FOXP2 and evolution of language

The amazing and beautiful FOXP2 gene, which is a key element in the language development of human. Check out this link for more info: http://www.evolutionpages.com/FOXP2_language.htm

It is amazing to note that the human version of FOXP2 gene differs from mouse in just three amino acids out of 715!!!  But, I think it supports the other hypothesis that when Dinosaurs were dying these rodents went underground to save the mammal chain of evolution intact and thus the rapid development of species variety in post-Dinosaur era. So, someday mouse might be able to talk! Dr. Dolittle will indeed become a reality!! I don't think I live to see that day :-(
I will satisfy myself with this Netflix advertisement in the meantime:-)
http://www.tellyads.com/show_movie.php?filename=TA14313

Evolution of computers

The sophistication of a touchscreen phone sometimes makes me wonder how the basic building block is ultimately binary math, 0's and 1's! In just 80 or so years computers have evolved so much. Now, I can appreciate why 'some people' have hard time grasping evolution of life in earth and needs an external factor like 'GOD' to make sense of everything. Because, to put your thoughts around 13.7 billion years since the origin of our universe and make sense of the present moment is mind-boggling!!

Creation vs Creator

Liberals are humbled by the creation and the conservatives are humbled by a(the) creator. 

Conservatives argue that when you see a beautiful painting, you invariably think about the painter. While this argument holds good intuitively in many aspects of life but not to the creation of life itself. Latest research in physics show that the big bang happened without any external agent starting it. What is before big bang or start of time is similar to when people used to believe in a flat world and wonder what happened to the oceans around the edges.

Some thoughts on aliens, life beyond ours

Given the size of the universe and the high likelihood of life, the chance that a civilization exists at the same level as human is very small. If there are civilizations smarter than human, they will be so advanced that there won't be any chance of stand-off(so, no Star wars type fighting). If they want to, they will easily overpower us, but, they will probably have won over their aggression, so, will try to co-operate with us(like the E.T variety!).

One would wonder if smarter civilizations exist, why don't they visit us or attack us. One can answer this by asking a question. Do we humans care what a mole hill in Madagascar is doing? Do we care to visit them? NO. Because, they are insignificant. Similarly, we could be insignificant too for a very advanced alien civilization.

Fear of machines/technology

Technology is intimidating. Imagine the awe when the cave men accidentally discovered fire by rubbing two stones together. But, over time they learnt to put better usage of fire.

Fast forward many centuries and imagine just before weighing machine was invented. People will argue over how much a piece of something would weigh. A subjective and speculative decision making process was replaced by an objective and accurate weighing machine.

Fast forward more and imagine just before watch/clock was invented. People will argue over the current time of the day by looking either at a shadow cast over by a tree or some other patterns one might have noticed. A subjective and speculative decision making process was replaced by an objective and accurate watch/clock.

There could be many more such examples.

So, whenever I hear that machines will take over our lives and Hollywood blockbusters making money by using people's instinctive fear or insecurity, I feel sad.

From Pyramid to Circle

I looked into my crystal ball and had this moment of realization that human social institutions are mostly hierarchical, pyramids of sort. There is a chain of command which decides the tasks to be carried out, information that needs to flow down etc. etc. Democratically elected governments, corporate org structure are only some of the examples of pyramid structure. There are umpteen drawbacks of a pyramid model. The rigid hierarchy does not allow enough flexibility, it is designed similar to ecosystem of the earth where higher in the food chain guarantees better survival, it uses force or coercion to maintain the structure, only possible growth is downward which increases the distance between the top and bottom of the pyramid. A tourist attraction today, but, pyramids were built by pharaohs for preserving their body(and ego) after death by torturing and persecuting people to make it.

However, it need not be that way. Circles or spheres model circumvents all of the above problems. It is flexible, non-hierarchical, allows growth and variation, designed similar to planetary systems, no artificial force is required to maintain the system, individualistic(as a single isolated point) as well as small to large groups(depending on the number of points in circle) are allowed, growth allowed in all directions with or without overlaps. [ Will revisit for some concrete examples]

Happiness is living inside a bubble

Because people who seek truth & beauty don't care being unhappy.