Movie Review: Particle Fever

Particle Fever is a 2013 documentary film tracking the first round of experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) near Geneva, Switzerland. The film follows the experimental physicists at CERN who run the experiments, as well as theoretical physicists who attempt to provide a conceptual framework for the LHC results. The film begins in 2008 with the first firing of the LHC and concludes in 2012 with the successful identification of the Higgs Boson.

The subject of the film is the Large Hadron Collider, a massive miles long particle accelerator designed to detect the Higgs boson by replicating, miniature, the Big Bang. It works by smashing together two high-energy proton beams aimed directly at each other. Comprised of liquid helium cooled magnets and complex microelectronics, the LHC is the world largest crash test Laboratory.

One doesn’t have to be a physicist or good at math, to enjoy the energy and thrill of discovery that radiates from the documentary “Particle Fever”. Mark Levinson, director of the film has taken a potentially daunting topic, the search for the elusive and highly significant Higgs Boson particle, also known as “God Particle” and turned it into a movie that not just accessible but fun, with a surprisingly emotional playoff at the end.

Real stars of the film are the half dozen physicists who tell the story of the search for the Higgs Boson, lending the tech talk real drama. They are led by David Kaplan, a theoretical physicist at John Hopkins University who acts as a kind of tour guide to the story and helps simplify a complex subject for a general audience, many of whom would never otherwise care about any of this. The pursuit of knowledge sake is science as purest. As Kaplan says, everyone looking for the Higgs particle always understood that the search could yield nothing, other than understanding everything.

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Book Review: Outliers – The Story of Success

When we try to understand success, we normally start with the wrong question. We ask ‘what is the person like or what is his background?’ Is he born with a silver spoon? What we should really be asking his ‘where are they from?’ The real secret of success turns out is surprisingly simple, and it hinges on a few crucial twists in people life stories, on the culture they grow up in and the way they spend their time.

Outlier: The story of Success is all about above Paragraph. Gladwell doesn’t discount the necessity of innate ability, and he points to hard work as a crucial factor for success in any endeavor. But he finds in these success stories that factors such as timing, circumstance, and crucial heritage play an off-overlooked yet critical role. This book is distributed in two parts: Opportunity and Legacy.

Outlier clearly answers why do some people achieve so much more than others? Can they lie so far outside the ordinary? What is the secret of their success? In this proactive and inspiring book, Malcolm Gladwell examines everyone from Business giants to scientific geniuses, sports stars to musicians, and reveals what they have in common. The facts in the book are very interesting and clearly indicate that the author did a deep research on everything.

Outlier offers an implicit message for companies as well. There is great competitive advantage for the organization recognizing that the work environment can nurture talent and also suppress it. The best companies will not only seek to provide their employees with enrichment but will also have the insight and courage to identify and recruit exceptional though neglected talent that could flourish under the right conditions.

He examines the causes of how Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates achieved his extreme wealth, how the Beatles became one of the most successful musical acts in human history, how cultural differences play a large part in perceived intelligence and rational decision making and many others. This book really will change the way one think about their life and it will challenge one to make the most of their own potential. 

Protect Information: The new Currency

A growing economy and a fast Internet population make India one of the most attractive targets of Cyber Criminals. In a digital world, Information is the new currency. In the past, many threats are done by hackers on companies to collect data or release data. Any loss or theft of information can lead to irreparable damage in terms of overall competitiveness.

In connected world, network now ends with the user device, which makes it more difficult to prevent theft of data intentional or unintentional. In a recent research, it points that India is the number one host country of Botnet related Malware, Sality Malware contributor and Ramnit Malware contributor globally. Malwares like Botnet, Ramnit, and Autorun are designed to hack into various devices to steal data, banking credentials, cookies and other vital information.

As India’s smartphone and Internet base rises, the number of Malware directed at Indian firms will continue to rise. Today, companies are still spending significant sums on security systems. Securing the data is the first priority for any company which was previously ignored. Cyber-attacks on business come from bugs in outdated software. Malware creators are quick to spot these opportunities and create Malware that scan unpatched operating systems.

On Mobile phones, Android is still the number one target. Recent attacks on Apple iCloud and Sony had cost them a huge price. Malware creators today are not only stealing data but they also make sure that the original user pays for the data he owns. Original user can get the data back if he pays for the decryption key. About 80 percent of top 10 Malware can be avoided by up to date software. Tools, which can automatically update software offer protection against threats.

With regular increase in Internet users and connectivity, it has become very important to secure information. As Information is the new currency in Digital World. Just as a strong immune system in human body can prevent most dangerous diseases in same way most deadly viruses and malware can be kept out of most networks.

Book Review: Jugaad Innovation

In India, the word “Jugaad” is something that we lived with it. It means finding an innovative solution to a problem arising out of very limited resources. Recently, I had finished reading “Jugaad Innovation” by Navi Radjou, Jaideep Prabhu, and Simone Ahuja. For me, Jugaad is a creative improvisation, a medium to somehow find a solution based on a refusal to accept defeat and calling on quick thinking.

In Jugaad Innovation, authors challenge the status quo of traditional organizations in terms of how they think and act. The book outlines six principles of Jugaad: Seek Opportunity in adversity, do more with less, think and act flexibly, keep it simple, include the margin, and follow your heart. The book also argues about that West must look at countries like India, China, Brazil, for a new approach to frugal and flexible innovation.

The book begins with Simone meeting with Mansukh Prajapati who has designed a fridge that costs Rs 2500, is made out of clay and runs without electricity. This innovation has made it possible for even people in rural India have access to cool water and the option to store fruit and vegetables for three days. In India, such examples of human ingenuity are part of common folklore. I have seen carts fixed with diesel engines and people call them ‘Jugaads’.

The material in the book is thoroughly referenced and well structured. Each chapter begins with an inspirational quote and ends with takeaways, things to measure, things to do, and experiments to conduct. The concluding chapter ties all the material together. Innovation is driven by curiosity and creativity. It is an iterative process involving risk taking along with the risk assessment and mitigation.

Filled with engaging stories of resourceful Jugaad innovators and entrepreneurs in emerging markets and the United States, the book is a resourceful guide to help readers unlock the value of principles of Jugaad Innovation in enabling innovation. It is must read for Entrepreneurs. Overall, I loved the book and its examples of human creativity. It takes examples from developed and developing nations. Jugaad is practiced by almost all Indians in their daily lives to make the most of what they have. 

My Love for Cycling & My Mountain Bike

Albert Einstein once said, he thought of the theory of relativity while riding a bicycle. Cycling is third most popular recreational activity in the UK. About 3.1 Million people ride bicycle every month. I too love cycling since childhood and my new Mountain Bike “Rockrider 5.3”. There are many reasons that turn me on for cycling every time including its benefits.

Regular cycling can help one shed weight, regulate stress and improve fitness. It saves transport & fuel expenses. The best thing about cycling is that it is pollution free which is good for environment. According to a research by Illinois University researchers, cycling helps build brain cells in the hippocampus, the region responsible for memory, which keeps on deteriorating after the age of 30.

Cycling also beats illness and keeps doctor at bay. It is also helpful for Insomnia sufferers who can’t sleep at nights. Cycling helps in getting proper sleeps because it prevents the stress hormones and regenerate sleep. Regular cycling can protect skin against the harmful effects of UV radiation and reduce signs of ageing. It also helps in living longer because body becomes much more efficient to regenerate new cells.

Cycling also helps avoid obesity which means guilt free snacks at any party. It also helps me to get fitter and hence better at sports. Professionally, cycling also helps to maintain and create network with people. Last but not the least; twenty bicycles can be parked in the same space as one car. It takes around five percent of the materials and energy used to make a car than to build a bike and a bike produces zero pollution.

Cycling is an activity that involves the whole body. Therefore, arm-to-leg, feet-to-hands and body-to-eye coordination are improved. I love my bike because it has twenty seven gears, disc brakes and a light weight frame to pull. Apart from physical structure of bike I would like to add that cycling also builds leadership & strategy skills. Above image describes meaning of all parts of cycle. Gear part is engagement and chain is the feedback point.

So, one can’t easily measure the benefits of cycling on one’s life. Most of the times, people ask me “Why don’t you buy a motor bike in same price”, well the answer is simple, it will make me lazy and increase risks of accident. When I travel from one place to another in a city, my ultimate goal is to cover a distance, which can be done from cycling as well.