On education, intelligence and creativity

Very true, very funny

How scientists see the world

Science is interesting

" You don't like it? Go somewhere else!" Richard Feynman.

"Science is interesting, if you don't agree, you can fuck off." Richard Dawkins quoting an editor of New Scientist.

Beauty of a Flower

"All kinds of interesting questions which shows that a science knowledge only adds to the excitement and mystery and the awe of a flower." Richard Feynman.

Placebo Effect

Warning: not for the faint-hearted:

On Statistics

Two recommendations:

1. An interesting read on statistics - Drunkards Walk, How Randoness Rules Our Lives by Leonard Milodinow, a physicist.

A brief look: The author talks about his book.

2. Visualizing statistics!

For those who want to try out the software Gapminder, here is the link:

http://www.gapminder.org/desktop/

Maldives Part 2

The things to see diving at Maldives, besides the usual rich marine life, are the manta rays and whale shark. We are really lucky to see both of them. I was the only one who didn't bring any underwater camera. The photos here are taken by the other divers on the boat. Here they are:

Manta Ray. They are not shy at all. They are swimming around as if cat-walking on the runway waiting for their photos to be taken.

The picture below shows a number of remora with the manta. Are they picking parasites off the manta, giving it a grooming session?



Whale shark





Mobular Ray. They look like manta, except much smaller, usually swim in schools. And their front 'two thingy' are pointed rather than bent like the manta.




School of Mobular Ray




Marble ray. 4 of them, 2 partially hidden in the sand.



A fat marble ray?


White tip shark




A fat shark. Actually, this is slight different from the black tip. It is the grey reef shark. Slightly bigger and fatter. Not as big as the great white or pointer which are not found here at Maldives.