ramadocblog

Have you ever wondered whether you belong to this world!?

Then you may be a believer of Panspermia! Do not worry!

Francis Crick, one of the co-dis-coverers of DNA, was a keen supporter of this theory!

Then again it may just be a lack of sleep or more of it perhaps!

But for those who like some spice; Panspermia  is the theory for you!

Panspermia is the hypothesis that life exists throughout the universe and is distributed by cosmic bodies like dust, meteoroids, asteroids, and comets.

This theory suggests that life, or the chemical precursors to life, can be transported between planets and can “seed” other worlds. There are different variations, including natural panspermia, where this spread occurs by chance, and directed panspermia, which proposes that intelligent extraterrestrial beings intentionally spread life.

The key aspect as proposed in Dr Ellis Silver’s book Humans are not from Earth is that life on Earth, especially the Human life did not necessarily originate on Earth but was delivered from elsewhere in space!

The mechanism suggested is that microbial life or organic molecules can be embedded in rocky debris from collisions and then travel across space to land on other planets.

Another variant is called the soft panspermia that suggests that instead of living organisms, the “building blocks” of life, such as amino acids and sugars, are delivered through space and then assemble into life on a planet. Like a LEGO delivery set! Earth then goes for the DO IT YOURSELF mode!

In Dr Ellis’s opinion though the theory is called the Directed panspermia which postulates that life was intentionally sent to Earth by an intelligent civilization!
Now whether our ancestors were sent to Earth for research or for punishment Ellis does not know!

The theory is not all gas by the way!

Many scientists point to the discovery of organic molecules and the building blocks of life in meteorites and comets as evidence that supports the theory. Additionally, studies have shown that some microorganisms can survive the harsh conditions of space!

But unless you have a proper proof of concept; the theory is just another one waiting to be proven!
Then again it indirectly shows that life might be more common in the cosmos than previously thought!


Life may be common but humane life is rare! Rarer still is someone with talents! Like Usha Iyer Uthup!

Shubh ratri…

Have you seen how people put their ears on the train track and ‘listen’ to the train even before you can actually see or hear it finally?

Of course now you may not try it since people may be recording and it is more thrilling if the reel captures even the train!

But the fact is that you can actually hear the train through the track first and then see it since sound travels about 15 times faster in iron (or steel) than in air. So, sound travels much faster through the railway track made of steel than through air!

This is actually the basis of the hearing test or the audiometry!

The steel solid transfer is called the bone conduction which is better than the actual air conduction. Though of course when there is issues with the ear drum or conduction system of the ear, you get hearing loss. That’s because the amplifier mechanism of ear bones and the drum accentuates the sound due to lever action and difference in surface area so that there is a pressure amplification about 22 times which translates to an amplification of around 30db!

Simply put, the ear drum and bones act like an amplifier! Which is why when any part of the amplification is not good, your hearing is affected! It can be a simple cold causing your drum to get retracted or fluid getting accumulated or a hole in the drum!

These types of hearing issues are called conductive loss since they happen due to the issues with conduction of sound!

That’s why there are some people who suffer from hearing loss due to bone fixation called the Otosclerosis. Even in them if the sound is presented to the bone directly via a sound vibrator or something called the bone conduction headphones then they can hear properly and better!

Bone conduction headphones work only when the point of contact is close to the bones. Of course all parts of the skull act as a single unit so that you can present the sound anywhere like behind the ear on a bone called the mastoid or the temple area.

But it is not a sound method and the constant vibration can cause headache.

A better and newer headphones is focused air conduction headphones which focusses the sound close to the ear and keeps the ear open to ambient noise and safe! But that may not work with severe loss!

So future is using the sound conduction of materials to give good hearing or listening results! Then again you must not listen to focussed or loud sounds for long period since that can cause issues (though it may increase my OP!)

The difference between noise and music is rhythm! Rhythm was also the hallmark of Pandit Bhim Sen Joshi

Jai hind





Have you seen how people put their ears on the train track and ‘listen’ to the train even before you can actually see or hear it finally?

Of course now you may not try it since people may be recording and it is more thrilling if the reel captures even the train!

But the fact is that you can actually hear the train through the track first and then see it since sound travels about 15 times faster in iron (or steel) than in air. So, sound travels much faster through the railway track made of steel than through air!

This is actually the basis of the hearing test or the audiometry!

The steel solid transfer is called the bone conduction which is better than the actual air conduction. Though of course when there is issues with the ear drum or conduction system of the ear, you get hearing loss. That’s because the amplifier mechanism of ear bones and the drum accentuates the sound due to lever action and difference in surface area so that there is a pressure amplification about 22 times which translates to an amplification of around 30db!

Simply put, the ear drum and bones act like an amplifier! Which is why when any part of the amplification is not good, your hearing is affected! It can be a simple cold causing your drum to get retracted or fluid getting accumulated or a hole in the drum!

These types of hearing issues are called conductive loss since they happen due to the issues with conduction of sound!

That’s why there are some people who suffer from hearing loss due to bone fixation called the Otosclerosis. Even in them if the sound is presented to the bone directly via a sound vibrator or something called the bone conduction headphones then they can hear properly and better!

Bone conduction headphones work only when the point of contact is close to the bones. Of course all parts of the skull act as a single unit so that you can present the sound anywhere like behind the ear on a bone called the mastoid or the temple area.

But it is not a sound method and the constant vibration can cause headache.

A better and newer headphones is focused air conduction headphones which focusses the sound close to the ear and keeps the ear open to ambient noise and safe! But that may not work with severe loss!

So future is using the sound conduction of materials to give good hearing or listening results! Then again you must not listen to focussed or loud sounds for long period since that can cause issues (though it may increase my OP!)

The difference between noise and music is rhythm! Rhythm was also the hallmark of Pandit Bhim Sen Joshi

Jai hind

Secret of success? appreciation or criticism?

There was a photo of an actress who recently made waves with a big movie in which she was the lead and the movie managed to be a super duper hit! She was a fighter in the movie and looked the part. That is all I can say without getting any risk!
That was not the news though! The news was that some time back she was a not so fit and no athletic ‘looking’ person and now she is the super fit lead! At that time she apparently was faced with ridicule and criticism by many who opined that she could never become an actor, forget the lead actor!
Oh how she proved them wrong!

There was an FB post of a friend who had posted how his relative used to ridicule his family because of his low income status and now he is so rich that; well he is richer!

In the movie Mission Mangal; there was this constantly irritating character who used to frequently pass negative comments on the project and on the people! He used to point out flaws in the working method and well, in short was a big pain in the; well neck! The mission later on turned out to be a success and how!

In all these the common factor is not appreciation but criticism!
If all the actress had got was appreciation on how she was fine the way she was (which is fine too!); she would have never got the killing urge to prove her critics wrong!

In the same way the Fb friend could agree that he whole zeal to be richer was to prove that one relative wrong!

Even in the movie; AK concluded that the biggest reason for the success of the mission was the constant criticism!

There are some people who are so talented in giving their frank or quite frankly, RUDE! opinion! It may be that they are jealous or may be that they simple do not care to act decent! But something in the way they say or in fact even if they say something nice; makes you prove them wrong!

Now you can think of them as your arch nemesis! The single goal which you have in your life which actually makes you focus and subsequently succeed! Then when you succeed you do not realize that the reason for your success is not the appreciation which actually only made you feel good for a while but that criticism which really ticked you off!

This is simply an interplay of emotion! Whichever emotion is more prominent, and stays longer, that will make you go! Now, anger is an amazing emotion since it lasts longer and is more powerful! It could also be a close cousin to Jealousy!
In either case, if jealousy and anger make you better or make you successful; then all you have to do is find that critic to hate and prove him or her wrong by being successful! Now once you have achieved that, do not forget to thank him or her!

Of course do remember that everything has to be in limit!

Unlimited potential though was the hallmark of
Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao!

There was this joke about Rao sir when he was the director of IISc! When we visited the campus during our 12th; I remarked, “Wow C N R Rao! I know him!”

Everyone was so puzzled and looked at me surprised!

Then I added, “I know the book he wrote! I didn’t say he knew me!”

And yes! That was years before Vivek’s joke in Minnalai!

Anyway another cool son of Karnataka!

Bharat Ratna C N R Rao!

Some time back we were stuck in traffic and the G maps told us that the 7 KM to our home would take about 2 hours!

If that made you upset, well then it is natural to be upset! Then again if you are planning for a trip to Mars; do you know that it will take only around 7-10 months!

So next time when you get stuck in the traffic think that at least you are not going to Mars! Or you can think of developing the WARP drive!

Now the distance between Earth and Mars varies greatly because both planets orbit the Sun at different speeds and distances. At their closest approach, they can be about 33.9 million miles (54.6 million km) apart, while at their farthest, they can be 250 million miles (401 million km) apart. On average, the distance is about 140 million miles (225 million km!)

A spacecraft typically takes 7 to 10 months to get to Mars with current technology!

The solution is the WARP DRIVE!

A warp drive is a fictional (at least for now!) propulsion system for faster-than-light travel that works by distorting spacetime.

It proposes creating a bubble around a spacecraft, contracting space in front and expanding it behind, allowing the ship to travel at immense speeds without actually moving through space faster than light.

Warp drives was first introduced by author John W. Campbell in 1957.

The theory is that instead of accelerating a ship past the speed of light, the warp drive manipulates the fabric of spacetime itself. A bubble of spacetime is created around the ship, with space contracting ahead and expanding behind it.

So by contracting space in front and expanding it behind, the spacecraft can move between two points much faster than light would, even though the ship itself is not breaking the speed of light within its local bubble!

While a practical warp drive is not currently possible, theoretical models like the Alcubierre drive have been proposed based on Einstein’s theory of general relativity. These models suggest that with exotic matter, the concept of warping space could be theoretically feasible!

Mexican theoretical physicist Miguel Alcubierre came up with the Alcubierre drive in 1994!

This could achieve faster-than-light travel without breaking any of the laws of physics. His system uses large amounts of matter with negative mass. This is different from antimatter, which is considered to have positive mass!

The most significant hurdle is the need for exotic matter with negative energy density, which has not been proven to exist and may be impossible!

This is of course different from the negative energy you get from pessimistic people which is unfortunately available in very high quantity!
Which of course make you WARP!

Then again, there is one thing which is even faster that the speed of light! It is our thought! I can reach the furthermost end of the universe right now where even light cannot reach!

Which is why, physics and light on one side and the power of brain and divinity another!

One such divinity was Shri Guru Nanak ji

Today is Guru Nanak Jayanti, also known as Gurpurab which marks not only the birth of a spiritual leader but also the beginning of Sikh philosophy, which emphasizes: Equality of all people, regardless of caste, creed, or gender; Unity and harmony among people; Honest living (Kirat Karni); Selfless service (Seva) to humanity and Devotion to God (Naam Japna)

Wishing a blessed Gurpurab…

അധികമായാൽ അമൃതവും വിഷം
( 

This was a common phrase used by my mother! Which is why you must never have excess of anything! The above phrase literally means that in excess quantities, even nectar is like poison!

When anyone asks you the most important gas for your respiration everyone knows the answer is Oxygen! But did you know that even Oxygen cannot be too much! In fact more of oxygen is actually dangerous to you!

There was a time when oxygen was not even essential for life! It was in fact a by product like the carbon dioxide of today!

In any case oxygen is a byproduct of life not a prerequisite ( so is soil!)
Oxygen is now considered essential to life but it wasn’t always that way!

During the Earth’s early years, oxygen was a byproduct given off by anaerobic cyanobacteria as they photosynthesized and it was toxic to every living thing!

In fact, the bacteria produced so much of it that it caused Earth’s first mass extinction event!
Even in our medical practice we still have a group of anaerobic bacteria for whom oxygen is the kill switch!

During the development of Earth, if the level of oxygen in the air had remained as high as it was, it’s doubtful whether many animal species would have evolved; it would have been too toxic for them!

High levels of oxygen are toxic to us too. The air we breathe is roughly 79 percent nitrogen and 21 percent oxygen, plus a trace amount of other gases including argon!

If you take in more oxygen than your body needs, it can slow your breathing and heart rate to dangerous levels. Too much oxygen can lead to oxygen toxicity or oxygen poisoning. This can happen if you accidentally take in too much supplemental oxygen or use oxygen therapy when you don’t need it!

Breathing higher levels, especially for prolonged periods or at increased pressure (such as in scuba diving or hyperbaric therapy), creates excessive unstable molecules called free radicals that damage cells and tissues throughout the body, particularly in the lungs, central nervous system, and eyes!

Which just goes to prove that anything more, however good; may be bad! Then again reading and writing something new may still be good! Especially from such a talented writer and motivational speaker like our Kannadiga Sudha Murty!

Jai HInd…

അധികമായാൽ അമൃതവും വിഷം
(Adhikamaayaal amruthavum visham) 

This was a common phrase used by my mother! Which is why you must never have excess of anything! The above phrase literally means that in excess quantities, even nectar is like poison!

When anyone asks you the most important gas for your respiration everyone knows the answer is Oxygen! But did you know that even Oxygen cannot be too much! In fact more of oxygen is actually dangerous to you!

There was a time when oxygen was not even essential for life! It was in fact a by product like the carbon dioxide of today!

In any case oxygen is a byproduct of life not a prerequisite ( so is soil!)
Oxygen is now considered essential to life but it wasn’t always that way!

During the Earth’s early years, oxygen was a byproduct given off by anaerobic cyanobacteria as they photosynthesized and it was toxic to every living thing!

In fact, the bacteria produced so much of it that it caused Earth’s first mass extinction event!
Even in our medical practice we still have a group of anaerobic bacteria for whom oxygen is the kill switch!

During the development of Earth, if the level of oxygen in the air had remained as high as it was, it’s doubtful whether many animal species would have evolved; it would have been too toxic for them!

High levels of oxygen are toxic to us too. The air we breathe is roughly 79 percent nitrogen and 21 percent oxygen, plus a trace amount of other gases including argon!

If you take in more oxygen than your body needs, it can slow your breathing and heart rate to dangerous levels. Too much oxygen can lead to oxygen toxicity or oxygen poisoning. This can happen if you accidentally take in too much supplemental oxygen or use oxygen therapy when you don’t need it!

Breathing higher levels, especially for prolonged periods or at increased pressure (such as in scuba diving or hyperbaric therapy), creates excessive unstable molecules called free radicals that damage cells and tissues throughout the body, particularly in the lungs, central nervous system, and eyes!

Which just goes to prove that anything more, however good; may be bad! Then again reading and writing something new may still be good! Especially from such a talented writer and motivational speaker like our Kannadiga Sudha Murty!

Jai HInd…

Mastery by Robert Greene

A non linear self help book

Audiobook with a running length of more than 15 hours!

One of the best books to read mainly because the narrative is full of stories of successful people! Then again many of the stories do not start with success but with struggle!

The review here is a long summary for those with less time and a preview for those those who may make time to read or listen to this one day!

How the weakness or the challenges are overcome and how they triumph!

In the case of some of them the success is actually realized much later in life which shows that life is not a race!

The summary of the book can be found in some specific points like

You must first discover your life’s task: Find your unique calling or vocation that aligns with your innate interests and passions to provide the necessary motivation and focus.

Finding a mentor is the most common theme but you must make sure that you get detached from the mentor when the time comes! Sometimes your experience itself will be your mentor! In the case of Faraday; he found his mentor but later on he realized that the mentor was limiting him and he had to break free and that was the best decision!

Another important trait is to gain social intelligence and understand human nature, people’s intentions, and how to work with others without being naïve. This is a critical skill to develop alongside your craft.

Study and absorb the details of your field until the knowledge and skills become effortless and intuitive. He also mentions how at least 7- 8 years is required for skill acquisition! In fact the brain rewiring takes around 10000 hours!
At which point the skill becomes natural! It becomes automatic or effortless after 20000 hours apparently!

So good things take time! Which is why we need to develop a long-term perspective: Understand that mastery is a result of time, intense focus, and a commitment to a lifetime of learning, not just talent!

Finally you must awaken your creative mind by moving past the apprenticeship phase to experiment, take risks, and synthesize knowledge from different areas to create new ideas and solve problems in innovative ways!

Most of these points are mentioned by narrating stories from the life and times of many successful and famous and some not so famous but still very successful people!

There is such an astute dissection on some important events of these people that this particular perspective is amazingly new and refreshing!


Charles Darwin and his life of chance! Studied barnacles for eight years before developing his theories, exemplifying the long apprenticeship needed for mastery. In fact he was a big failure and the chance to go in the ship was an after thought! On top of it all he was actually being prepared to join the clergy! Instead he came up with an theory which shook the world!

Leonardo da Vinci was a son with dubious father who had lots of time but no company! He also had access to paper and nature! He used them both and how! His early work, like painting an angel in a biblical scene, showed intense observation and detail, using scientific rigor in his art.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Used as an example of a natural prodigy who achieved mastery. But the real story is much more complex! He was a natural who was used by his father who was also his first mentor! Very soon he was the source of income for his whole family! So even though he was doing good by doing basic work he was not happy since his talent was not being utilized fully! One trip changed everything and he never looked back! He got separated from his father and their relationship was broken forever but his talent got wings and that created history!

Benjamin Franklin life from a normal leader to the president demonstrates the importance of social intelligence and the strategic use of networks to achieve mastery.

He talks about Paul Graham who is a contemporary example of a master in the tech world. He introduced radical changes in the way you invest in techs all over!

The story of the Wright Brothers was very enlightening starting from their work as cycle mechanics! Their dedication and experimental approach to flight are highlighted as a path to mastery! In fact their cycle shop was known for repairs and innovations! With a zeal for experimentation and research their crux was innovation which finally lead to the first flight and how!

Henry Ford: A key figure in industrial mastery and how his assembly line tech was used after careful observation and patience.


Temple Grandin was born with autism and had immense fear of human contact but needed them anyway! Then how she saw the cattle hug machine calming the cows made her try it and then rest as they say is history!
A contemporary example of a master in a field that uses a unique perspective. She developed a hugging machine for both cattle’s and for those special humans with autism and is now an expert in her field!

Other experts who were mentioned were done with special emphasis on how their struggles taught them! How mastery takes time! How you can be different and still be better! How innovation takes time!

The lists include John Coltrane a musical master, Martha Graham a modern dance master and our own V.S. Ramachandran whose work is used to illustrate pursuing opportunities within and related to one’s current field!


One of the most interesting story is about this boxer who becomes a coach at the middle part of his life after so many big failures!

The boxer Manny Pacquiao, who is used as an example of a master alongside his trainer, Freddie Roach. Mastery highlights their dynamic as a successful mentor-student relationship where Roach pushed Pacquiao to become a dominant boxer.

Greene discusses how Pacquiao was a promising but “middling one-punch fighter” until he began working with Freddie Roach.

Roach recognized Pacquiao’s potential and helped him develop his skills, with the two creating a powerful interactive relationship.

The partnership led to Pacquiao developing a devastating right hand and exceptional footwork, contributing to his successful career as an eight-division world champion!

The way the author uses these life stories to get his point across is simply energizing since they are all true! The stories take time to get to the point and it is slow! Which is how true success and mastery should be!

The end note is about  the mention of the intermaxillary bone in the context of the scientist Goethe.

The book discusses how Goethe was determined to find the non-existent intermaxillary bone in humans, which at the time was believed to only exist in lower animals, to prove a connection between all life forms. Through extensive research, he discovered remnants of this bone (part of the larger maxillary bone structure) in the upper cheekbones of human infant!

Goethe is of course Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Greene describes Goethe as the epitome of the Renaissance ideal of the “Universal Man”—a person with deep knowledge across various fields like with the example above.

Greene mentions how to utilize your working environment.  The author notes that Goethe spent a period in a petty court culture but, rather than engaging in the pettiness, used the observed behavior as material for his later plays and novels.

All in all; when you get live examples you do get energized! There is a level of reality which drives you forward! One book can do it for you or many but this is certainly one of those books which can inspire you!

Cognitive Dissonance! Do not get scared by the complicated name!

Giving complicated names to simple things is the best way to sound scientific and be taken seriously!

There is a novel called The Psychology of Stupidity! Yes! It is a very intellectually put novel about, well stupidity! In one section of the novel the author mentions how if you wear a white coat while telling something, you are more likely to be taken seriously! Even if he or she is actually not being serious!

In the same way Cognitive dissonance is just a complicated name for a very simple phenomenon which we face each and every step of our life!

Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort experienced when a person holds two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes, or when their actions contradict their beliefs.

People are motivated to reduce this uncomfortable feeling to achieve internal psychological consistency; in simple there are conflicts within our minds all the time and we strive to strike a balance!

The core of cognitive dissonance is an inconsistency between cognitions (thoughts, beliefs, or opinions) or between a cognition and a behavior.
The most common example is smoking! There are in fact many doctors who may smoke! They know it is wrong but they still do! That is the conflict!

The obvious discomfort is that the same doctor who smokes may even tell his or her patient that smoking is bad! This clash of ideas or beliefs produces feelings of unease, guilt, shame, anxiety, or stress. The greater the importance of the conflicting beliefs, the more intense the discomfort!
The discomfort may actually make him or her smoke more!

Then again many times there occurs a motivation to alleviate this tension and  individuals are motivated to change something to restore balance.

The most common response is not to change the behavior (which is often difficult), but to change the attitudes or beliefs to justify the behavior!

The most direct, but often hardest, approach is usually not taken!
For a smoker, this would mean quitting smoking!

The common approach taken is justification or the cognition!
In this the individual may create explanations or excuses. A smoker might tell themselves that the health risks have been overstated or that smoking helps them manage stress, which is a valid concern for them!

He or she would opine that the stress is more dangerous and acute than smoking which is in fact a slow poison!

In fact we constantly face this conflict in our life and try to justify or make excuses rather than change the habit which is actually the proper solution!

A person who values health but eats a doughnut might tell themselves, “I’ll exercise more tomorrow” or “I deserve a treat once in a while”!

Someone who believes in protecting the environment but throws trash on the ground might justify it by thinking, “It’s just one piece,” or “someone else will pick it up”.

The most common is how someone takes social pressure!
He or she may laugh at an offensive joke to fit in, then feel shame for going against one’s own values regarding kindness or respect!

He or she may actually tell the truth in a post but then take it out or edit it so that it will not be considered rude or offensive! Then struggle with his or her conscience!

Then again; all these are fairly limited to the human! Just the fact that you are getting this whole feeling means that there is some humanity left in you! So if you feel Cognitive dissonance once in a while or many times then that simply means that you are human!


Of course a super human of sorts was our dear Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya!
Jai hind!

We all know the adage; quit while at the top!

But do you know who are the quiet quitters!?

Now with the advent of social media it may seem like a new trend but the fact is that it has been there for long!

The quiet quitters continue to fulfill their primary responsibilities, but they’re less willing to engage in activities known as citizenship behaviors

That means that they just work as a compulsion and nothing more!

They continue to do what is in their job description to keep their position. They however do not go the “extra mile”!

They decline to volunteer for additional tasks, work longer hours, or participate in optional meetings. They are psychologically detached from their work and are not striving for promotions or praise. 

Most of the experienced people you see in an old established firm or even an old bank are doing just this! The classical meme of a public sector bank employee gone for lunch is a case in point! They have no intention to innovate and no incentive to work with enthusiasm!

Many employees turn to quiet quitting to cope with stress and prevent burnout. Many times though it stems from a lack of appreciation which leads to a feeling of being undervalued, unrecognized, or taken for granted. 

This can happen also if you have a bad boss! Then again you can never have a good boss! But issues like bad management, lack of growth opportunities, or a feeling of being just a number can contribute to this behavior.

Though it is a seemingly slow process if left unaddressed, quiet quitting can have a ripple effect, leading to decreased overall productivity and efficiency.

It can also lead to lower employee morale and a stagnation of innovation!

Another major side effect is the extra work and burden on the remaining engaged employees who may then go on the same path in future!

It is the primary duty of the management to mitigate quiet quitting! The management usually would feel that they can always get someone new and ‘cheap’ but then it is actually bad in the long term!

A good management and a proper HR would actually create a safe space for employees to voice concerns and provide feedback without fear of retaliation! They must also implement robust recognition programs and ensuring competitive, equitable pay. Most importantly they must provide clear pathways for career advancement and ongoing training opportunities.

These are of course a Utopian dream! If you do not want to be a Quiet Quitter; well try out some new hobby (sketching and blogging comes to my mind!)!

Remember that having a bad job is much better than having no Job at all! 

So be quiet and don’t quit! Only then you will be great or be remembered! Like we remember the Kannada legend Gangadhar Vithoba Chittal!

Karnataka Rajyotsava week!

SHubh Ratri! Jai Karnataka Jai Hind!

This is the organ which has made many surgeons, well experienced!

By the way there was a time we could even eat Grass or tree bark which was because of this very organ!

Now it being one of the smallest organ in the GUT; has the most content dedicated in the surgical textbooks and the most space in the clinical experience of a GE surgeon!

Then again its namesake also forms a part of every text book!

Now every surgeon would have understood the organ!

It is the Appendix!

The appendix was thought to be the diminished remnant of the long caecum, which herbivores have to help digest cellulose. Evidence suggests that our evolutionary ancestors used their appendixes to digest tough food like tree bark!

Now we’re herbivores at heart, but we don’t need to digest cellulose, so the appendix was considered redundant in us!
But not now!

It is now known to have a useful immune and microbiome function, particularly as a “safe house” for beneficial gut bacteria that can repopulate the gut after illness!

While the appendix can be removed without causing long-term health issues, its evolutionary persistence suggests an adaptive function, possibly even linking to longevity due to its role in immune and gut health!

The appendix contains immune tissue that plays a role in the immune system, especially in early life.
It contributes to the maturation of B lymphocytes and the production of antibodies.
The appendix has been shown to have endocrine cells that produce hormones important for biological control in fetuses and young adults.

One of the most important roles is that the appendix is considered a “safe house” or reservoir for beneficial gut bacteria.
This is helpful in repopulating the gut!
During an illness like severe diarrhea that flushes out gut bacteria, the appendix can provide a source to repopulate the gut with beneficial flora!

It apparently also helps maintain the balance of good and bad bacteria in the digestive system!

Research has found that mammals with an appendix may have a longer lifespan compared to those without one, potentially due to better immune function and protection against infectious diarrhea!

Now now! Those without their appendix do not have to feel left ‘out’!

If the appendix is removed, other parts of the gut will take over its functions, but the absence of the “safe house” may slightly increase the risk of infection from certain pathogens! So if your appendix is out; try to eat healthy and clean!


And if you are out of country, it is when you miss it the most! Especially your own state and place!

Happy Karnataka Rajyotsava!

A dedication to one of the gems of Kannada!

Shubh ratri…