Science, Art, Litt, Science based Art & Science Communication

Qs people asked me on science and my replies to them - Part 154

Q: Why do we get fever and cough frequently? How can we cure them forever?

Krishna: Frequently? I got fever some 22 years back!

Okay, I understood your Q and I very well know not everybody can avoid these like I do.

Fever and cough are part of the body's response to infection or inhalant irritation and they resolve when the trigger does. We are surrounded by millions of microbes, some good and some bad. It is but normal to get infected. Fever is a defensive mechanism the body uses to fight infections.

There are thousands of different diseases which can cause a fever and an equal number that can cause a cough. The fever helps to reduce infection and cough serves to rid the body of infected material. Fever is a sign your immune system is fighting. A cough is a way to get up and out diseased mucus.

For any cure, there must be a disease. Fever and cough are not diseases to be cured. They're symptoms. The diseases are underlying, known only when tested. When the underlying causes are removed, then they too disappear.

Q: Some scientists say, 'science is never settled'. Is that true? What do they mean by 'never settled'?

Q: Is science settled? If not, why not, if yes, why?

Q: Is science ever settled?

Q: why would an intelligent person say,''science is settled", when science is never settled??'

Q: How should I view settled science?

Q: Is there a thing called 'settled science'?

Q: Would any competent scientist ever say, 'science is settled"?

Q: Is it accurate to say 'science is never settled'?

Q: What is meant by term 'settled science"? Isn't that antithetical to science?

Krishna: Just saying things without explanations create confusion. Okay let me explain it to you now.

Like I have been saying all these days, Science has two aspects:

The principles that are responsible for the origin of our universe, governing it after its origin and running it. These are absolute facts because the evidence that this universe is running on them without any hitches is itself proof that they are beyond any question.
The process with which we study our universe and try to understand it.

If you take the first aspect, i.e., the principles that govern this universe, the science is settled! It is not going to change!

But if you take the second aspect, it can be 'settled' only if the results of the second aspect fully tallies with the the first one. But because of the human mind limitations, it has become impossible most of the time. So scientists accept their limitations make the study with which we try to understand the first aspect very unsettled.

Q: ‘How much scientific knowledge a common man should have?
Krishna :

Lots of it - if you want a wonderful and thrilling life like me

Most of it - if you want a good life

A bit of it - if you want an average life

None of it - if you want a life of a living being surviving at the bottom of the pit.

The choice is definitely yours!

Q: You say science runs this universe. Can that be proven?

Krishna: Yes, using scientific methods and mathematical equations. Science is the fact of our Universe without which it cannot exist.

Q: Is science becoming a new faith?

Krishna: Science is never a faith because of the scientific method used. People of science follow it strictly to overcome their biases in understanding the universe around us and to work to answer the big questions.

However, some say - to people who don’t understand what scientific method is or how to go about in the scientific world, science also becomes faith because they just follow it without asking questions.

But I think it is a self made mistake. Who asked you not to verify what you hear or read and blindly accept it? Science or scientists never asked you to follow them blindly. It is your laziness, or inadequacy that made you follow science faithfully.

No, science is not faith and never will become one if you wish it wholeheartedly.

Science is a fact because that is what made and runs this universe. If the way you study produce results that tally with the universal science, those become the absolute facts.

If anybody turns absolute facts into lopsided faith issues that shows the inadequacy in his or her thinking, not science’s.

Q: Are sea fish dangerous to eat?

Krishna: A paper, published in Nature Geoscience, pinpoints the difference in mercury levels in shallow and deep-water fish as in the amount of sunlight to which the animals are exposed and proposes that most of the mercury that humans consume is produced in the deep ocean. The researchers propose that the findings will be critical in assessing which fish are safe to eat as the mercury content of the Pacific Ocean changes over the next few decades.

"How atmospheric mercury deposited in the surface ocean will impact fish mercury levels (and how it will change over time) requires understanding the mechanisms controlling the depths at which elemental mercury is transformed to organic mercury,” says Brian Popp, professor of geology and geophysics at UH Manoa and a co-author on the paper.

The process through which mercury ends up in fish bedding on supermarket ice shavings begins with oceanic bacteria in the deep, dark ocean. These microbes convert mercury from the atmosphere into monomethylmercury, a form of the compound especially toxic to humans that can accumulate in animal tissue. Little fish snack on those bacteria, taking in that organic compound. Big fish then feast on those little fish, building up mercury in their own bodies – and build up, and build up, since these large fish live long lives packed with mercury-laden meals.

Some studies have indicated that high levels of mercury in pregnant or breastfeeding women have been linked to cognitive problems in their children.

Scientists had for a while now known that fish that feed in deep waters, where those bacteria are found, are more toxic than shallow water fish: in 2009, Popp and colleagues from University of Hawaii, Manoa, reported that big fish culled from large depths have higher mercury concentrations than fish harvested in shallower waters. Depth was important .

Booming Asian coal factories – the newest culprits in churning out the compound – are sending more and more mercury into the atmosphere. That mercury ends up in bacteria, and then gets carried up the marine food chain to humans. Research suggests that the Oceans' intermediate depths are becoming increasingly polluted with emissions from those enterprises.

Fish with the highest levels of mercury include: the King Mackerel, Marlin, Orange Roughy, Shark, Swordfish, Tilefish, Bigeye, and Ahi Tuna. Tuna is the biggest threat to human health, as a popular fish with a high mercury content. Safer choices with less than 0.09 parts per million of mercury include: Catfish, Tilapia, Whitefish, Haddock, Herring, Flounder, and Salmon.

So high end consumers of the sea, i.e., big fish that are found to feed in deeper parts of the oceans contain higher amounts of mercury (1) which can cause health problems when consumed.

Q: Why don't NLP trainers get that NLP is pseudo-science?

Krishna: Yes, you are right. NLP is pseudo-science. But, ‘if you can make some money using people’s ignorance and susceptibility’, some people think, ‘yes why not’?

Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is a way of changing someone's thoughts and behaviors to help achieve desired outcomes for them. If you have anxieties and phobias some people say they can treat you by using NLP. But the neuro-scientists I spoke to expressed their reservations regarding NLP's efficiency.

There is no genuine evidence that NLP works. And anecdotal evidence doesn't count in science. The lack of formal regulation and NLP's commercial value mean that claims of its effectiveness can be anecdotal or supplied by an NLP provider. NLP providers will have a financial interest in the success of NLP, so we cannot use their evidence.

Research on NLP has produced mixed results.

Some studies have found benefits associated with NLP. For example, a study published in the journal Counselling and Psychotherapy Research found psychotherapy patients had improved psychological symptoms and life quality after having NLP compared to a control group ( I must add here that psychology is a controversial subject and most of the results obtained in the subject were found to be not reproducible and therefore is not considered as true science by many).

However, a review published in The British Journal of General Practice of 10 available studies on NLP was less favorable. It concluded there was little evidence for the effectiveness of NLP in treating health-related conditions, including anxiety disorders, weight management, and substance misuse. This was due to the limited amount and quality of the research studies that were available, rather than evidence that showed NLP did not work.

In 2014, a report by the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technology in Health found no clinical evidence for the effectiveness of NLP in the treatment of PTSD, GAD, or depression.

However, a further research review published in 2015 did find NLP therapy to have a positive impact on individuals with social or psychological problems, although the authors said more investigation was needed.

The theoretical basis for NLP has also attracted criticism for lacking evidence-based support.

A paper published in 2009 concluded that after three decades, the theories behind NLP were still not credible, and evidence for its effectiveness was only anecdotal.

A 2010 review paper sought to assess the research findings relating to the theories behind NLP. Of the 33 included studies, only 18 percent were found to support NLP's underlying theories.

So, despite more than 4 decades of its existence, neither the effectiveness of NLP or the validity of the theories have been clearly demonstrated by research. Also, it is worth noting, that research has mainly been conducted in therapeutic settings, with few studies into the effectiveness of NLP in commercial environments and therefore, are highly unreliable. Studying how well NLP works has several practical issues as well, adding to the lack of clarity surrounding the subject. For example, it is difficult to directly compare studies given the range of different methods, techniques, and outcomes. Human psychology differs from person to person and therefore you don't get uniform results in psychology and it is difficult to establish facts. Moreover, we cannot rely on commercial establishments' research as it would definitely biased towards their business.

Without valid scientific evidence, I will not recommend it. No genuine scientist or doctor would recommend it either.

Now it is up to you to decide whether to go for it or not.

Q: why isn't astrology being taught in universities while astronomy is?

Krishna: Because astrology is pseudo-science ( Why Astrology is Pseudo-science ).

Astronomy is real science. Pure and simple.

However, some people are trying to prove astrology as science too. Read here how:

Can courts decide what is science and what is not? If they do, is t...

Q: What is the science behind Brahmastra?

Krishna: Imaginary astras don’t have science behind them. Just creative descriptions. To avoid accepting the facts some people escape into alternative worlds by saying, ‘It is a spiritual science that is beyond the reach of we kaliyuga people’.

A fictional or mythological story is just what it is. Don’t try to think it is true. Come out of these delusions.

Q: Will science in the future conclude whether soul, rebirth., etc., exist or not?

Krishna: We already have some idea. Read here what it is: Soul?! What is it according to science and scientists?

Q: What is the science of supernatural known as?

Krishna: Synonyms: Hoax, myths, beliefs, perceptions, anecdotes, magic, paranormal

Fun related words: TV documentaries, movies, plays, music

Science: pseudo-science.

Q: Earlier in villages we had so many supernatural things occurring that we don't hear as regularly as now. Why?

Krishna: Why? Because science has replaced supernatural in most of the cases. People started understanding things as they should be really understood now.

Q: Why is it important to share research results?

Krishna:

Science is built upon earlier knowledge. Only if you share it, can people improve it.
People need to know certain things to use them. Unless you share your research work, how can people use it?
People need to reproduce your results to authenticate them.
People don’t even know that the work had already been done on a topic until you share it. They keep trying things again and waste their time and resources.

Q: What is the scientific reason behind making kheer on Sharad Purnima at night and keeping it in the moonlight and consuming the next day?
Krishna : There is no scientific reason. It just is a cultural and traditional belief and practice that has no scientific basis.

Q: why are ghosts revenge talking?

Krishna: If you watch movies and TV serials and think all that you saw ‘s real, and when your imagination goes wild, you can imagine and get as many reasons as you want. Go ahead and have wild imaginations. You will get an answer atleast in your imagination, if not in reality.

Q: Why should we trust science? How has science shifted our sense of identity? What do we know about Ph.D. scientists' career paths?

Krishna:

Why should we trust science?

I can give you several reasons to trust science. Like this: Standing Up For Science : Showing Reasons Why Science Should Be Tru...

How has science shifted our sense of identity?

If your sense of identity has to do with who you think you are and how you perceive yourself, if It's about how you define yourself, if Self esteem is how you value yourself, if It has to do with your sense of self-worth, yes, scientific knowledge has increased our self esteem and our self worth by taking us from irrationality to rationality, from darkness to light from despair to confidence, from hopelessness to unbelievable possibilities.

What do we know about Ph.D. scientists' career paths?

That depends on several things. Your confidence, your subject, your abilities, your knowledge, your creativity … the list goes on …

Q: Can certain superstitions surprisingly help us somehow?

Krishna: What an unrealistic hope?!

Most superstitions can only harm people who follow them. But I have heard strange stories where people tried to connect things that have no relevance at all, perceived and interpreted happenings to support and authenticate their beliefs, and boasted that what they did 's right and got tremendous satisfaction while doing so.

This is a strange world where everybody thinks what they are doing is right and can confidently go wrong! Funny!

Q: What are some Qs that science cannot answer, but spiritual scriptures can?

Krishna: None! Yes, you heard it right.

Spiritual scriptures are perception based. Perception need not be evidence or fact based. If the answers are not evidence based, they cannot be facts or what religious people call ‘truths’.

If you want answers to be very accurate, you have to go to science, there is no other go.

Science has two aspects:

The principles that are responsible for the origin of our universe, governing it after its origin and running it. These are absolute facts because the evidence that this universe is running on them without any hitches is itself proof that they are beyond any question.
The process with which we study our universe and try to understand it.

To overcome the inadequacies in the second aspect, scientists invented the scientific method. Despite that this second one can go wrong sometimes because of human mind limitations.

But the moment the second aspect results match with the first one during the second process, you get an absolute answer to your question!

So, only science can provide the right answers, no matter how much you argue against it, facts are facts.

Q: In general, do women like math and science just as much as men if they are encouraged as much as men?

Krishna: Yes, yes, yes, and yes! If it is true for me, it can be true for others too. I not only like science, but very passionate about it. I eat, drink, think, sleep, breathe, read, follow and promote it every moment of my life.

There is a general thought that women don’t like science. Yes, some find it difficult to deal with it too but this is true for both boys and girls.

Girls were made to sit at home for centuries. Not many opportunities were given to them for their brains to form new circuits. This might make them fear some things and make it difficult to understand complex things and in a better way. But if you give them equal opportunities, they can excel in complex things too like we are proving now.

We love science. In my case I love science more than I love … ! :)

Q: Is Karwa Chauth just a product of patriarchy, or is there some science behind it?

Krishna: There is no science behind it. It just is a cultural belief leaning towards patriarchy.

Q: How can we identify fake science news? How can we stop it from spreading?

Q: How can fake news science stories harm us?

Krishna: I wrote on this. You can read my tips here: https://kkartlab.in/group/some-science/forum/topics/how-to-trust-sc...

Do your own online search before believing something, especially if it makes an astounding claim. “Look for facts reported by credible news outlets that either back up or refute the central claims in the story at hand.”

Credible news outlets generally have a reputation for truthful and accurate reporting. They identify specific sources of their information. And they follow a code of ethics that calls for honesty, corrections of errors and more. Websites that merely repeat the same claim as another website’s article — sometimes word-for-word — don’t count. When in doubt, always think before you share or consult an expert before you share.

Fake-news stories hurt people in other ways, too. False reports lead some parents to refuse vaccines for their children. Yet without vaccines, children can get deadly diseases. False stories about birth control can result in unplanned pregnancies or illness. Made-up stories about ethnic groups can lead to more discrimination. They make you lose confidence in experts because you start doubting them after hearing the fake news. Some even stopped trusting all science altogether!

Fact-checkers don’t just click on the first hits that come up in their online searches. They have “click restraint.” They scroll through pages of results and scan the short sentences shown for each hit. That helps them judge which to read first and which to ignore.

Critical thinking combines fact finding, reasoning and a questioning attitude to form independent judgements, instead of just accepting arguments from others at face value.

On the whole you should have the right knowledge, attitude and skills to check facts and decide what to believe and share and what not!

Q: What does Damar Tantra mean? Can it be used to cure diseases too?

Krishna: First let me answer the second Q: No, auto-urine therapy is pseudo-science. There are no medical or scientific data to support this dubious practice, but it has roots in history and in some religious and spiritual traditions.

Some people use it thinking that it can ‘cure’ certain diseases like cancer! If we could eradicate cancer with “Urine therapy” that would be a miracle! And miracles don’t occur 99.99% of the time!

While it is true that urine can contain tumor antigens, there is no evidence to show that drinking, massaging with, bathing in, or any other application of urine will stimulate antibody production or in any way fight off a cancer. The quantities of substances, including tumor antigens, present in urine are typically minuscule compared with those already present in the blood and elsewhere in the body. The bottom line is that drinking urine has no known medical benefit.

Contrary to the claims of alternative therapies that say urine has curative powers, urologists and nephrologists say that the increasing concentration of toxins will quickly do more harm than good.

Now the answer to the first Q: Damar Tantra is an ancient Sanskrit work about therapeutic system 'Shivambu', i.e. auto urine therapy. T It is asserted in Damar Tantra that all diseases can be cured by the regular use of one's own urine.

While the first one is science, the second one is pseudo-science.

Q: I have a question in my science book that tourists have been banned from visiting some historic sites where there are cave paintings. Why does this happen?

Krishna: Historic cave paintings are very precious. We need to protect them. Wherever people are there there will be carbon dioxide, heat, humidity, and other contaminants produced by visitors that damage the paintings.

Moreover, some miscreants deliberately damage historical places just for fun.

It is better to keep irresponsible people out of significant places to protect them.

Q: How do I do research? What questions should one have in the mind of a scientist when studying about a topic?

Krishna:

I personally think - and several of my colleagues agree with me on this - you cannot teach someone to become a scientist. The desire should come from within. When you have that fire in your belly, you automatically know what to do and how to go about research in science.

If you teach or train students on this, like it is happening in some labs, people are losing interest quickly, becoming unsuccessful, and the constant spoon feeding is making them non-creative and substandard.

In the field of scientific research everyone has to find his own topic, ways and means to go about it, what to do and what not to do.

The moment you expect constant help, you are a lost person.

Anyway, read this write-up that might help you by clicking on the link: The specific traits of a scientific mind

How to do research and write research papers

More question on how to do research and my replies to them

Q: what is normative science?

Krishna: In the applied sciences, normative science is a type of information that is developed, presented, or interpreted based on an assumed, usually unstated, preference for a particular policy or class of policies.

Q: Why do people love watching the sunrise at different places? Isn't it all the same?

Krishna: No it isn’t the same!

Each background shows a different picture. Sun rising from the valley in between two mountains is completely different from sun rising from behind the ocean. Sun rising in a village atmosphere is different from that of a city sun rising.

Likewise, atmospheric composition, like humidity and pollution levels of a place, show different shades of colours in a sunrise or a sunset. This is because the colours of the sunset result from a phenomenon called scattering. Molecules and small particles in the atmosphere change the direction of light rays, causing them to scatter. Scattering affects the colour of light coming from the sky, but the details are determined by the wavelength of the light and the size of the particle.

Pollution subdues the colours and that is why city sunrises are not very bright whereas wilderness sunrises are very bright.

That is why in some places, you get very dark crimson shades and in some places, you get light shades or orange.

Sunrises near equators are very bright where as a in the northern hemisphere they will be lighter. During summers you get brighter sunrises than during winter.

If yous view sunrises through the clouds, they show a different picture than the one seen in the clear skies. Different clouds give different shades to colours of the sunset.

In volcanic areas again you get different shades of sunrises and sunsets because of the scattered particles in the atmospheres. Therefore the sunrise and sunset colours in Indonesia or Japan might differ from that of the Indian ones.