Oxygen: A Necessary Evil

Inorganic Evolution:

Astrophysics/Particle Physics states that the journey of existence started from Plasma state of matter to sub-atomic particle to the atom of lowest atomic number (say one proton & one electron, i.e. Hydrogen).

Then it was the turn of inorganic evolution, gradually atoms of higher atomic number came into existence .... elements formed, and then their compounds ....

(reference: picture #1)

Inorganic Evolution Evident:

This is evident from the periodic table of chemical elements (1896 Dimitri Mendeleev) in which the elements are arranged by order of atomic number in such a way that the periodic properties ( chemical periodicity) of the elements are made clear.

In 1914 Rutherford .... transmuted a Nitrogen atom into an Oxygen atom for the first time.

Organic Evolution:

When 'Primordial Soup' ( no Nucleus, no Cell Membrane as such) of some simple organic compounds gained just few characteristics of life (nutrition as growing in size and reproduction as dividing into two), .... in the environment of Hydrogen (as Oxygen was not found). It was all a reducing environment ( opposite to oxidizing of Oxygen).

(reference: picture #3)

Age-Old 'Vedic' Observation (from India):

One of the oldest recorded human observation is made evident in the book 'Rig Veda' ( 5-6 thousand years BC) about the nature of these primordial life forms and their reducing environment.

(reference: picture #2)

Oxygen:

In the further course of inorganic evolution, oxygen came to exist and the whole scenario of organic evolution changed... as oxygen being highly reactive.. due to oxidizing behavior (having only 2 electrons in outermost orbit, it has great binding affinity with all); and soon primitive life forms learned to live with this unwanted oxidizing guest of their environment by burning ( getting oxidized) some part of their cellular body to get rid of it.

They gradually developed some organelle , later to Mitochondria in their cell and stored those emitted energy in molecular form (ATP) for later use for their further biological activity.

That was the beginning of an environment of oxidative respiration, that is what we have today, changing the the course of life development of the life forms there on ....

(reference: picture #4,5,6,7)

Conclusion:

Oxygen is not a friend. It oxidizes, burns the part of cell...or rather silently a killer factor..
But ever since through our evolutionary history, life forms have adopted to this evil factor..

Related blog post links:

http://sciencedoing.blogspot.in/2013/05/oxidative-stress-strain-as-predisposing.html
http://sciencedoing.blogspot.in/2013/05/dark-oxidants-super-oxides-in-depth-of.html

http://sciencedoing.blogspot.in/2012/09/free-radicals-cause-and-concern.html

Origin Of Life: Metaphysics

* How the Universe came to exist from nothing, much before the earth was born and the lives were made there in....??

** we have a lot many scientific theories and explanations for the above thought in last 200 years of the quest of human mind..

*** But looking back in time of human history of it's Metaphysical approach to the problem, it's so interesting to see two references, one, a very old in the memory of Human history: The "Vedas" ( "Hindus" ) and the other, the very recent of our time: The "Baha'i Faith";

1. The "Vedas" (treasured scriptures of "Hindus" in India) are perhaps the oldest written text on our planet today. They date back to the beginning of Indian civilization and are the earliest literary record of the whole Aryan race. They are supposed to have been passed through oral tradition for over 100,000 years. They came to us in written form between 4-6,000 years ago.

2. The "Bahai Faith" is the latest manifestation of God, in prophetic series on this earth, only 168 years old

3. Just go through these two streams of compilations and give a flight to your imagination without any reservation. For sure it's going to amaze you with a new Metaphysical perspective of 'Origin Of Life' ( and who knows, may be a new research paper of your own to put forward a new idea on the 'Cosmos & Life: with a Metaphysical touch' )!!

# There was neither the non-existent nor was the existent then; there was neither the region nor the sky that is above. What did cover it? Where, in whose protection? Was there water, unfathomable, deep? (ref:Rig Veda,Nasdiya.1)

# There was neither death, nor immortality. There was not the distinct knowledge of night and day. That one breathed without wind by its will power. Other than that there was nothing beyond. (ref:Rig Veda,Nasdiya.2)

# The darkness was concealed with darkness in the beginning. All this (world) was indistinguishable water. That which existed was covered with all pervading void; through the power of austerity that one was born. (ref:Rig Veda,Nasdiya.3)

# Desire, that was the first seed of the mind came upon that in the beginning. The sages, having searched in their heart with wisdom, found out the bond of existent in the non-existent. (ref:Rig Veda,Nasdiya.4)

# Their (web of effects which) was extended like the ray of the sun, was it cross? or was it below? or was it above? There were impregnators, there were great forces; food was below, and consumers (were) above. (ref:Rig Veda,Nasdiya.5)

# Who knows truly? Who shall here proclaim whence it is born? Whence it's vivid creation? Gods are later by the creation of this universe. Then who knows whence it has come in to being? (ref:Rig Veda,Nasdiya.6)

# Whence this vivid creation has come into being; either he held itor if he did not (then who held it?). He who is the lord of this (creation) is in the highest heaven; certainly he knows it; or if he does not know (then who knows?). (ref:Rig Veda,Nasdiya.7)

# O My Friends !
Have ye forgotten that true and radiant morn, when in those hallowed and blessed surroundings ye were all gathered in My presence beneath the shade of the tree of life, which is planted in the all-glorious paradise? Awe-struck ye listened as I gave utterance to these three most holy words: O friends! Prefer not your will to Mine, never desire that which I have not desired for yo, and approach Me not with lifeless hearts, defiled with worldly desires and cravings. Would ye but sanctify your souls, ye would at this present hour recall that place and those surroundings, and the truth of My utterance should be made evident unto all of you. (ref;Baha'i writings, Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah)

Notes:
* picture from top to down: Map of Vedic India, Vedas & Indian scriptures, Vedas manuscript, oral tradition of Vedas and a Baha'i shrine.
** Vedic translations were used of the authorities on the subject like; Sayana, Griffith, Macdonell, Wilson, Yaska, Max Muller, J. Muir, Roth, Benfey, Peterson.

Fear Burster

Hallowe'en is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31st. Typical festive Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, attending costume parties, carving jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbling, visiting haunted attractions, playing pranks, telling scary stories, watching horror films ....

Various kinds of fear are embedded deep in the human psyche. And perhaps this festival, where people come with scary masks, give them a chance to get rid of their fear .... to some extent.

Agatha Christie has woven a murder mystery around this festival.

Fear, and crime born out of fear, and psychology of human frailties were very much known to Agatha Christie.

Tongue:The Fear Whisperer

The word we spell out is the onset of communication (Stimulus-Response) and brings effect of various in personal or social life.

Source point of a lot trouble could well be traced back to the communication, the choice of words with the amount of energy & body language there in, may affect the 'threat' perception, causing 'fear' emotion to take on.

'Fear' is basic emotion ( a distressing negative sensation induced by a perceived 'threat'), a basic survival mechanism ( early humans that were quick to 'fear' were more likely to survive & reproduce) leading an urge to confront it or flee from ( fight-or-flight response) and in extreme cases (terror) causing a freeze or paralysis. 'Fear' involves 'thalamus' & 'amygdala' ( the threat center ) in the brain: one old, short, & fast, the other more recently evolved, more circuitous and slower.

History is witness, that a lot of war have been fought due to fear instilled in to a community/caste/creed/sect or a nation and that too with the words of ours.

A quote from "Baha'i" writing is sufficient unto this context:

"..a kindly tongue is the lodestone of the hearts of men. It is the bread of the spirit, it clotheth the words with meaning, it is the fountain of the light of wisdom and understanding."

Photographers ..

A technology never comes alone, it brings a set of life style along with.

The latest apps, newer functionality in cameras have changed the older conceived notion of a photographer.

Earlier Photographer was thought to be spending a lot more time in traveling exotic locations and taking pictures; but now in reality he is much busy in editing & computer task, networking, camera computer up keeps and all that ....

So funny yet so true ..

(graph picture courtesy: Isik Mater)

Blue Marble

When Voyager1 was leaving the outer limits of the solar system, turned around to look back & photographed the planet (Earth) from 3.7 billion miles away. The resulting photograph had a small blue dot (Pale Blue Dot) basking in the rays of the Sun, technically half a dot as the planet was so small from so far away that it registered only half a pixel on Voyager's sensor.

Just the other way round, look at the sky on some perfect dark night to gaze at the stars in their full glory and imagine this Universe which consists of more 100 billion galaxies in millions of superclusters........and still Universe lies the Unobservable regions where no light from these regions has reached the Earth yet.

shared from a facebook page

Is not that enough to pacify us humans to recognize our humble place in the Universe, with a reflection on along with following writing:

"O moving form of dust!

I desire communion with thee, but thou wouldst put no trust in Me. The sword of thy rebellion hath felled the tree of thy hope. At all times I am near unto thee, but thou art ever far from Me. Imperishable glory I have chosen for thee, yet boundless shame thou hast chosen for thyself. While there is yet time, return, and lose not thy chance." 

(thankfully shared from Baha'i writings)

Science All Around

"We learn by doing." - Aristotle

 Let's learn science from all around us; 
as it's happening all the time and in all the things.. !!

 Science Doing !!

Hazy horizons, racy cars, simmering lights, 

closing evenings, passing days......

that is all our gains of a day usual !!

 And then....

as once we get inside our rooms, 

whatever we find the Nature (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature) 

is all through the cabled-media and Internet.

  Such is the life !!

 Perhaps we never ever find time to see,

'Apple Falling On The Ground' (apple tree, Cambridge University Botanic Garden) in our own life,

and be surprised like a child (Newton's law of universal gravitation) !!