraines, health experts and charities warned last night. They have been inundated with complaints about the fluorescent bulbs, which are due to become compulsory in homes within four years.

Campaigners are calling for the Government to allow an opt-out for people with health problems so they can continue to use old-style bulbs. The warning follows concerns that eco-bulbs can trigger dizziness, loss of focus and discomfort among people with epilepsy. There have also been complaints from people with lupus - an auto-immune disease causing many symptoms including pain.

Low energy lightbulbs are miniature versions of the fluorescent strip lights common in offices and kitchens. The latest generation are the size of conventional incandescent bulbs with a filament, but use just a quarter of the energy.

Although they are often five times the cost of old-fashioned bulbs, they use around a quarter of the energy and can pay for themselves within months. Critics, however, say the technology is still not up to scratch. Many complain the light is cold or green, and they take up to a minute to warm up properly, and because they are fluorescent, they flicker.

Man…I’m using it at my home. Should I throw it away?

This is the a great post from Lewis Smith from Timesonline.com. I think this type of post really can suit with this blog because it’s about science.

This time the Edge Foundation asked a number of leading scientists and thinkers why they had changed their minds on some of the pivotal issues in their fields. The foundation, a chat forum for intellectuals, posed the question: “When thinking changes your mind, that’s philosophy. When God changes your mind, that’s faith. When facts change your mind, that’s science. What have you changed your mind about? Why?”

The group’s responses covered controversial issues, including climate change, whether God or souls exist and defining when humanity began.

Todd Feinberg
Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the US

“I have come to believe that an individual consciousness represents an entity that is so personal and ontologically unique that it qualifies as something that we might as well call ‘a soul’.”

He previously believed that the notion of a soul was a fanciful religious invention but became convinced that the brain and the mind could be regarded as separate, though dependent, entities. He says that the soul dies with the body.

Daniel Gilbert
Professor of Psychology, Harvard

“Six years ago I changed my mind about the benefit of being able to change my mind. The willingness to change one’s mind is a sign of intelligence, but the freedom to do so comes at a cost.”

In 2002 he and Jane Ebert discovered that people were usually happier with decisions that they could not change because they concentrated on the positive aspects. When thinking about reversible decisions they were more objective. The finding, he said, suggested that marriage could prompt love, so he proposed to his girlfriend: “She said yes, and it turned out that the data were right: I love my wife more than I loved my girlfriend.”
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Do you know who is Pooja Dholakia and Riddhi Dasani?
Have you heard of their name before?

Well, they are among the famous student in India because they managed to invent an eco-friendly sketch pen inks. Yup, they just like any other Class IX students, except for the fact that they are also innovators. The two young girls from S G Dholakia School have invented six natural eco-friendly ink colours by crushing beat roots, turmeric and coriander and a motley of other vegetables, for use in sketch pens and markers, to replace the regular petrochemical based inks currently in use.

Their efforts have certainly paid off. At the three-day national science fair organised by the Ministry of Science and Technology, CII and chipmaker Intel at Pune, their project bagged the first prize among the six final short-listed from 115.

A total of 1,400 projects were in the fray for selection by a team of 40 academicians, researches and scientists from across India.

The teenage girls are now all set to showcase their invention along with students of 40 other countries, at Atlanta, in the US, next March.
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