General theory of relativity

I heard that a junior to me, once asked our physics teacher,"Ok, I understand that there is gravity,but could you tell me why everything is pulled towards the centre because of this gravity?" Our teacher branded his question idiotic and the class laughed at him and called him a psycho.They even started calling him Einstein!( I wish somebody call me by this name too, let it alone be in the derogatory sense).
With due respect to my teacher, I have pity for her because she had no idea about this grand "General Theory Of Relativity". Had it not been Einstein, everyone would have thought that gravity is but a force like all the other forces. But Einstein revolutionised Physics with the concept"Gravity is not a force but a consequence of presence of mass on the fabric of universe". To understand this let us visualise a stretched rubber or elastic. Now let us suppose that a heavy object is placed at the centre of this. Due to it's mass, the heavy object will bend or warp the surface of the rubber.Similar is the case with gravity. the presence of earth, sun, moon.., with their mass warp or bend the fabric of the universe. There is slope or bending of the space time towards the masses.More the mass, more is the bending and hence more is the gravity. Mass bends or warps the space time around it and this consequence of warping of space time which slides any object near the bending, to fall into the centre of the mass is called Gravity.

Judge it for yourself

I don't want to put myself in a defined class of an atheist or a theist. I belive in the presence of a superpower and that is all( I may be wrong!).
Let me put my teacher's thoughts in this matter.Many of us are so foolishly arrogant that we claim ourselves a technocrat and a true sciencefollower. Alas, what we do is be a sceptic and a cynic all the time. We tell that the superpower does not exist simply because we have not seen it or heard it for ourselves. But let me tell you that our ability of senses are very limited. We can only see objects between 400-700nm. Who knowsif there is some higher being roaming in the ultra violet or in the infra red region? Similarlywe can hear only between 20Hz to 20KHz. Who knows, if that higher being talks in the infrasonic or in the ultrasonic range?Let me reiterate that it is my opinion that a superpower exists. I may be wrong. It may not be there even in the UV, infrared or ultrasonic and infrasonic region.One thing that I want to request is, let us not boast too much in our (limited) capabilities,let us be open minded and use our rationale instead, before judging anything. Science does not teach us to be narrow heads.Let us not just devalue science. Science is but a rationale".

My style of wishing someone a happy birthday. Part II.

More than the actions or the speech, it is the volition of the mind that matters. Let me clarify this statement.
Consider the following situations…
I have a nephew. He plays in the mud and comes home dirty. I scold him. I use words like “donkey”, “idiot”…
In another instance, I become angry with a person with whom I did not have good terms. Again, I use the same words “donkey”, idiot”…
Does the words “donkey”, “idiot” convey same meaning in the two cases?
In the first case, though my words are harsh, I have plenty of affection for the kid. In the latter event, the words that I used plainly signify my hatred and ill will for the man.
Will a sensible person consider the usage of those two words to be indistinct?

Now consider other incidents.
A merchant is going through woods to a city. He has lots of valuable possessions with him. A bandit finds this out. To get the valuables from the merchant, he takes out his knife and puts it into the merchant’s belly. The merchant dies due to this.
Another story. A patient suffering from acute stomachache comes to a hospital. Tumor is detected and surgery is recommended. A surgeon operates on him. In the course, the surgeon takes out of his version of knife (surgical instruments) and puts it inside the patient’s belly to remove the tumor. Unfortunately, the patient dies.
Let us analyze the two cases.
In both case, the victims have died when knives have been put inside their bellies. Will a judge have same verdicts for the bandit and the surgeon? Will the surgeon be charged for a murder?
I tell you my friend; the difference between these cases is the volition or intention of the mind. The surgeon uses his knife with intent to cure his patient but a bandit does the same to kill the merchant. It’s the intention, which is more important over the speech or action.

With all this lengthy stuff, I just wanted to say feelings are more important. In accord, this piece of paper is worth more that a fancy greeting card and the small gift is worth a plenty! Got the idea?

Happy * 1/0 Birthday to you. Many happy returns of the day. May your desires come true. I wish you for your good health and success.

P.S I wanted to write something interesting. Alas! This is the outcome. I beg your pardon if it is least interesting to you.

Bye. Once again, happy returns of the day. Take care.
Hemanta
29th June’07.

My style of wishing someone a happy birthday. Part I.

Please forgive my handwriting.
Well this paper that you are reading right now is a substitute for a greeting card. The reasons are quite obvious. First of all, I am flat broke (literally)! Secondly, I cannot content myself with the space provided for writing in a conventional greeting card because I always want to write long. Lastly, I want to be different from others.
Now, enough with the background. Coming to the crux of this letter, I want to wish you a very happy new year. Surprised? Yes, I want to wish you a very happy new year because I believe that the day you opened your eyes for the first time was the start of a grand era for you and every 366th day (leap year, definitely, not counted!) after that day is a New Year for you.
Umm… it seems that you don’t buy the idea. I can see from the expression on your face. Ok then, (Happy)infinity Birthday to you.
Many Happy Returns Of The Day.
Let me write something…
May God bless and keep you always,
May your wishes all come true,
May you always do for others
And let others’ do for you.
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung,
May you stay forever young.

May you grow up to be righteous,
May you grow up to be true,
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you.
May you always be courageous,
Stand upright and be strong,
May you stay forever young.

May your hands always be busy,
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift.
May your heart always be joyful,
May your song always be sung,
May you stay forever young,
Forever young, forever young,
May you stay forever young.

Let me apologize that this is not my creation. It is a song by Bob Dylan but believe me my feelings are none the different.
Lastly,
Some days are diamonds
And some days are stone.
Let me wish that you have all the “diamond days” on your part or else may you be able to turn the “”stone days” into the “diamond days”.
Au revoir.
Hjoshi
11th June’07.

Diary

Dear diary,
Today, though my day went normal in most of the regards but it has also been able to set an abhorrent memory at the same time.
I want to bash up the astrologer who had predicted that there would be good in my studies today. Unfortunately I could not be the lucky chap out of about half billion whose day according to the forecast.
The first whack I got in this regard was the horrible mark in my Biology paper. It was an abate from my expectations. The second and the most boring thing that occurred today was the scolding I got from my English teacher. Though I was not attentive in the class, the cost I had to pay was more than my mistake (I think). Knowing that I was not attentive, she asked me a question that I answered wrong (better say, my answer was ludicrous). She scolded me for not paying a heed to her lectures and getting deceived easily by others’ pranks.
I am feeling humiliated but happy too, at the same time because she has told me so, for she wants me to do well and be attentive. Dear diary, today I promise that I would not invite this type of situation again and try to do as per my teacher’s expectations.
Hemant Raj Joshi
16th July’02.

Dear Hemant,
Thank you for your sweet diary entry. If you sit on the backbench shielded by the naughtiest boys in the class how would anyone ever realize that there is an intelligent mind and a sensitive heart behind the quiet and shrinking exterior. It is time for you now to emerge from the shell and take charge of yourself. If you can write such good English you can get good marks in Bio too if you work hard and regularly. I really do not think badly and condemn you for pranks but as you guess, I really feel for you to achieve your potential not for my sake but so that you may not fall in your own estimate. Let me not sermonize but pray for you.
With warm and sincere regards,
Nivedita
19th July’02.

What is a “String Theory”?

Every particle is made up of molecules and atoms. If one probes deeper, an atom consists of electrons, protons and neutrons. Modern physics have revealed that these too are not the basic building blocks. These particles are also made up of quarks. Finally string theory talks about the most basic particles, tiny bits of vibrating loops or strands called the Strings. So small are these strings that if we visualize an atom to the size of a solar system then the strings would only be to the size of a tree.
Matter and energy are by the virtue of these tiny vibrating strings. Just like a guitar produce different tunes when plucked differently, different patterns of vibration of these strings create all sorts of matter and energy. In this view, our universe is actually the manifestation of a Grand Cosmic Symphony.
The very existence of string theory is to bridge the gap between quantum mechanics and general theory of relativity. GR is applicable to gigantic stars and galaxies while QM is applicable to microscopic particles. GR is not applicable when applied to microscopic particles; likewise QM is not applicable to gigantic stars and galaxies. The greatest challenge to physics is to come with answer as to which theory is correct because both these theories describes about the same universe and it can’t be true that both of them are correct. Both can’t be true because GR tells that the fabric of our universe is smooth and majestic while QM describes the fabric to be frantic, jittery and violent.
Before string theory came into light, the smallest particle of matter was viewed as a point particle dancing frantically in a microscopic world because of which the microscopic world is a violent place as described by QM. If strings are brought into consideration, the fabric turns out to be an intermediate between that described by QM and GR i.e. it is not so smooth or not so frantic. Thus by remodeling the fabric of the universe one can bridge the gap between QM and GR, the greatest theories of 20th century.

P.S: This is an article by a layperson. If one wants to have a good picture on the subject, I suggest one to read “The Elegant Universe” by Brian Greene.

pablo aimar

Success Is Counted Sweetest

Success is counted sweetest
By those who ne’er succeed
To comprehend a nectar
Requires sorest need

Not one of all the purple host
Who took the flag today
Can tell the definition,
So clear, of victory.

As he, defeated, dying,
On whose forbidden ear
The distant strains of triumph
Break, agonized and clear. Emily Dickinson

When you in Rome act like Roman

Having read 3 books in 2 weeks (not bad!) I feel I too can write something. Umm… what do I write about? Look at this very column on Thursday, may be I can come with some ideas by then. Hahaha!
Sayonara.