Profanity to Profundity

It is an attempt to capture in words my reaction to a result of science.  It has been an influence that made me think and feel the world at large very differently from what it was before this experience.  These experiences make anyone, in my opinion, a profound person! He or she is no longer profane.

All of us are taught in school about solar system.  Solar system helps us understand our environment and quite a few of the natural phenomena.  Let us take a quick tour of the Solar System.  It is made up of planets, asteroids, and a star called the Sun.  There are five planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) among the eight that are visible to the naked eye.  Some of the interesting facts are that one can only see Mercury during sunrise or sunset and the planet Saturn has beautiful rings. 

As I reflect on the enormous space that these objects occupy and all other distant stars that are visible in the night sky, I wonder, like every curious child would, what keeps them from falling together or flying apart?  It was later in school and then college that the nuances of the organisation of planets around the Sun were explained.  It partially answered the question ‘why are things the way they are?’ 

Another question that crops up is ‘for how long can this go on?’ Will this Solar system with all its constituents, be there forever? I am curious to know, and am sure the reader is too.  There may be philosophical overtones for the reason why someone asks this question.  This in science is referred as stability of the system.  So, rephrasing the above question, we ask ‘is the solar system stable?’

Interestingly, the above question has occurred to many scientists at various times in history.  The French mathematician, Henri Poincare, answered this question in the affirmative in early 1900s.  The intuitive or instinctive answer, the “yes”, was confirmed mathematically and would not have been possible without the progress in 19^th century mathematics.  This was very satisfying physics-wise and mathematically. Personally, understanding the arguments to this effect was a great exhilarating experience.  It was a kind of bliss, indescribable happiness; it was the ’pleasure of finding things out’; it was sheer joy.

In another context, Subramanyam Chandrashekar, the Nobel laureate in Physics (1983), wrote about his experience to a friend thus: ‘In my entire scientific life, extending over forty-five years, the most shattering experience has been the realisation that [New Zealand mathematician Roy Kerr's] exact solution of Einstein's equations of general relativity provides the *absolutely* exact representation of untold numbers of massive black holes that populate the universe.  

This "shuddering before the beautiful," this incredible fact that a discovery motivated by a search after the beautiful in mathematics should find its exact replica in Nature, persuades me to say that beauty is that to which the human mind responds at its deepest and most profound.”  I could not agree any less than Prof Chandra.

For the common man who had seen all the benefits from sciences this allows him a settled understanding of his environment and to feel safe physically and philosophically!

Musings in Kannada

ಮೆದುಳು ಕೊಯ್ದು ನೋಡಿದಾಗ ಮನಸೆಲ್ಲೋ ಹೋಗಿತ್ತು
ಮನಸು ಛೀರಿ ನೋಡಿದಾಗ ಬುದ್ಧಿ ಮಾಯಾವಾಗಿತ್ತು
ಬುದ್ಧಿ ಕೊಡವಿ ನಿ೦ತಾಗ ಆನಿಸಿತ್ತು
ಮನುಶ್ಯ ಬರೀ ’ಮೂಳೆ ಮಾ೦ಸದ ತಡಿಕೆ’!!

Math Lab

"Maths is the queen of sciences", said once the Prince of Mathematicians, Carl Freidreich Gauss. Being the queen, the subject is not accessible to all but a few who are very close to her. Many are in awe of the subject. The magic of producing numbers and shapes and relationships have led to an unknown fear amongst some of us. This has led many cultures to believe that is even a sort of black magic. This esoteric subject is believed to be accessible to the fortunate few and barred from the rest.

Not any more. Many successful mathematicians and teachers have broken that myth and created pathways of learning that make this beautiful subject appreciable by everyone. Demonstrations in Maths focuses on dispelling myths related to the subject, creating interest in the subject, nurture mathematical skills, develop mathematical intuition through exploratory approach. It also helps in some measure to remove the difficulty of abstraction that is associated with the subject by providing a concrete approach.

Science through Activities

Sciences are considered to be the jewel of knowledge as they have immensely helped mankind and has been instrumental in the way we live today. Their importance lies in the fact that sciences are quantitative subjects. They help us control the environment in which we live. Further, study of sciences has led to development of an approach - scientific method consisting of observation, experimentation, model building and idealisation (theory) - that has survived the test of time.

It is known that there are three modes of learning. These are auditory, visual and kinaesthetic. The last one, is usually neglected and is left for the learner to decide its use. The lack of kinaesthetic approach has led to many a misunderstanding and a deep rooted misconception in some of the concepts. Also, some of us are quick to appreciate a concept being taught/learnt when we use the kinaesthetic approach. It is relevant here to remind ourselves of the Multiple Intelligence theory. This theory not only helps identify the strengths of an individual it also helps in suggesting and even dictating the fastest learning style of the individual.

The science demonstrations conducted by BrainSTARS (SEED Programme) will cover most of the concepts taught in the various levels (standards III - XII). These demonstrations help clarify concepts using simple, easily available materials. Many of the experiments have been designed to show the surprising behaviour thus creating a lot of curiosity in the children.

MindMaping

Research in brain sciences has revealed many facets of our thinking process. This has led us to consider the seat of creative processes in the brain. Mr. Tony Buzan and Mr. de Bono have created methods, powerful approaches, and exercises that help make this into a habit of an individual. Understanding the patterns of neuron connections that form the memory and hence knowledge in us has led to identification of a form of thinking known as radial thinking. This form when penned on paper is known as mindmapping. These days you can download a free software (freemind) to do the same on the computer.

All of us have random thoughts but mindmaps help organise them enabling structured thinking. This has been proven to be of great help to clarify concepts, ideas and their interrelationships for one and all in the classroom setting. This then must help students as the pedagogical skills of a teacher is greatly enhanced after they are trained to practice their learning in this form of thinking.

Multiple Intelligence Theory

Intelligence is defined as the potential of an individual. It encompasses all levels of existence - our body and mind. Dr Howard Gardner, in a ground breaking work identified seven different intelligences. These are Math-Logical, Verbal-Linguistic, Body-Kiinaesthetic, Visual Spatial, Interpersonal, Natural, Musical.

Each of us are endowed with all these intelligences in some measure. Some more and or some less. BrainSTARS' Programme aims to identify individuals' (teachers and parents) strengths and create awareness among them and also to help identify the same in their children during classroom/other sessions. Furthermore, activities conducted during the programme and other suggested activities should help teachers utilise it in classroom training sessions to identify, develop and nurture them on a long term basis in a child.

Sci Fest 2010

Sci Fest 2010: "Wanna know how stuff works?

Wanna know why are the things the way they are?

Come and have a gala time with fun-filled activities based on science and mathematics ..."

Contact: Brainstars at 080 2658 4118

Recently, I read this:
'Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.'

But, I cannot agree with it. Should it be not:
"Those who can, do. Those who can't preach."

Most of us use 'teach' and 'preach' probably interchangeably and is the cause for confusion. To set it right probably we should define
Preach: Those who expect their version of the stories to be heard without any questioning.
Teach: Those who accept the version of stories told to them allowing every question in the ongoing process.

Probably the words mentioned in italics is the source of misconception for the statement which we started with.

In a recent discussion different thought processes came to the fore. This kept me thinking and added few more stages of the same process for completion. All this is in my mother tongue(kannada):

ಮುಕ್ತಿ, ಸಮಾಧಿ, ಧ್ಯಾನ, ಚಿಂತನೆ, ವಿಚಾರ, ಯೋಚನೆ, ಕೊರಗು, ಚಿಂತೆ, ಚಿತೆ.

Reading from one end to the other you will find that it is like spectrum. Many people are in the middle somewhere between ಚಿಂತನೆ and ಕೊರಗು. The people at the two ends are usually rare to find.

We all know that we can only see using "VISIBLE" light. This forms only a window of the entire electromagnetic spectrum. The other two ends are not visible and appears dark (ends of the spectrum appear same).

:)

Quote - Charlie Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin`s three statements makes you think too..

"Nothing is permanent in this world, not even our troubles."

"I like walking in the rains, becoz no body can see my tears.....! "

"The most wasted day in life, is d day, in which, V havn!t laughed"

Funny Guy

This is a recent incident in which i was part of..

These days i travel in a school bus for a program with students. One of these days, I got into the bus and with the usual exchanging of pleasantries with kids in the bus I settled into my seat.

Usually, I keep a book to read during the travel. Sometimes I get into chatting with kids. On this eventful day, i picked up a chat with one of the kid and a few others joined. After sometime, I heard myself listening to one of them who said, "you know, you are a funny guy".

I was aghast with that statement. I felt exasperated. I thought what does this "guy" mean...

After I collected myself, I asked him what did he mean by that. And he said, with the same ease, "because you tell a lot of jokes".

:)

I was dumbfounded; not so much for the fact that he used a word which could mean different things. But, once upon a time, (as many have vouched for it) I was a serious, uninteresting, boring and dull person; ever speaking science and nothing but science.

I here got a remark that proved me otherWISE!!

Monkey Business!

It is an experiment that runs like a story.

Once upon a time there were four monkeys chosen for an experiment. These four monkeys were placed in a cage and a bunch of banana was tied at the top. Instinctively, a moneky tried to jump and take hold of the banana. At this time water was splashed on monkey and thus prevented from reaching banana.

Any time a monkey tried to reach the banana, water was splashed and all the monkeys 'learnt' that there is danger in trying to reach for banana.

Now, one monkey was removed from the cage and a new monkey was replaced in the cage. Knowing not the danger the new monkey tried to reach the banana. This time water splash was also not there. Yet the new monkey did not get the banana. Why?

Apparently, the three old monkeys prevented the new one to reach the banana. They sensed the danger and "taught" the new one to not try to reach the banana.

Next, another monkey was removed from the cage and a new monkey was replaced in its place.

Now, this monkey was prevented from reaching the banana by all the three (two old with experience and one new without the experience). In this manner all the four monkeys (who 'learnt' about the danger) were replaced with four new monkeys.

Lo and behold, all the new four monkeys had fear of banana even though they did not directly percieve the threat to them.

This is the conditioning of the mind of the monkeys.

Now, for the conclusion:

All of us are also like monkeys - having belief systems that are not part of our own experience. It is based on someone else's experience. It is either 'some one said so' or 'elders said so'. We would not take the risk to find out!!

Those who question this belief system have taken that additional risk and hence have a rich experience of life.

"Indecent Proposal"!

Frederick Soddy, who won a Nobel prize for his study of isotopes, is better known for his research on circles and a poem he published in Nature in 1936.

The Kiss Precise by Frederick Soddy

For pairs of lips to kiss maybe
Involves no trigonometry.
'Tis not so when four circles kiss
Each one the other three.
To bring this off the four must be
As three in one or one in three.
If one in three, beyond a doubt
Each gets three kisses from without.
If three in one, then is that one
Thrice kissed internally.

Inspiration

The lights of stars that were extinguished ages ago still reaches us. So it is with great men who died centuries ago, but still reach us with the radiations of their personalities.

-

On Improvement through generations of works

From the Manual of Warrior of Light by Paulo Coelho

"The warrior of light is always trying to improve.

Every blow of his sword carries with it centuries of wisdom and meditation. Every blow needs to have the strength and skill of all the warriors of past who, even today, continue to bless the struggle. Each movement during combat honours the movements that the previous generations tried to transmit through the Tradition.

The warrior develops the beauty of his blows."

This is so similar to the oft-quoted statement of Sir Isaac Newton

"If I have seen farther, it is by standing on ye shoulders of Giants" in a letter to Robert Hooke.

Dilemma in Decision Making Process

What would you do in this situation?

There are two railway tracks passing by a city. One of them being in use and the other in disuse. Further, a train can change track to the track that is not being used in emergency.

On a bright sunny day kids have come out to play and are playing on the tracks. There is one kid playing on the track that is in disuse. But there are ten kids playing on the track that is being in use.

A train is fast approaching towards children but the kids are unaware of it (you may wonder how, but let us believe it is so!) and the train cannot be stopped within the distance available. You cannot blow whistle and warn them as unfortunately the whistle has stopped working!

The driver of the train has two options and you have to help him decide on this dilemma:

1: Go on the track that is in use and kill 10 kids OR

2. Shift the track to the one in disuse and kill only 1 kid.

Will you help the driver decide providing justifications for the option you choose?

"This shuddering before the beautiful, this incredible fact that a search after beautiful in Mathematics should find its exact replica in Nature persuades me to say that beauty is that to which the human mind responds at its deepest and profound."

S Chandrashekar,

1983 Nobel Prize Winner - Physics

Scientific Method

In the matter of physics, the first lessons should contain nothing but what is experimental and interesting to see. 

A pretty experiment is in itself often more valuable than twenty formulae extracted from our minds.

- Albert Einstein

Likable Quote

Born to Rule, Live to Lead...

Lessons Learnt

Thinking of what are the lessons learnt so far at Brainstars...
Thinking about various aspects of education...

And I conclude...

"I am not a practitioner of science but am a practitioner of the scientific method"