Science and Curiosity

We have sequenced the human genome, eradicated smallpox, and even found a vaccine for emerging diseases like Covid-19 in record time. But after billions of dollars in research, we haven't found a solution for a disease that affects more than 14 million people and their families at any given time.  Why is it so difficult to cure cancer? Cancer arises as normal cells start to mutate. Most of the time, cells can detect mutations or DNA damage and either fix them or self-destruct. However, mistakes happen; some mutations allow cancerous cells to grow unchecked, invade nearby tissues, or even metastasize to distant organs. Cancers become almost incurable once they metastasize, And cancer is incredibly complex. It's not just one disease! There are more than 100 different types, and we don't have magic meds that can cure all of them. For most cancers, treatments usually include a combination of surgery to remove tumors and radiation and chemotherapy to kill any cancerous cells lef...

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face today, and the stakes could not be higher. The world has become keenly aware of the problem, and around the world, people are setting goals to solve it. To avoid the worst effects of a warming world- which will be catastrophic-humans need to stop adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.  Since 1850 global average temperature has risen by 1 degree Celsius. That may not sound like a significant number, but it is.  Why? Let's find out. One degree is average. Many places on earth have gotten much warmer than that. Some areas in the Arctic have already warmed by 4 degrees. If the global average temperature increases by one more degree (total increase of 2 degrees), the coldest nights in the Arctic might get ten degrees warmer, and the warmest days in Mumbai might get 5 degrees hotter.  Wonder how do we get here? Everything we do is related to fossil fuels: Coal, Oil, and Gas, which are full of carbon that releases carbo...