Mind Map

Its always been very intriguing for me. I know that the signals are transmitted through neurons via electrochemical signals. But how does a signal decide its path?  Isn't the unpredictably relatively on the higher side for any decisive conclusion? Isn't the complexity of the brain quite mind boggling? Years and years of extensive study later, the brain can be labeled into the Occipital region, Parietal region, Frontal Lobe, Temporal lobe- each having its own specific functionality. The functional, connective and developmental regions of the brain, though not completely understood can be defined with remarkable precision. Different regions of the brain process different types of information.  Patterns have been observed. Humungous volumes have been written. Its fascinating how after more than a millenia of research, the human brain offers further scope for exploration. The scope seems almost infinite given the space occupied by the brain is finite. Similar to calculating the number of dots that can be drawn in a 1mm line segment.

Did you know- The brain makes up only approximately 2% of our entire body weight while it can require upto 20% of the body's total energy.

The beauty of the brain is astounding. I would have posted another picture of a human brain( for I have quite a collection now) to emphasize on this. However, since more than one person complained about being too grossed out to read Organ Talk , here we are. Sigh. No photograph. For those who think otherwise, try reading 'Silence of the lambs' by Thomas Harris. It will make up for the lack of a photograph here. Its also been filmed starring Jodie Foster( if that makes one see it).

For those of you who consider this to be random outburst of my love for biology - you couldn't be more wrong. As improbable as it may sound, electrical subjects can be quite inspiring. That is what got the cogs of my mind in motion. I can now go back to my assignment, due later today.

Ode to the West Wind

Another one of my favorites. Here goes nothing.   O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn's being, Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing, Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red, Pestilence-stricken multitudes: O thou, Who chariotest to their dark wintry bed The wingèd seeds, where they lie cold and low, Each like a corpse within its grave,until Thine azure sister of the Spring shall blow Her clarion o'er the dreaming earth, and fill (Driving sweet buds like flocks to feed in air) With living hues and odours plain and hill: Wild Spirit, which art moving everywhere; Destroyer and Preserver; hear, O hear! Thou on whose stream, 'mid the steep sky's commotion, Loose clouds like Earth's decaying leaves are shed, Shook from the tangled boughs of Heaven and Ocean, Angels of rain and lightning: there are spread On the blue surface of thine airy surge, Like the bright hair uplifted from the head Of some fierce Maenad, even from the dim verge Of the horizon to the zenith's height, The locks of the approaching storm. Thou dirge Of the dying year, to which this closing night Will be the dome of a vast sepulchre Vaulted with all thy congregated might Of vapours, from whose solid atmosphere Black rain, and fire, and hail will burst: O hear! Thou who didst waken from his summer dreams The blue Mediterranean, where he lay, Lulled by the coil of his crystalline streams, Beside a pumice isle in Baiae's bay, And saw in sleep old palaces and towers Quivering within the wave's intenser day, All overgrown with azure moss and flowers So sweet, the sense faints picturing them! Thou For whose path the Atlantic's level powers Cleave themselves into chasms, while far below The sea-blooms and the oozy woods which wear The sapless foliage of the ocean, know Thy voice, and suddenly grow grey with fear, And tremble and despoil themselves: O hear! If I were a dead leaf thou mightest bear; If I were a swift cloud to fly with thee; A wave to pant beneath thy power, and share The impulse of thy strength, only less free Than thou, O Uncontrollable! If even I were as in my boyhood, and could be The comrade of thy wanderings over Heaven, As then, when to outstrip thy skiey speed Scarce seemed a vision; I would ne'er have striven As thus with thee in prayer in my sore need. Oh! lift me as a wave, a leaf, a cloud! I fall upon the thorns of life! I bleed! A heavy weight of hours has chained and bowed One too like thee: tameless, and swift, and proud. Make me thy lyre, even as the forest is: What if my leaves are falling like its own! The tumult of thy mighty harmonies Will take from both a deep, autumnal tone, Sweet though in sadness. Be thou, Spirit fierce, My spirit! Be thou me, impetuous one! Drive my dead thoughts over the universe Like withered leaves to quicken a new birth! And, by the incantation of this verse, Scatter, as from an unextinguished hearth Ashes and sparks, my words among mankind! Be through my lips to unawakened Earth The trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind, If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?

- Percy Bysshe Shelly

Make way for Esya '11

I never thought of my blog as a space for sharing events from my life. I considered it more of a space where I could go on a rant and be insanely talkative about unrelated stuff. But it is hard not to! Inevitably, I ended up creating a label 'Events' - for when I wish to talk about the happenings in and around my life.

And this time its Esya '11, the first IIIT Delhi Tech Fest.

Excitement is high. Its the topmost thing in almost everyone's mind. Even the non-workaholics are working really really hard for the success of this event. Everyone in the NCR region who has the remotest contact with a IIITDian is receiving invitations for events like- programming, quizzing, debates, treasure hunt, gaming, business strategy, DJ night and lots more. From the basic planning of events and resources to arranging sponsors- its all being done by the students.

Esya '11 - Of the students, By the students and For the students.

Just like that

The following extract has nothing to do with the photographs. Its just something I like.

Full fathom five thy father lies;
Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes;
nothing of him that doth fade
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell
Ding-dong!
Hark! now I hear them,--ding- dong, bell.
                -William Shakespeare(The Tempest)


These were taken a while ago and I post them here for the simple pleasure of it.

A cute companion

Conjoined twins

Beautiful, isn't it?

The Summer Of My Discontent

This marks the end of three months of vacations that just flew by.
THREE ENTIRE MONTHS!
Gone, gone, gone...

My only discontent being - the end. It came too soon for my liking. I was just beginning to feel truly at home at home.No matter how clichéd this sounds, it truly truly seems like just yesterday- the start of our vacations and there I was, troubling people in other colleges as they tried to slog through their end-semester exams while I celebrated the start of 3 months of awesomeness.

College starts today. As I go through the 'its-the-last-day' FB posts flooding my News Feed, I am not altogether sad at seeing the end of the vacations. Its back to the fun/work. Yay!

And yeah- the title is inspired from a novel. Pardon me, Kaps, for sounding somewhat like you. Your latest post made me want to write this short piece.