Flash of miracle or just a natural phenomenon!

It all started with a digital election glitch in a locale in Brussels in 2003. The officials realised that an unpopular local candidate secured more than the vote she should. The number 4096 struck a chord with the IT personnel but passed it off as teething problems of digital voting. That is the number of votes that the computers accidentally added to her tally.

A further assessment suggested that 4096 is 2 to the power of 12 (2¹²). As input into the computers is in multiples of 2 (2⁰, 2¹, 2²....2¹¹,2¹²...), somehow the part (bit) which controlled (2¹²) got lit. Hence, this flip caused the addition of 4096 to the tally. 

Now, the challenge was to ascertain where the surge to this flip came about. Investigators were soon made aware of similar unexplainable occurrences in the airline and automobile industries. There were instances where autopilot settings had to see re-set as it had gone berserk. There was even a plane that suddenly plunged into the ocean. Aircraft, as they were up in the sky, are exposed to cosmic rays. That was thought to have caused computer malfunctions, and necessary preventive measures were put in place.

When Toyota car owners were braking for their lives as computerisation started setting in into their cars at the turn of the century. Faulty electronics perpetuated by single bit flip caused by cosmic rays was suggested as a possible cause for the sudden unintended acceleration of vehicles. Toyota settled out of court and improved its computer system. They started more inputs to control a particular function.

Scientists extrapolated that these rogue 'rays' which arise from the Sun or possibly outside the Solar system (supernovas) were the aetiology for these glitches. These energy-carrying galactic cosmic rays have the capacity to work miracles. With more and more minute components in our digital devices, more puzzling events may soon become the norm. 

Now, just a thought. Since everyone believes the beginning of life heralds the handiwork of the entity of 'God' as some know it or 'Big Bang' as others refer to it and everything that happens as the effect of this, Biggs-Boson particle and all, are these cosmic rays akin to the miracle of 'God'? Are the rays like angels, djinns, daemons or fairies that are sent as messengers to Earth to save or create mayhem? Are these fragments of energy from the beginning of time arriving at sporadic intervals pure 'divine interventions' as they are the closest to what we call as 'The Maker'?

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Awful waste of space?

Cosmos: A Personal Voyage (Documentary; 1980)
Creator, Presenter: Carl Sagan


It all probably started over 13 billion years ago. A mammoth explosion which sent energy expanding across the universe gave light and mass. This expansion of space after the blast, by all accounts, is likely to be still ongoing as seen by the Doppler effect visible in the telescopic visualisation of distant stars. In cosmic terms, time probably started at that juncture. Then there was nothing for a very long time. Slowly with the cooling of the system, galaxies and stars came around. The earlier stars had short shelf lives. Their burning out of hydrogen fuels gave rise to other heavier atoms and supernovas that became the seed of our existence.

With carbon and oxygen came the blueprint of existence, water. By trial, chance and selection, the seed of life began. Slowly unicellular, then multicellular and complex creatures formed. DNA was found by Nature for continuity of life. With time a primitive reptilian brain evolved. As reptilian started becoming land creatures, some species developed more complex brain and a conscience.

These species of creatures turned out to be the most successful of nature's creations. They started exploring beyond their backyards. Some, however, refuse to use their new found neo-frontal cortex for the betterment of all of the universal's accidents but instead feel contented to let their actions be dictated by the primitive reptilian brain.

Carl Sagan

They refuse to see their short-sighted view of instant short-term gratification. They fail to look at the fate that may befall them when deadly nuclear arsenals are hurled at each other. The uninhabitable nature of our neighbouring planets in the solar system should forewarn our leaders of the future that awaits us.

For times immemorial, people have shunned from knowledge, critical thinking and use of science to learn about ourselves. Again and again, the wealth of knowledge and scientific discoveries have been destroyed in the name of nonsensical belief and in the haste of wanting to enrich themselves and usurping power. Events in Alexandria and Nalanda are the testimony of these atrocities.

We, as human beings, do not indeed have the higher intelligence to live together in harmony with possible other life forms in the Universe. Talking about the possibility of finding another lifeform in the Cosmos, it appears like a Herculean task. We are however making strides towards this end. Multiple probes and spacecraft are apparently showing positive signs, according to scientists. We are working towards 'contact', not now, but perhaps for generations to come. The Universe is, after all, hell of a big space. 

https://asok22.wixsite.com/real-lesson 

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Beginning of life?

Sculpture depicting the churning of the ocean at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok, Thailand

Now that everyone can fly, everyone has a chance to see the wonders of nature and man made structures near and far! A point in question is the mammoth man made structure in Swarnabumi airport in Bangkok. Incidentally, 'Swarnabumi' is a Sanskrit word meaning 'land of gold'. It was initially used by Indian traders to describe the strip of land protruding from the mainland of south east of Asia, i.e.peninsular of Malaya.

The giant elaborate structure depicts an event in Hindu scripture (Puranas) of Lord Vishnu's second avatar. It all started when the God of Sky (Indra) was given a garland by a passing sage. Indra placed on his elephant's trunk who threw it away because of the strong scent. The sage, angered by this action of throwing away God's offering, passed a curse rendering all the demi Gods and Devas powerless. (Hey! I thought saintly sages are supposed to be patient and able to control their animal emotions!)

Same story in Angkor Wat

Lord Vishnu joined forces with Lord Shiva to save the world as demons, with special powers acquired from Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva at different times were terrorizing. Lord Vishnu assumed his second avatar as a turtle assisted by Vasuki, a serpent and a mountain. They had to churn out the nectar of immortality from the Ocean of Milk to restore powers of the Devas. Vasuki became the churning rope, the mountain became the churning rod, Vishnu sat on the mountain to stabilize it. On the tail end of the serpent were the devas and the demons at the head. This process produced lots of toxic power which was engulf by Lord Shiva but it got stuck in his throat after the neck was clenched by his consort. Shiva became blue in the face but the toxin got permanently stuck in his throat. The end results of the churning were aplenty. Beside the nectar which was held by the divine physician who flew on giant bird, Garuda, other by-products were Lakshmi who became Vishnu's consort, thulsi plant and many more. Lord Vishnu had to disguise as a pretty maiden, Mohini, to steer the attention of the demon while Garuda scoots off with the nectar. Unfortunately, things became complicated when Lord Shiva also gets excited. That is another sub-plot on the evolution of the Ayyapa and the justification of same sex union in the Hindu religion.
At one look, all these may look like a fictional tale coined to entertain the masses at an era where there were no outlet of entertainment to spend those long winter nights. Others may say it denotes symbolism of our daily life - our eternal fight with our inner demons to bring out the best in us.
I would say it sounds very much like a 'Big Bang' theory. An explosion of sorts in Ocean of Milk (?Milky Way) emitting radioactive explosion resulting in production of many lives, planets and beings.
Just a point to ponder...

Sagar Manthan

http://hinduwebsite.com/churning.asp