Pond Eco-system

Sixth Mass extinction in progress: Courtesy: Man!

Bio-luminescense - Natural Art?

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2012-02/22/content_14663275.htm

Studying Butterflies

For getting funds for science projects you can consult this site:

http://www.petridish.org/

I found these interesting sites recently:

http://www.sciencentral.com/video/

http://www.geeksaresexy.net/

FOURTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SCIENCE IN SOCIETY
University of California, Berkeley, USA
17 - 19 November 2012
This Conference will address disciplinary and interdisciplinary challenges in the sciences, and in particular the relationships of science to society.
http://science-society.com/conference-2012/

Reductionism : Belief that complex phenomena are reducible to simple ones.

Imagine sitting down at your work keyboard, typing in your user name and starting work right away - no password needed. That's a vision that the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency, part of the defence department, wants to turn into a reality. It will distribute research funds to develop software that determines, just by the way you type, that you are indeed the person you say you are.

Darpa's purpose is to sponsor "revolutionary, high-payoff research" for military use. But technology developed under Darpa's auspices - the internet itself being only one among many achievements traceable to its initiatives- eventually tends to find its way into the civilian world

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/The-way-you-type-wi...

What is the difference between infusing and dissolving? The difference between the two is that when something is infused in water, it actually becomes a permanent part of it. When something is dissolved, it is still itself—only broken into smaller particles, which can be removed with other techniques (such as evaporation).

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120326160655.htm

Butterfly Wings' 'Art of Blackness' Could Boost Production of Green Fuels

Butterfly wings may rank among the most delicate structures in nature, but they have given researchers powerful inspiration for new technology that doubles production of hydrogen gas -- a green fuel of the future -- from water and sunlight.

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2012/apr/05/science-rampag...

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http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=what-science-wants...

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The magic of science!

“We recently realized that even when are sincere, the general public often misunderstands our explanations. Like, apparently, most people think that functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) shows neurons firing in real time. Obviously fMRI measures the level of oxygenated blood in brain tissue, which is correlated with the amount of glucose delivered to different neurons, which is in turn correlated with the activity of those neurons. We honestly thought people knew that. It’s pretty basic.”
Neuro-scientists

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2012/04/01/neurosc...

My reply to this article:

When Religion Collides with Medical Care: Who Decides What Is Right for You?

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2012/04/02/molecules...

Doctors and science can find several ways out. I have an interesting story to tell. Some years back when a child was brought to India from a West Asian country for an operation, her parents' religious beliefs didn't allow the doctors to transfuse "others" blood into her body. Her condition was very weak. So the doctors here found a way out - by boosting her own blood levels for several months by carefully giving all the vital nutrients required and monitoring, collecting and storing her own blood and then giving it back to her at the time of operation. In the end the child was saved.
Saving the lives and helping the needy are the main priorities. Science can find ways to do this - religion or no religion!

http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/04/flipping-icebergs/

Artists spinning science:
http://reesenews.org/2012/04/03/artists-scientists-explore-climate-...

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FOURTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SCIENCE IN SOCIETY
University of California, Berkeley, USA
17 - 19 November 2012
This Conference will address disciplinary and interdisciplinary challenges in the sciences, and in particular the relationships of science to society.
http://science-society.com/conference-2012/

http://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/why-working-more-than-40-hours-...
Working for more than forty hours a week is not only non-productive but harmful!

According to a handful of studies, consistently clocking over 40 hours a week just makes you unproductive (and very, very tired).
Bad news for me!- Krishna

”Maybe we’re just too dumb” - Nobel laureate physicist David Gross

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=secret-computer-co...

Scientific method:
The scientific method is universally used in all different branches of science and it always includes certain steps, which can be applied to any experiment:

Question/Problem: The first step to any scientific inquiry is to ask a question about something. This is what you want to find out by doing your experiment. For example, you might start with a question like “In what temperature does a lima bean plant grow the fastest?”
Background Research: Before beginning the experiment, you must research all the scientific principles involved. During this step, you are gathering together the existing knowledge related to the experiment you intend to conduct. Using the above example of a lima bean plant experiment, you might research the plant’s typical growing conditions, water needs and other characteristics.
Hypothesis: A hypothesis is simply an educated guess about what you think will happen in your experiment, based on the research you’ve conducted. In the plant example, you might guess that lima beans will grow the fastest at temperatures of 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Experiment: Next, you conduct the actual experiment. In a science project context, you will need to outline and explain your procedures in detail and follow them exactly. Your experiment must also be designed to isolate the single variable you want to measure. In the lima bean example, you would set up a series of plants to have identical conditions except for the temperature. If you varied other things besides the temperature, you wouldn’t be able to tell which variable caused the change in results. In real scientific tests, the experiment is usually conducted several times and the results must be repeatable to be considered valid or proven.
Analysis: After conducting your experiment, you must look at the data you’ve collected and make a conclusion. The conclusion refers back to your original question. For example, you might conclude that lima bean plants grow the fastest in temperatures from 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Your results do not always prove your hypothesis correct. One of the most exciting things about science is that your guess is not always right and sometimes you will get unexpected results. When that happens, you must use what you’ve learned to try to explain why you got the results you did instead of the results you predicted.

Here is an interesting story of a science (and also litt.)-inspired person :
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/Science-wedding-gets-...

His four-page wedding invite does not give information of just his bride and himself, but also of world famous scientists, litterateurs and rationalist writers along with their photographs and some poems!

He says:

The luxuries and comforts we enjoy today is because of the contributions of scientists, poets and litterateurs.

(That is what I call true inspiration - when you are deeply into something! - Krishna)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47067078/ns/technology_and_science-spac...

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
The New Scientist Eureka Prize for Science Photography
The Australian Museum and New Scientist magazine invite you to enter the New Scientist Eureka Prize for Science Photography for your chance to win a share of $10,000. Open to those 18 years and over, this Eureka Prize is awarded for a single photograph that most effectively communicates an aspect of science. What does science mean to you?
http://eureka.australianmuseum.net.au/eureka-prize/science-photogra...
Due: 4 May 2012

Judging Criteria

a. Technical excellence (20%)
b. Aesthetics (30%), and
c. Creativity in communicating a science concept or idea (50%)