Speculations on First Contact

After watching the movie "The Day The Earth Stood Still", I could not help but keep revisiting the topic of alien encounters with the human race in the back of my mind. The topic of alien encounters is a very frequent one in science fiction and has been brought up countless times, both in novels and movies. However, I think novels tend to fare better than most Hollywood films in depicting the realism of possible alien encounters with mankind.

Most Hollywood films such as Starwars, Star Trek, Alien, Species and Predator tend to portray aliens as having humanoid bodies, having two arms, two legs, a head and body. The usual differences between humans aliens in such movies are the alien skin colour, number of limbs, eyes, etc. All these superficial differences reflect a lack of creativity. Even most other lifeforms on Earth such as insects and animals will look more different from humans than the aliens in the films. Or maybe the film producers want to cut costs by using human actors for the alien roles instead of creating robots or using computer animation.

The probability of any alien lifeforms resembling anything close to humans is extremely low, far lower than the probability of anyone striking the lottery consecutively for his/her entire life! Anyone who has read and understand the theory of evolution should come to this conclusion. Life on Earth is the way we know it because of eons of accumulated chance mutations which were then sieved out by natural selection so that only those best suited for the particular environment in the particular locales on Earth will thrive. The complex interplay of numerous factors in the evolutionary history of Earth is certainly not something that will likely be repeated elsewhere in the universe. As such, there is no reason to believe that life on another planet would take exactly the same evolutionary path of Earth life, even if the conditions are the same. Famed scientists Carl Sagan, Paul Davies and Richard Dawkins, as well as numerous others have written books on this topic and it is worth reading them.

The main problem why most people think aliens will look like humans or some other Earth-like creature might be due to our current narrow definition of life. Our definition of life is only based on Earth life, and is certainly not representative of life throughout the cosmos. Why must life be restricted to solid forms? It is physically sensible for alien life to manifest in other physical states such as liquid and gas. Or alien life may be non-coporeal and take on exotic forms such as being composed of pure energy or electromagnetic fields. Science fiction novels such as "2001: A Space Odyssey" by Arthur C. Clarke, "Beyond Infinity" by Gregory Benford have postulated such possibilities. Another hot favourite is that many scientist think that water is necessary for life and thus they focus their search for alien life to worlds which contain water. Water is a good solvent for many inorganic substances and has high heat capacity which allows the stabilization of temperature within a relative small range, as well as other properties which make it suitable for Earth life. Water may be necessary for Earth life, but why must this criteria apply to aliens too? There are other solvents which can dissolve many substances as well. It is high time we re-look at our current definition of life and update it, before we miss recognizing alien life in future space exploration missions.

Another point to consider is that of collective consciousness. Aliens could also behave more like a hive than as separate individuals. As such, any attempt to communicate with them may prove even more difficult, due to the different ways of thinking. Imagine what would a person say to an ant or termite hive. I suppose the natural tendency for humans is to look for the leaders in the alien race, but a hive has no leaders; the queen ant or termite does not give instructions to the other ants, each individual ant merely carry out its own job. When each eat follows its own simple set of 'instinctive instructions', the self-organised collective behaviour of an entire ant colony can be markedly different from that of the individual ant itself. Clearly, a single ant or termite may not be as intelligent as a human (then again it depends on our definition of intelligence), but an entire ant or termite hive is far from stupid. Just look at the engineering marvels such as 5 meter tall termites hives which African mound termites are capable of building. Hives follow a bottoms-up approach, in contrast to our usual top-down approach.

As a class 0 civilization, chances are that a more advanced civilization will make contact with us rather than the other way round. Furthermore, we have only started exploring space in the last few decades, and the cosmos being such a unimaginably huge space, it will probably take us eons to find signs of alien life, if there is any. Given that the universe is around 17 billion years old, it is plausible that there are much older and advanced civilizations out there among the stars other than ours. And they would probably have reached class 3 or even 4 if they can reach us on Earth. From the history of mankind, every time a more advanced civilization makes contact with a less advanced one, it almost always resulted in a war of civilizations with the more advanced one triumphing. The same may or may not occur with our contact with extra-terrestrial intelligences. We do not know yet. Even if the aliens came here with no intention of harm, I think the result would still very much turn out to be a war, due to the territorial nature of humans, a behavioral relict of our evolutionary past. We would probably be the first to attack the aliens. This is where the film " The Day The Earth Stood Still" is probably right. Perhaps precisely because of this, the aliens have kept themselves invisible from us on purpose, assuming that they exist and are benevolent. This is just one of the many theories behind the Fermi Paradox.
(I will probably write an article on the Fermi Paradox in the future. I think I shall stop here for now, I could go on non-stop on the topic of aliens.)

Thoughts will soon be secrets no more

It was reported that researchers at the ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories have succeeded in processing and displaying images directly from the human brain. The team has only managed to reproduce only simple images from the brain but they believe that the technology could eventually be used to figure out dreams and other secrets inside people's minds. (http://www.physorg.com/news148193433.html)

It seems like we have opened yet another Pandora's Box. The potential of technology which allows others to read people’s minds is simply mind-boggling and its potential dangers are anyone's guess. It is only a matter of time when such mind-reading devices become as ubiquitous as mobile phones. There will undoubtedly be useful applications of such technology such as in solving crime cases and creating drawings and animations directly by visualizing them in the mind. However, in such a future, personal thoughts will no longer be private anymore as our very last sanctuary of privacy is encroached upon.

Already there are companies which sell commercial brain-computer interfaces (BCI) products such as headphones, based on electro-encephalogram (EEG) technology. Such devices allow the user to control the computer using their thoughts alone; they could control the cursor on the monitor screen, a computer game character or even a robot in the real world. Such technology will make it possible for people who have lost their limbs or wheelchair bound patients to be replaced with robotic prosthetic limbs which can be controlled by their mind. In fact, there have already been patients fitted with such BCI devices such as blind people who have partially regained their sight using electrodes implanted into their visual cortex and linked to an external camera. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain-computer_interface) With the aid of BCI devices, doctors will be able to perform surgeries with better accuracy for longer hours with less physical fatigue from their hands, and astronauts can manipulate tools and conduct delicate experiments in space more efficiently using thought-controlled robotic arms instead of their bulky spacesuit gloves. BCI devices can also contribute a positive impact in the education arena and will enhance the learning experience for students. Uses of BCI in treatment of psychological disorders such as depression, phobias and attention-deficit disorder are also possible. Other applications include marketing uses, advertising, consumer electronics, and entertainment.

In the near future, it is highly possible that there will be groups, organizations or even governments willing to utilize such BCI devices to control others as well. Just as we can control computers and robots using our thoughts, the reverse could probably happen also. The prophetic vision of the future portrayed by the film The Matrix might not be too far-fetched after all. Initially there might be many people resisting the use of such devices for ethical or personal reasons, but the inadvertent tide of science and technology will nevertheless remain an unstoppable force. I foresee a future where even normal people would fit themselves with such BCI devices to enhance their physical and even mental abilities. This may sound repelling to some right now but it may be perfectly acceptable to people of the future. People of the past may never have thought that our generation would be so dependent on electronic devices such as computers and mobile phones, where people carry them along everywhere they go, so much so that some of these devices have become something of an extra limb or appendage to us. It is only a matter of time before mobile communications technology and even computers become available as chips which can be embedded in our brains. There will be no need to carry mobile phones or laptops then, and we will not even need to talk to communicate for our thoughts can be directly transmitted to each another. Perhaps, that is how we will achieve extra-sensory abilities such as telepathy in the future.

BCI technology, as with many other nascent technologies, is progressing at a rate too fast for comfort for many and has engendered numerous ethical issues and controversies. We live in an age of rapid technological advances and must to learn to live with the ever-changing technologies that arise continuously. Technology is a double-edged sword. Will we lose our sense of identity and become mindless cyborgs immersed in the virtual world controlled by others or computers or will we be able to utilize and maintain control over technology for the greater good of mankind in our quest to achieve utopia?

F1 - Frivolous Number 1?

With the recent hype surrounding the highly successful staging of the first ever Formula 1 night race in Singapore, it might seem a little inappropriate for me to label F1 races in general as frivolous. Nevertheless, the environmental impact of F1 races is understated and given insufficient attention in the media and I shall explain why I feel such races are frivolous.

Amid skyrocketing fuel costs and growing concerns about global warming everywhere in the world, the incongruity of wasting massive amounts of petrol on fuel-guzzling race cars for Formula 1 races is glaringly imprudent. It was reported in the Straits Times that a F1 team typically uses around 200,000 litres of petrol per season. Personally, I feel that this is a vast wastage of our rapidly declining reserves of oil. Instead of squandering away this important non-renewable resource on races for entertainment, we should save it for more worthy uses such as transportation, power generation and as raw materials for the petrochemical industry for the production of plastic materials.

F1 races are also widely known for its large numbers of affluent fans, many of them being millionaires and billionaires. It probably does not come as a surprise that the affluent would enjoy extravagant leisure activities like F1 races, for it is a reflection of their spending habits. However, for the majority of us, there is no compelling reason why we should support such a profligate sport.

While it is true from the economic viewpoint that staging F1 races is a boon to the host country in terms of global publicity of the city and increasing tourist arrivals and spending, we should not just be concerned about raking in revenues and relegate environmental concerns aside. As fellow inhabitants of Earth, it is time we exercise prudence in managing our resources and do away with unnecessary and prodigal entertainment activities such as F1 races which do more harm than good to our planet with their high carbon footprint, no matter how appealing or economically viable they may be. There are many other ways to generate revenue which are environmentally sustainable. One may argue that the F1 race has helped to portray Singapore as a more vibrant city, but is it the only way and at what cost? If Singapore is to showcase itself as an example of sustainable development and a green country, we must place more importance on adopting green policies and walking the talk. We have to decide what is it that we really want to portray ourselves as to the rest of the world.

Nepal Holiday Trip

After spending 10 days in Nepal with my parents for holidays, I arrived back in Singapore on the 19th of July. Instead of writing my travel experience in the usual journal format, I decided to spilt this post into different sections - cityscape, scenery, transportation system, food, culture, people and others.

Cityscape:

 

Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, is a historical city. At around 1400m above sea level, Kathmandu is filled with endless rows of 2-3 stories shophouses, some of them more than 100 years old, unlike the jungle of towering skyscrapers that we are see so often in Singapore or other metropolitan cities, In fact I haven't seen any building taller than 10 stories apart from a tower, which according our tour guide is the tallest structure in Kathmandu. The cityscape probably resembles Singapore in the 1960s. Crooked windows and huge prominent cracks in some of these surviving old buildings are scars of the destruction of a devastating earthquake about 70 years ago (if I remember what my guide said correctly). Peering out from her exquisitely carved wooden window which seemed on the verge of giving way, an old lady watched us strolling through the streets of the city, seemingly nonchalant about the danger of living in such a dilapidated building. It was definitely to my surprise that such buildings were still inhabited. The people continue to do so because they simply cannot afford a better place.

 

 

(Above: Patan Dubar Square)

Transportation System:

I think the road conditions in Nepal are rather similar to that in India. You can see cows walking and sitting in the middle of roads and vehicles are expected to give way to them as they are considered sacred in the Hindu religion, which comprises around 80% of the population. The drivers in Nepal seem to have a penchant of sounding the horn, as frequent as every 5 seconds, and their horns even have melodies, like the sound of trumpets. Given the chaotic traffic conditions where motorists weave in and out of lanes ever so frequently even in narrow 2-way lanes, coupled with the fact that animals and people also walk on the roads, such incessant horning is understandable. Nevertheless sometimes I wonder perhaps the sounding of the horn is a form of greeting by cheeky drivers. Traveling on the roads by vehicle can be quite a bumpy ride as not all the roads are tarred or properly maintained, with potholes and rocks all over the roads, especially the mountain roads.

Strikes are also very common in Nepal and I was 'lucky' enough to experience the transportation strikes first-hand. Our tour van was caught in a massive traffic jam about 3km long and after waiting for around 3 hours, we decided to haul our luggage and walk on foot. At the site of the blockade by the protesters, the cameraman of a television crew filmed us dragging our luggage amid stares by onlookers, protesters and the police. Not long after we passed the blockade by foot, the strike ended, leading me to wonder if the sight of tourists being affected by the strike caused the protestors to relent. For those who do not know, the tourism industry is one of the largest economic sector in Nepal. Thus, it is of utmost importance for the Nepalese to ensure a quality experience for the tourists during their stay.

(Above: The crowd of protesters marching off)

(Above: Me dragging my luggage)

Scenery:

(Above: Hilly slopes and rice fields in Nagarkot)

We took the Yeti Airlines Everest Flight on 13/07/08. The view of the Himalayan mountain ranges is breath-taking.

(Above: Takeoff from Kathmandu Airport for the Everest Flight on board Yeti Air)

(Above: Picturesque view of the Himalayan ranges)

(Below: A slide show of the pictures taken from the window and cockpit of the plane. The mountains in the pictures are actually larger than they seem as some parts of the mountains are covered by cloud, so you can only see the peaks clearly, much like icebergs.)

Food:

The traditional Nepalese food is shown in the first picture. Luckily, we also had other types of food in Nepal apart from the usual dahl and chapati which is not really suited for my taste buds.

Culture:

There are more than 70 different ethnic groups in Nepal, each with its own culture and traditions. My family and I were lucky to witness and participate in a Nepali wedding ceremony in one of the villages en route to one of our destinations.

(Above: The wedding ceremony site)

People:

Most of the Nepalese people that I encountered are friendly and would greet tourists with 'Namaste'. We were lucky to have a very friendly, helpful and experienced tour guide, Mr Jeevan.

Others:

Below is a video clip of an ayurvedic 'singing' bowl, so called because it resonates after being hit or rubbed with a wooden stick wrapped with leather (shown in the video). In the video, you can see the water spraying about at four sides along the circumference in the bowl and rotates with the encircling motion of the stick. My guess is that the phenomenon is caused by standing waves in the water created due to the vibrations in the bowl. The four sides from which the water spray originate would correspond to the anti-nodes, and the calm regions are the nodes. The person explaining the use of the ayurvedic bowl is my tour guide, Mr Jeevan.

We got cheated by a group of snake charmers in the streets of Pokhara when we took photos and a video of them, unaware of the fact that we have to pay them $4 for just a few seconds of video. Luckily our tour guide stepped in to handle the situation so we ended up paying $1.

The Hedonic Treadmill

I believe most people want to be rich, strive for fame, status and money. It may not be their intrinsic desire to do so, but rather a result of societal, parental and peer pressure. Nevertheless, a life based on the ceaseless acquisition of material possessions, wealth and accomplishments is not the answer to everlasting happiness. This is explained in a theory called the 'hedonic treadmill', a term coined by Philip Brickman and Donald Campbell.

So what is the hedonic treadmill? It is an analogy of someone running on treadmill to illustrate the point that we need to keep striving in order to maintain the same level of happiness, akin to someone running at the same speed just to maintain the same position on a treadmill. If we want to increase our happiness, we need to strive even harder. Psychology researchers have found that the level of happiness of lottery winners increased initially but returned to their original levels quickly. The reverse is also true - the level of happiness of those recently handicapped fell initially but climbed back to original levels subsequently.

"In all of these situations, despite a massive shift in standard of living or achievement of major life goals, after a short period of time the life-satisfaction levels return to normal. Despite the fact that external forces are constantly changing our life goals, happiness for most people is a relatively constant state. Regardless of how good things get, we'll always report about the same level of happiness. It is believed that the baseline of an individual's happiness is at least partially genetic. For example, identical twins are usually equally prone to depression. "-quoted from Wikipedia

So if you think that striking the lottery, snagging the President's scholarship or winning some prestigious award will give you prolonged joy, think again. But then I am sure, many people would have had first-hand experience of the effects of the hedonic treadmill themselves, yet they still strive for even more material wealth, fame or higher status in the hope of attaining the elusive everlasting happiness. As the internationally acclaimed author J.K. Rowling has aptly put it: "...personal happiness lies in knowing that life is not a check-list of acquisition or achievement. Your qualifications, your CV, are not your life, though you will meet many people of my age and older who confuse the two." (http://harvardmagazine.com/commencement/the-fringe-benefits-failure-the-importance-imagination)

I have had relatives and friends asking me why I did not choose to study medicine or some other courses which more lucrative in nature. Being a doctor will allow me to save lives. Yes, it is a noble thing, but my passion still lies in Physics. Nevertheless, there are many people who wish to become doctors and lawyers not for lofty ambitions, but for the high pay. Last year, there was a spate of articles in The Straits Times which highlighted the trend of general practitioners in Singapore offering cosmetic surgery to boost their income. Plastic surgeons and cosmetic specialists earn much more than an average GP, and this explains why cosmetic courses are so hot in medical school. This merely drives home the point that many doctors are more interested in making big bucks rather than saving lives and earning less. As much as I would like to believe that people of such intellectual calibre would be enlightened enough to realise the trap of the hedonic treadmill, it is not to be. Well, maybe the fault is not theirs alone. It is not easy to overcome the strong societal, parental and peer pressure to achieve the so called 'success', which is defined shallowly in terms of monetary wealth and societal status.

Before the current financial crisis, business and finance courses in universities were all the rage given the high salaries of those working in these sectors. However, reality sunk in upon the unfolding of the Subprime Crisis and many graduates are now finding it an uphill task to get a job or even an internship. As a result, more students are now turning towards the engineering and other faculties. Several years back, there was also a sudden wave of interest in the life sciences industry after the government's exhortation that it is the 'next-big-thing'. As with all fads, the life sciences craze fizzled out some time as well. Sounds Déjà vu? My point here is that we should not just follow where the money seems to be, for it may very well turn out to be the wrong path. Neither am I advocating that one should always blindly follow one’s interest, for we have to feed our families and ourselves. Nevertheless, monetary remuneration should not be the salient and over-riding factor in determining one’s career path. A balance between pragmatism and idealism has to be struck.

When I was younger, I wanted to be a great scientist and aspired to win the Nobel prize. However, as I grew older and wiser, I realised that winning prizes is not the most important thing in life and it will only give me temporary happiness. I still wish to be a scientist, but my main aim now is to help people through science research and development, as well as through other forms of community service. I am not advocating that everyone should give up their ambitions to be bankers or superstars or even the President of United States. It is good to have aspirations, for you will then have something to work for and life becomes more meaningful. But making money and attaining status should not be the ultimate aim in life. We must exercise caution in threading the fine line between sinking into complacency and being overzealous or 'kaisu', or we would only be the ones to suffer.

'We do not need magic to change the world'- J.K. Rowling

I was very inspired after watching J.K.Rowling's recent speech at Harvard. I highly recommend everyone to watch it. It is probably one the best inspirational speeches I have heard so far. In her address to graduating Harvard students, she touched on two themes- the importance of failure and the importance of imagination. My favourite part of her speech is this: "If you choose to use your status and influence to raise your voice on behalf of those who have no voice; if you choose to identify not only with the powerful, but with the powerless; if you retain the ability to imagine yourself into the lives of those whoso not have your advantages, then it will not only be your proud families who celebrate your existence, but thousands and millions of people whose reality you have helped transform for the better. We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imgaine better."

Part 1:


Part2:


Part3:


Hope you enjoyed and learned something after watching the clips. I have never read any of the Harry Potter books but now I know why J.K. Rowling is such a great writer.

"As is a tale, so is life, not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters." -Seneca

My wall light has a new look!

Check out my latest design for my house wall light.
You are probably wondering why the cover looks like a truncated plastic plate. Well, it is. It looks rather austere and I decided to keep it that way as it blends in better with the colour of the wall. The original glass cover was nicer and more elegant, but my mother dropped and broke it accidentally last week while trying to chase out a lizard hiding in the cover, despite my advice to leave the lizard alone. Haha. Luckily my father was bathing at that time so he didn't know, or he would blow his top. I quickly modified a plastic plate and supplanted the broken glass cover with it before he came out from the bath room. Well, he didn't notice it for more than a week despite the prominent positioning of the wall light. Haha. Maybe I can become an interior designer. :) Anyway, my father only realized it after my mother decided to tell him what happened as she couldn't stop laughing for days. So I was wondering if we didn't tell him, he would probably never find out. My design is cool right? UNIQUE.

Artificial Gravity in Space?

Artificial gravity has been portrayed in many sci-fi movies and novels by the use of giant rotating cylinder-shaped spaceships to generate acceleration. According to Einstein, acceleration is equivalent to gravity. However, I have been wondering what happens when a person jumps in a rotating spaceship. Thus, I decided to do a little thought experiment.

Assume we have a giant cylinder-shaped spaceship that rotates at a constant angular velocity w. A person standing inside the spaceship will experience centripetal acceleration directed towards the axis of rotation (or the centre of the spaceship in that particular cross-sectional frame) and the resulting normal force acting on him/her will cause a sensation of gravity. However, if the person jumps in the direction towards the centre, he/she will lift off the surface with 2 velocities components- the tangential velocity and initial velocity towards the center. The resultant velocity can be calculated and he/she will 'fly' in a straight line towards the inner surface of the spaceship at an angle as seen in the video and end up landing at a different spot from where he/she lifted off. This is because once the person is off the surface, there is no longer any resultant force acting on him/her (neglect air resistance), unlike on Earth where gravity continues to act even when you are airborne.

(PS: Does anyone know how to upload flash animation files onto blogger? I had to convert the flash file to .avi format which is much larger in file size)

Applying the same reasoning, objects 'falling' in a rotating spaceship will not 'fall' in a straight vertical line but will end up hitting the ground at some horizontal distance away from the point at which is starts 'falling'. This apparent curved motion of objects is called Coriolis effect. In this respect, artificial gravity is different from real gravity and may lead to many problems living in space.

Prolonged exposure to weightlessness can cause health problems in astronauts such as loss of bone mass, muscle atrophy, dehydration, anemia and weakened immunity, among others. Such adverse effects can be countered by rigorous exercise or by inducing gravity. Currently, a significant amount of time on exercising by astronauts while on space missions. This is not very economical as it results in less time for conducting experiments. In the future when people live in space colonies, we cannot expect everyone to spend so much time exercising. Thus it is of utmost importance to find a way to create artificial gravity that is as close to the real thing as possible. Currently, the only way to create real gravity is to use mass. In order to create 1g, we will need the mass of the Earth, so clearly that is not a viable option for space missions. So for now, we will just have to stick to the idea of large rotating spaceships and put up with large Coriolis forces.

Happy Vesak Day!

Wish everyone a very happy Vesak Day! While we celebrate the birth and enlightenment of Buddha here in Singapore, we should not forget about others who are suffering. Let us pray for the victims of the two recent major natural disasters- the Sichuan earthquake and cyclone Nargis. Amidst our relatively sheltered life in Singapore, which is free from natural disasters, it is easy to forget that there are so many people in other parts of the world whose lives have been wrecked by such calamities and their daily existence have become a ceaseless struggle. It is heartening to know that countries and people all over the world have provided humanitarian aid and monetary donations to the afflicted countries. While we may not be able to help out with the relief efforts, we can donate and pray for the victims. Let them know that the world is still full of compassion.

Do electrons really spin and do quarks really have colour?

Do electrons really spin and are quarks really coloured? Well, the answers to both are no. Why then do scientists come up with such terms? To deliberately obfuscate people? I do not think so. The limitations of human languages in describing the quantum world have made it difficult for us to assign appropriate words to describe properties of subatomic particles. As such, analogies such as spin and colour are used to create a more intuitive understanding of reality. What do scientists mean by the spin of electrons and colours of quarks then?

Before I explain electron spin, imagine a classical spinning top. If you look at the spinning top from the top or bottom, you will see that it is either spinning clockwise or anti-clockwise. If you view it from the side, you will not observe any spin. (Note: Spin is defined to be the rotation of an object about an axis which passes through it.) In order to understand the spin of an electron, we have to move away from the classical notion of spin. The electron is actually not a point-like particle but rather, it is a probability cloud. The spin of an electron is just a name used to describe one of its properties. This electron spin is a result of its intrinsic angular momentum. If you view the electron about any axis in 3-dimensional space, you will always observe either a clockwise or anti-clockwise spin, and the value of the spin is defined to be 1/2. It is difficult to imagine how this can happen, for the quantum world is totally different and exists on different scales from the macroscopic world on which we live in. It is only natural then that we will have trouble visualizing the world of the subatomic, just as a bacterium would have much difficulty in comprehending the human world.

Now let's move on to quarks. Quarks are the constituent particles of hadrons (a class of subatomic particles which interact via the strong force) and come in six different flavours called, 'up', 'down', 'top', 'bottom', 'strange' and 'charm'. These are not names of some newfangled ice-cream flavours but are merely names of different types of quarks. Apart from flavours, quarks also posses another property called colour and come in red, blue and green. A hadron is colour neutral as it consists of three quarks from each of the colours, just like mixing the three primary colours of light produces white light. In a meson, there are two quarks of similar colour but each being the matter and anti-matter counterpart of each other.

Quarks themselves are not coloured in the classical sense in which we see macroscopic objects in different colours. We can see and perceive colour from macroscopic objects because incident light or photons on the objects are absorbed by electrons in the atoms and then re-emitted or transmitted to our eyes. In the simplified model of an atom, bound electrons 'orbit' the nuclei in shells of fixed distances from the nuclei. (Note that electrons are actually probability clouds which flow around the nuclei of atoms and this flow is called a probability current.) Whenever a photon with the right amount of energy (corresponding to the gap between two energy levels of an atom) is incident on a bound electron, it will be absorbed by the electron and cause the latter to become ‘excited’ and jump to a higher orbit. The excited electron subsequently re-emits a photon as it falls back to a lower state. (Note that the excited electron may return to the ground in a single or multi-step process.) Since different atoms and molecules, and thus different objects, have different gaps in energy levels, they reflect different frequencies of visible light, resulting in our perception of colour. Anything smaller than an atom will not possess colour in the classical sense. Hence, it makes no sense to ask how quarks look like.

In trying to understand and describe the quantum world, we are inevitably bogged down by our limited sensory perceptions, preconceived notions of the world and semantic limitations. Nevertheless, we have come very far in building a scientific model of the world since the dawn of civilization. Will we ever be able to fully comprehend the world? Some say that it is impossible for mere human minds which are constrained by the limitations imposed by our physical senses to comprehend the universe. I personally think that Science alone will not be able to fully explain every aspect of reality. However, many people have been wrong countless times in predicting the limits of Science. Thus, only time will tell.

Complexity Theory

In my previous post, I mentioned about complexity theory. It is actually a branch of science which explores how simple instructions governing individual units of a system consisting of a large number of these units can give rise to complex behaviours without the need for a leader or intelligent being in control. Examples of complex systems include schools of fishes swimming in unison, flocks of birds flying in formation, the weather, formation of hurricanes, the human brain, the stock market, and even the behaviour of liquid water. Another thing about complex systems is that they possess properties that cannot be predicted from the individual properties of their constituent units, just like you cannot predict the properties of macroscopic water such its boiling point or density merely by studying the individual properties of the water molecules.

Check out the links below for more information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_system
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3410/03.html
http://complexity.orconhosting.net.nz/intro.html

Book Review: Climbing Mount Improbable - Richard Dawkins

Ever wondered how the theory of evolution could explain the existance of the dazzling array of complex biological creatures on Earth? If your anwer is yes, then you should read this book. Apart from explaining that, Richard Dawkins also tackled the favourite target of creationists - the eye.

Creationists believe that only an intelligent being could have created something as complex as the eye. The book goes to great length to explain how complex structures like eyes can be a product of the forces of mindless random mutations and natural selection, thereby removing the need for intelligent design. In fact, eyes evolved no less than 40 times independently and taking only around 500 thousand years in some cases, which is really just a 'blink of the eye' in terms of geological time. What most people fail to realize about the theory of evolution is that complex biological structures can be evolved through a series of gradual steps; they do not have to be evolved in a single huge step. Richard Dawkins used the analogy of climbing a mountain to explain this: when faced with an insurmountable clift, one can find another longer route which has gentler slopes and is easier to climb, just as evolution tends to seek these gentler slopes towards increasing complexity. Thus, seemingly impossible structures can arise in nature without the intervention of any intelligent being. Do read up on complexity theory if you wish to find out more about how complex systems can arise out of numerous simple interacting sub-units.

Even if you already believe in the theory of evolution, this book still has much to offer you. It provides deeper insights into how and why different creatures took on separate evolutionary paths and evolved different body structures to serve the same or different purposes. For instance, bats use echolocation for navigation whereas most other creatures rely on sight. It also explains why only some creatures evolved wings for flight but not others. It is actually due to the practicalities of the required wingspan, speed of flapping, stresses on the wing material, etc, that will be needed to lift the weight of the creature. Richard Dawkins also mentioned about the high level of complexity that exists in creatures with five-fold or higher symmetry such as the Radiolarian and starfish. There are plenty of other interesting stuff in the book, not to mention the numerous pictures in it.

Radiolarian Haeckel Polycyttaria (from Wikipedia)

Arthur C. Clarke’s Final Odyssey

It was indeed a loss to the world that one of the world's most visionary and renowned science fiction author has passed away. Arthur C. Clarke, one of my favourite sci-fi authors, passed away on 19 March 2008 at the age of 90. I started reading his books when I was in secondary 1 and it was through his vastly imaginative and thought-provoking stories that cemented my love for sci-fi. Contrary to general sentiments, sci-fi is not just totally nonsensical ideas. Rather, most ideas in sci-fi stories are based on scientific theories (especially those sci-fi stories written by scientists or engineers). Contemporary sci-fi also explores a variety of issues ranging from philosophy to psychology and even politics. It is no mean feat to reconcile the schism between mainstream literature and hard core science and to bring across scientific ideas to the masses in an accessible manner through stories. Few can claim to be able to do this as skilfully as the late Arthur C. Clarke. Indeed stories have been around since the dawn of civilization and have tremendous power in disseminating ideas and influencing the masses. What better way to spread scientific ideas and stretch the imagination of human minds than through stories? Herein underscores the undervalued importance of science fiction in the modern society.

Arthur C Clarke wrote 100 books, more than 1,000 short stories and essays over 60 years. Some of his best-selling novels include ‘Childhood's End’ (which is my personal favourite), 2001: A Space Odyssey (The Oscar-nominated movie of the same title was based on this book), ‘Rendezvous with Rama’ and ‘Fountains of Paradise’. Trained in physics and mathematics, Sir Arthur also wrote many books and essays of non-fiction on space travel, communication technologies, underwater exploration and future studies.

It is widely believed that Clarke's most important scientific contribution is his idea of using geostationary satellites as ideal telecommunications relays. He wrote a paper titled ‘Extra-Terrestrial Relays — Can Rocket Stations Give Worldwide Radio Coverage?’, which was published in Wireless World in October 1945 delineating how the concept of geostationary orbit can be put to practical use. The geostationary orbit is now sometimes known as the Clarke Orbit or the Clarke Belt in his honour. This shows why we should pay attention to sci-fi writers, for we never know if some wacky idea which is deemed impossible today will be possible and useful tomorrow. Jules Verne’s idea of an underwater submersible ages before the development of the first submarine is another example of the prophetic power of science fiction. Indeed, Arthur C. Clarke once said that ‘in order to find out the limits of the possible, we have to venture a little way past them into the impossible’. Never has the words of someone had such a profound impact on my thinking than those of Arthur C. Clarke’s.

Before his death, Clarke said: "I’ve had a diverse career as a writer, underwater explorer, space promoter and science populariser. Of all these, I want to be remembered most as a writer – one who entertained readers, and, hopefully, stretched their imagination as well." Well, he has undoubtedly stretched my imagination and I believe that of many other people too.

“It may be that the old astrologers had the truth exactly reversed, when they believed that the stars controlled the destinies of men. The time may come when men control the destinies of stars.” -Arthur C. Clarke, First on the Moon, 1970

As a leading proponent for space travel and exploration, Clarke has also chaired several space advocacy organizations. I do believe the day will come when mankind will advance into a stage 2 or even stage 3 civilization and alter the destinies of stars as Clarke prophesized.

Arthur C. Clarke’s even came up with 3 ‘laws’ of prediction which he called it Clarke’s 3 Laws:
1. When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.

2. The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.

3. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
As a fitting eulogy, I decided to name the title of this article ‘Arthur C. Clarke’s Final Odyssey’ after one of his books in the Space Odyssey series, ‘3001: Final Odyssey’. I highly recommend you to read his novels and be inspired by one of the greatest masters of sci-fi. Arthur C. Clarke may no longer exist on this world, but his legacy will forever live on in his books and be immortalized in the minds of his fans.

My recommendations:
• Childhood's End

• The Light of Other Days

• 2001: A Space Odyssey

• 2010: Odyssey Two

• 2061: Odyssey Three

• 3001: Final Odyssey

• Rendezvous with Rama

• Against The Fall Of Night

• Time's Eye

• Sunstorm

Singaporeans An Ungracious Lot? Think Again.

There have been numerous articles on newspaper forums written by foreigners complaining about Singaporeans being ungracious. Among their usual complains include people not giving up their seats to the elderly or pregnant ladies when using public transport, ‘reservation’ of seats at foodcourts and hawker centres using packets of tissue paper, the way some people treat their maids and rushing to board trains during rush hours. Foreigners are quick to point their fingers at Singaporeans but I am sure in many such instances the culprits are not locals. According to the demographic statistics for 2006 (http://www.singstat.gov.sg/pubn/reference/yos/statsT-demography.pdf), about one fifth of our nation’s population comprises of foreigners. Most of these foreigners hail from Malaysia, China, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other South-east Asian countries, so at first glance one might not be able to tell them apart from the locals. It is only when they speak do they reveal their identity through their accent. However, a foreigner might not be able to discern between the local and foreign accents and might end up mistaking another foreigner for a local. Most foreigners have a tendency to assume that almost everyone they see in Singapore is a Singaporean but it is clear that given our high percentage of foreigners living and working here, this line of thinking is fallacious.

While there are indeed Singaporeans who are guilty of being ungracious, making sweeping generalizations and pushing all the blame to us is illogical. Through my own personal experience, I have encountered many incidents whereby foreigners here behaved in a manner falling short of civic-mindedness too, such as spitting on pavements for pedestrians, blocking entrances to trains, cutting queues, littering, talking loudly in public places like the libraries, etc. There are also many people in other countries who behave ungraciously so I see no reason for foreigners to single Singaporeans out. My message to foreigners in Singapore is this: The next time you see someone behaving in an uncivilized manner, do not jump to the conclusion that he/she is a Singaporean. He/she may very well be one of you or a permanent resident.