Use the internet

Here is the Ultimate list of websites which will change your life and give you a whole new reason to use internet:-

1. Openculture.com - This is the big daddy of internet when it comes to knowledge and learning new things. The best free cultural & educational media on the web

link : Open Culture - The Best Free Cultural and Educational Media on the Web. 

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2. Instructables.com - Instructables is a huge community of do-it-yourselfers who actively engage in creating and sharing well-illustrated, step-by-step how-to articles on everything from building robots to repairing torn clothing to creating 3D anamorphic sidewalk art (really).

link :- http://instructables.com 

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3. Creative-writing-now.com - Learn how to write stories, poems, novels with the free online writing courses.

link: http://creative-writing-now.com

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4. 30 Second MBA -  Watch 30 second videos and get tips from business leaders.

link : 30-Second MBA

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5. Common errors in English -  Want to know the difference between effect and affect? How to correctly use the word alot? (hint - there is no word alot) I can, and often have, spent hours at this site. It's educational. It's hilarious!

link: Common Errors in English Usage 

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6. Duolingo.com - Learn Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian and English for free 

link: Learn Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian and English for free 

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7. Khanacademy.org - "Our mission is to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. All of our resources are completely free forever, regardless of whether you're a student, teacher, home-schooler, principal, adult returning to the classroom after 20 years, or a friendly alien just trying to get a leg up in earthly biology." - Khan Academy

link: Khan Academy 

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8. Bigthink.com – Big Think is an evolving roadmap to the best thinking on the planet — the ideas that can help you think flexibly and act decisively in a multivariate world.

link: Blogs, Articles and Videos from the World's Top Thinkers and Leaders | Big Think 

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9. Mathrun.net - Daily brain training - A six pack for your brain.

link: how fast are your Math skills? A simple Math Training Game for everyone 

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10. Academicearth.org - A comprehensive collection of free online courses from the world's top universities.

link: Academic Earth - A world-class education at your fingertips

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11. Youtube Channels -

• SciShow - SciShow discusses science news, history and concepts.
  With equal parts skepticism and enthusiasm, we go a little deeper...without going off the deep end.
  
• Vsauce - Our World is Amazing. Subscribe for Mind-Blowing Facts & The Best of the Internet

• MinutePhysics - Simply put: cool physics and other sweet science.

• TEDEducation - TED-Ed's Original videos aim to capture and amplify the voices of the world's greatest educators.

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12. Drawspace.com - Everyone can learn to draw Exercise your brain, creativity, and visual intelligence.

    

  

link: Now everyone can draw 

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13. Degreed.com -The new degree for the new world. Students and professionals use Degreed to quantify and organize their lifelong education, from any source—formal (e.g. Harvard) and informal (e.g. Skillshare.com). Then students use their education to unlock relevant, tailored employment and learning opportunities.

link: Degreed.com | The Digital Lifelong Diploma

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14. Flylady.net - It is like having a great friend who is with you all the time, who keeps tabs on all your activities and events. A solid website that can help you organize your life!


link: FlyLady.net 

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15. Climbur.com - Climbur is a weekly email that provides actionable insights and big ideas from top innovators to help entrepreneurs everywhere be more successful.

link:  CLIMBUR - Entrepreneurial Intelligence

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16. Getthefive.com -  For those who lean on their right brain. Startups, ideas, business, creativity, views, marketing, all at one place.

link: startups—FIVE THOT discover ideas, people, views, lifestyles and business

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17. Power searching with Google - Attend the self-paced training on Power Searching with Google and learn cool ways to structure your search queries and get back exact and relevant answers.

link: Inside Search


Disclaimer: This article is originally from one of the Quora's answer : http://www.quora.com/Intelligence/What-are-the-most-productive-ways-to-spend-time-on-internet

Dead and Alive : At the same time !

The double slit experiment in physics accorded  the photon  the  miraculous ability to be simultaneously present at two places. The mono-photonic beam effecting interference was undeniable testimony to this impossible conclusion. Closer  scrutiny of the photons by a juxtaposed camera near the slit added to the chagrin. The photon now reverted to its particle form, suggesting an incredulous awareness of  the photon to  mutate from a wave to a particle form, when it realised that it was under scrutiny. The wave and the particle  "states" are quantum superposition states that manifest in an 'either or ' dichotomy  that is observer sensitive.

Analogous to  Schrodinger’s  cat being simultaneously   dead and alive , the photon exists in a wave and particle form simultaneously the observer  quashes the superposition possibilities to an "observed" single outcome, the unobserved remains both, simultaneously.

Sensory comprehension is handicapped by  the  ‘either-or’ paradigm and can cognise only a polarised ,committed ,tangible alternative. 

Sensory perception, is processing and assimilating gigabytes of tangible, unequivocal polarity -- either one of  the duality, wave or particle,  day or night, sad or happy, black or white, dead or alive and so on. The perceptive faculties cannot perceive  a simultaneous concurrent duality that is inclusive rather than exclusive, based on 'and '. 

Dead and alive at the same time, is inconceivable,  an impossible oxymoron that paralyses the intellect into a shutdown. The sharp edge of reason coupled with a perceptive bias cleaves this integrative intangible 'superposition '  into  fragmented tangibility. It is  an irony, where the part makes more sense than the whole. A jigsaw puzzle, that becomes incomprehensible when complete. 

The wave -particle conflict  reflects a limitation of perception.  The brain is programmed to interpret unity  as a partial 'virtual ' diversity. Much the same as a drop of water splits light into a spectral  delusion,  the brain permits only an "either or" program to serve as the operating system,  a binary code that can have only one of two values at any given point of time. Assigning  both values simultaneously corrupts the software and hangs the system. Duality is a perceptive warp,  that coerces the senses into a distortion of the fundamental  non-duality. 

Non duality  represents a 'paradigm shift' from this reductionist 'either or' syntax to a holistic  'and' awareness . Rephrasing  the immortal words of Tagore:

"Where the awareness is without illusion and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where reality has not been broken up into fragments…"

Nonduality alludes to an undifferentiated whole, that is not exclusive, but  inclusive. A quantum superposition state, that reveals all quantum states as  an unqualified oneness. An awareness that transcends  'attribute and form' , sagun saakaar, the progenitors of the subject-object dichotomy to an exalted 'nirgun niraakaar' state.

An awareness that becomes aware of this duality-based sensory deception.

This is  aptly described by philosopher saint Tukaram as 'saandili triputi' or ending the trilogy of  the observer, observed and observation. A grand unified theory of sorts, that makes all  answers redundant ,by unifying the questions ,the seeker and the questioning.

Until that quantum ‘leap of consciousness’ occurs, our perception will remain mired in the 'either or' domain. The 'wave -particle ' conflict will continue to haunt us till  a 'wave' of realisation sweeps over  our  'particulate '  perceptive distortion.

Courtsey -The Speaking Tree

10 Simple Postures That Boost Personal Performance

Psychological research suggests simple actions can project power, persuade others, increase empathy, boost cognitive performance and more.

We tend to think of body language as something that expresses our internal states to the outside world. But it also works the other way around: the position of our body also influences our mind.

As the following psychological research shows, how we move can drive both thoughts and feelings and this can boost performance.

1. Pose for power
If you want to feel more powerful then adopt a powerful posture. Carney et al. (2010) found that when people stood or sat in powerful poses for one minute—those involving open limbs and expansive gestures—they not only felt more powerful but had increased levels of testosterone flooding their systems. Powerful poses take up more space, so spread your body and open up the arms or legs. When you dominate the space, your mind gets the message.

2. Tense up for willpower
Tensing up your muscles can help increase your willpower. In a series of 5 studies Hung and Labroo (2011) found that when people firmed up their muscles they were better able to withstand pain, resist tempting food, take an unpleasant medicine and pay attention to disturbing information. So, if you need to increase your willpower, tense your muscles. It should help.

3. Cross arms for persistence
If you’re stuck on a problem which needs persistence then try crossing your arms. Friedman and Elliot (2008) had participants do just that and found they worked longer at a set of difficult anagrams. In fact about twice as long. Their persistence led to more correct solutions.

4. Lie down for insight
If crossing your arms doesn’t work then try lying down. When Lipnicki and Byrne (2005) had anagram solvers lying down, they solved them faster. Since anagrams are a type of insight problem, lying down may help you reach creative solutions.

5. Nap for performance
While you’re lying down, why not have a nap? Napping is an art-form though. Nap too long and you’ll suffer from sleep inertia: the feeling of being drowsy for an extended period. Nap too little and there’s no point. Where’s the sweet spot?

Brooks & Lack (2005) compared 5, 10, 20 and 30 minute naps to find the best length. For increased cognitive performance, vigour and wakefulness, the best naps were 10 minutes long. Benefits were seen immediately after 10 minute naps but after longer naps it took longer to wake up. Five minute naps only provided half the benefit, but were better than nothing.

6. Gesture for persuasion
The way people’s hands cut through the air while they talk is fascinating. But it’s more than just a by-product of communication. Maricchiolo et al. (2008) found that hand-gestures help increase the power of a persuasive message when compared to no use of gesture. Most effective are gestures which make what you are saying more understandable. For example, when referring to the past, point behind you.

7. And gesture for understanding
Gestures aren’t only helpful for persuading others, they also help us think. In a study of children, Cook et al. (2007) found that children who were encouraged to gesture while learning, retained more of what they learnt. Moving our hands may help us learn; more generally we actually seem to think with our hands.

8. Smile for happiness
The very act of smiling can make you feel happy, whether it’s justified or not. Strack et al. (1988) had participants holding pens in their mouths either so that it activated the muscles responsible for smiling, or not. Those whose smiling muscles were activated rated cartoons as funnier than others whose smiling muscles weren’t activated by the pen in their mouth. So, forcing a smile really does make us see the world in a better light.

9. Mimic to empathise
If you want to get inside someone’s head, you can try copying their behaviour. Those who are good at empathising do it automatically: copying accent, posture, expressions and so on. If you can copy it, you will feel it yourself and then you’ll get a hint of what others are feeling. It’s what actors have known for years: mimicry is a great way of simulating others’ emotional states.

10. Imitate to comprehend
The idea that copying helps us understand others works for thought as well as emotion. In an experiment by Adank (2010), participants found it easier to decipher an unfamiliar accent if they tried to imitate it themselves. Some psychologists go further, claiming that imitating others helps us predict what they are going to do (e.g. Pickering & Garrod, 2007).

Embodied cognition

Many of these studies support a theory about human life (and indeed all life) called ‘embodied cognition’. The idea is that we don’t just think with our minds, we also think with our bodies. Our mind isn’t a brain in a jar, it is connected to a body which moves around in an environment.

As life becomes increasingly virtual, played out on screens of varying sizes, we need reminding that the connection between mind and body is two-way. Human intelligence is more than abstract processing power; it’s about the interaction between mind, body and the world around us.

THE 10 INVENTIONS OF NIKOLA TESLA THAT CHANGED THE WORLD.

Nikola Tesla is finally beginning to attract real attention and encourage serious debate nearly 70 years after his death. Was he for real? A crackpot? Part of an early experiment in corporate-government control?

We know that he was undoubtedly persecuted by the energy power brokers of his day — namely Thomas Edison, whom we are taught in school to revere as a genius. He was also attacked by J.P. Morgan and other “captains of industry.” Upon Tesla’s death on January 7th, 1943, the U.S. government moved into his lab and apartment confiscating all of his scientific research, and to this day none of this research has been made public.

Besides his persecution by corporate-government interests (which is practically a certification of authenticity), there is at least one solid indication of Nikola Tesla’s integrity — he tore up a contract with Westinghouse that was worth billions in order to save the company from paying him his huge royalty payments.

But, let’s take a look at what Nikola Tesla — a man who died broke and alone — has actually given to the world. For better or worse, with credit or without, he changed the face of the planet in ways that perhaps no man ever has.

1. Alternating Current – This is where it all began, and what ultimately caused such a stir at the 1893 World’s Expo in Chicago. A war was leveled ever-after between the vision of Edison and the vision of Tesla for how electricity would be produced and distributed. The division can be summarized as one of cost and safety: The DC current that Edison (backed by General Electric) had been working on was costly over long distances, and produced dangerous sparking from the required converter (called a commutator). 

Regardless, Edison and his backers utilized the general “dangers” of electric current to instill fear in Tesla’s alternative: Alternating Current. As proof, Edison sometimes electrocuted animals at demonstrations. Consequently, Edison gave the world the electric chair, while simultaneously maligning Tesla’s attempt to offer safety at a lower cost. Tesla responded by demonstrating that AC was perfectly safe by famously shooting current through his own body to produce light. This Edison-Tesla (GE-Westinghouse) feud in 1893 was the culmination of over a decade of shady business deals, stolen ideas, and patent suppression that Edison and his moneyed interests wielded over Tesla’s inventions. Yet, despite it all, it is Tesla’s system that provides power generation and distribution to North America in our modern era.

2. Light – Of course he didn’t invent light itself, but he did invent how light can be harnessed and distributed. Tesla developed and used florescent bulbs in his lab some 40 years before industry “invented” them. At the World’s Fair, Tesla took glass tubes and bent them into famous scientists’ names, in effect creating the first neon signs. However, it is his Tesla Coil that might be the most impressive, and controversial. The Tesla Coil is certainly something that big industry would have liked to suppress: the concept that the Earth itself is a magnet that can generate electricity (electromagnetism) utilizing frequencies as a transmitter. All that is needed on the other end is the receiver — much like a radio.

3. X-rays – Electromagnetic and ionizing radiation was heavily researched in the late 1800s, but Tesla researched the entire gamut. Everything from a precursor to Kirlian photography, which has the ability to document life force, to what we now use in medical diagnostics, this was a transformative invention of which Tesla played a central role. X-rays, like so many of Tesla’s contributions, stemmed from his belief that everything we need to understand the universe is virtually around us at all times, but we need to use our minds to develop real-world devices to augment our innate perception of existence.

4. Radio – Guglielmo Marconi was initially credited, and most believe him to be the inventor of radio to this day. However, the Supreme Court overturned Marconi’s patent in 1943, when it was proven that Tesla invented the radio years previous to Marconi. Radio signals are just another frequency that needs a transmitter and receiver, which Tesla also demonstrated in 1893 during a presentation before The National Electric Light Association. In 1897 Tesla applied for two patents US 645576, and US 649621. In 1904, however, The U.S. Patent Office reversed its decision, awarding Marconi a patent for the invention of radio, possibly influenced by Marconi’s financial backers in the States, who included Thomas Edison and Andrew Carnegie. This also allowed the U.S. government (among others) to avoid having to pay the royalties that were being claimed by Tesla.

5. Remote Control – This invention was a natural outcropping of radio. Patent No.613809 was the first remote controlled model boat, demonstrated in 1898. Utilizing several large batteries; radio signals controlled switches, which then energized the boat’s propeller, rudder, and scaled-down running lights. While this exact technology was not widely used for some time, we now can see the power that was appropriated by the military in its pursuit of remote controlled war. Radio controlled tanks were introduced by the Germans in WWII, and developments in this realm have since slid quickly away from the direction of human freedom.

6. Electric Motor – Tesla’s invention of the electric motor has finally been popularized by a car brandishing his name. While the technical specifications are beyond the scope of this summary, suffice to say that Tesla’s invention of a motor with rotating magnetic fields could have freed mankind much sooner from the stranglehold of Big Oil. However, his invention in 1930 succumbed to the economic crisis and the world war that followed. Nevertheless, this invention has fundamentally changed the landscape of what we now take for granted: industrial fans, household applicances, water pumps, machine tools, power tools, disk drives, electric wristwatches and compressors.

7. Robotics – Tesla’s overly enhanced scientific mind led him to the idea that all living beings are merely driven by external impulses. He stated: “I have by every thought and act of mine, demonstrated, and does so daily, to my absolute satisfaction that I am an automaton endowed with power of movement, which merely responds to external stimuli.” Thus, the concept of the robot was born. However, an element of the human remained present, as Tesla asserted that these human replicas should have limitations — namely growth and propagation. Nevertheless, Tesla unabashedly embraced all of what intelligence could produce. His visions for a future filled with intelligent cars, robotic human companions, and the use of sensors, and autonomous systems are detailed in a must-read entry in the Serbian Journal of Electrical Engineering, 2006 (PDF).

8. Laser – Tesla’s invention of the laser may be one of the best examples of the good and evil bound up together within the mind of man. Lasers have transformed surgical applications in an undeniably beneficial way, and they have given rise to much of our current digital media. However, with this leap in innovation we have also crossed into the land of science fiction. From Reagan’s “Star Wars” laser defense system to today’s Orwellian “non-lethal” weapons’ arsenal, which includes laser rifles and directed energy “death rays,” there is great potential for development in both directions.

9 and 10. Wireless Communications and Limitless Free Energy – These two are inextricably linked, as they were the last straw for the power elite — what good is energy if it can’t be metered and controlled? Free? Never. J.P. Morgan backed Tesla with $150,000 to build a tower that would use the natural frequencies of our universe to transmit data, including a wide range of information communicated through images, voice messages, and text. This represented the world’s first wireless communications, but it also meant that aside from the cost of the tower itself, the universe was filled with free energy that could be utilized to form a world wide web connecting all people in all places, as well as allow people to harness the free energy around them. Essentially, the 0′s and 1′s of the universe are embedded in the fabric of existence for each of us to access as needed. Nikola Tesla was dedicated to empowering the individual to receive and transmit this data virtually free of charge. But we know the ending to that story . . . until now?

Tesla had perhaps thousands of other ideas and inventions that remain unreleased. A look at his hundreds of patents shows a glimpse of the scope he intended to offer.

If you feel that the additional technical and scientific research of Nikola Tesla should be revealed for public scrutiny and discussion, instead of suppressed by big industry and even our supposed institutions of higher education, join the world’s call to tell power brokers everywhere that we are ready to Occupy Energy and learn about what our universe really has to offer - (Facebook page here).

The release of Nikola Tesla’s technical and scientific research — specifically his research into harnessing electricity from the ionosphere at a facility called Wardenclyffe — is a necessary step toward true freedom of information. 

Please add your voice by sharing this information with as many people as possible. 

One should visit temples, Why ? - The Science way!

There are thousands of temples all over India in different size, shape and locations but not all of them are considered to be built the Vedic way. Generally, a temple should be located at a place where earth's magnetic wave path passes through densely. It can be in the outskirts of a town/village or city, or in middle of the dwelling place, or on a hilltop. The essence of visiting a temple is discussed here.

Now, these temples are located strategically at a place where the positive energy is abundantly available from the magnetic and electric wave distributions of north/south pole thrust. The main idol is placed in the core center of the temple, known as "*Garbhagriha*" or *Moolasthanam*. In fact, the temple structure is built after the idol has been placed. This *Moolasthanam* is where earth’s magnetic waves are found to be maximum. We know that there are some copper plates, inscribed with Vedic scripts, buried beneath the Main Idol. What are they really? No, they are not God’s / priests’ flash cards when they forget the *shlokas*. The copper plate absorbs earth’s magnetic waves and radiates it to the surroundings. Thus a person regularly visiting a temple and walking clockwise around the Main Idol receives the beamed magnetic waves and his body absorbs it. This is a very slow process and a regular visit will let him absorb more of this positive energy. Scientifically, it is the positive energy that we all require to have a healthy life.

Further, the Sanctum is closed on three sides. This increases the effect of all energies. The lamp that is lit radiates heat energy and also provides light inside the sanctum to the priests or *poojaris* performing the pooja. The ringing of the bells and the chanting of prayers takes a worshipper into trance, thus not letting his mind waver. When done in groups, this helps people forget personal problems for a while and relieve their stress. The fragrance from the flowers, the burning of camphor give out the chemical energy further aiding in a different good aura. The effect of all these energies is supplemented by the positive energy from the idol, the copper plates and utensils in the *Moolasthan*am / *Garbagraham*. *Theertham*, the “holy” water used during the pooja to wash the idol is not
plain water cleaning the dust off an idol. It is a concoction of Cardamom,*Karpura* (Benzoin), zaffron / saffron, *Tulsi* (Holy Basil), Clove, etc...Washing the idol is to charge the water with the magnetic radiations thus increasing its medicinal values. Three spoons of this holy water is distributed to devotees. Again, this water is mainly a source of magneto-therapy. Besides, the clove essence protects one from tooth decay, the saffron & *Tulsi* leafs protects one from common cold and cough, cardamom and *Pachha Karpuram* (benzoin), act as mouth fresheners. It is proved that *Theertham* is a very good blood purifier, as it is highly energized. Hence it is given as *prasadam* to the devotees. This way, one can claim to remain healthy by regularly visiting the Temples. This is why our elders used to suggest us to offer prayers at the temple so that you will be cured of many ailments. They were not always superstitious. Yes, in a few cases they did go overboard when due to ignorance they hoped many serious diseases could be cured at temples by deities. When people go to a temple for the *Deepaaraadhana*, and when the doors open up, the positive energy gushes out onto the persons who are there. The water that is sprinkled onto the assemblages passes on the energy to all. This also explains why men are not allowed to wear shirts at a few temples and women are requested to wear more ornaments during temple visits. It is through these jewels (metal) that positive energy is absorbed by the women. Also, it is a practice to leave newly purchased jewels at an idol’s feet and then wear them with the idol’s blessings. This act is now justified after reading this article. This act of “seeking divine blessings” before using any new article, like books or pens or automobiles may have stemmed from this through mere observation.

Energy lost in a day’s work is regained through a temple visit and one is refreshed slightly. The positive energy that is spread out in the entire temple and especially around where the main idol is placed, are simply absorbed by one's body and mind. Did you know, every Vaishnava(Vishnu devotees), “must” visit a Vishnu temple twice every day in their location. Our practices are NOT some hard and fast rules framed by 1 man and his followers or God’s words in somebody’s dreams. All the rituals, all the practices are, in reality, well researched, studied and scientifically backed thesis which form the ways of nature to lead a good healthy life.

The scientific and research part of the practices are well camouflaged as “elder’s instructions” or “granny’s teaching’s” which should be obeyed as a mark of respect so as to once again, avoid stress to the mediocre brains.

Say bye to Nukes?

Rhetoric should not obfuscate the energy security debate.
When parts of Japan were devastated recently by an earthquake and subsequent tsunami, news of the human toll was quickly overshadowed by global fears of radioactive fallout from the Fukushima Daichi nuclear power plant. The concern was understandable: radiation is very frightening. I grew up in Denmark at a time when fear of nuclear power was pervasive.

But our latest nuclear fears have broader implications, especially for energy supply and our desire to shift away from reliance on fossil fuels. It is difficult to step back at the time of a natural disaster to gain a broader perspective;even attempting to do so can feel crass. But there are some facts that we should not overlook.

During the round-the-clock coverage of the nuclear drama, the spectre of Chernobyl has been raised repeatedly. It is worth noting that the worst nuclear disaster in history directly caused only 31 fatalities. The World Health Organization estimates that 4, 000 deaths could be linked to the disaster over 70 years, whereas the OECD projects a range of 9, 000-33, 000 deaths during this period.

That is substantial. But consider that, according to the OECD, every year nearly one million people die from fineparticle outdoor air pollution. Yet this massive death toll provokes no discernible fear in the developed world, and receives virtually no news coverage.

Of course, every country with nuclear power facilities should revise its safety measures in light of the Japanese disaster, which raised obvious questions about the sites chosen for such facilities. But while America's commitment to nuclear power was quickly reaffirmed by President Barack Obama, some European governments took the knee-jerk decision to freeze all new nuclear-energy projects immediately, and, in the case of Germany, not to extend the life of existing reactors. For Germany, this will leave a gap that it cannot fill with alternative energy sources, leaving it little choice but to rely more heavily on coal power.

We see coal as a polluting but reasonably "safe" energy source compared to nuclear energy. Yet, in China alone, coalmining accidents kill more than 2, 000 people each year - and coal is a leading cause of smog, acid rain, global warming, and air toxicity. Alternative energy sources are too expensive and nowhere near reliable enough to replace fossil fuels.

Although safety concerns are paramount right now, the construction of new nuclear plants faces another hurdle: they are very expensive. New nuclear power plants have high up-front costs (which can be politically challenging), including a very complicated, slow, and fraught planning process. When completed, the total cost of nuclear power is significantly higher than the cheapest fossil-fuel source. And society must bear significant additional costs in terms of the risks of spent-fuel storage and large-scale accidents. Moreover, in most parts of the world where energy consumption is expanding, nuclear proliferation is an issue.
Then there is the question of maintaining existing plants. Decommissioning nuclear reactors may make us feel safer, but we should acknowledge that this will often mean compensating for the lost output with more reliance on coal.

Moreover, given that the plants are already paid for, waste facilities are already in place, and the high decommissioning cost will have to be paid regardless of timing, the actual operating costs are very low - half or lower per kilowatthour than the cost of the cheapest fossil fuels.

The long-term answer is more research and development - not only into next-generation, safer nuclear energy, but also into energy sources like solar and wind, which currently provide well below 1 per cent of the planet's energy. Alarmingly, this research has decreased over the last three decades.

At protests calling on politicians to respond to climate change, a cry has rung out: "No coal, no gas, no nukes, no kidding!" The harsh reality - thrown into stark relief by the Japanese disaster - is that we do not yet have the luxury of dumping coal, gas, and nuclear power. Until we can find a feasible alternative, reducing reliance on one of them means that another must take its place.


The writer is head of the Copenhagen Consensus Center at the Copenhagen Business School Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2011.

Rain meets rashi

Much before meteorology developed into a science and satellites were sent up into outer space to keep a tab on cloud formations, farmers in India relied on the wisdom of folklore and the movement of planets and stars to predict weather conditions, often with an impressive degree of accuracy.

Taking a cue from the past, Anand Agriculture University (AAU), in Gujarat, in a unique project, has combined meteorology with astrology to understand the moods of the rain gods. Since 2005, AAU has been publishing a 'monsoon panchang', or calendar, which forecasts rains on a particular day.

The predictions are arrived at after taking into account the rainfall records of the past 100 years and the planetary arrangements of 27 nakshatras (constellations) and the nine grahas (planets).

Skeptics, of course, cast doubts over the accuracy of the figures and the methodology, but farmers from far-flung areas in Gujarat have given a warm response to the panchang.

Last year, Dinesh Patel from Navli, near Ahmedabad, was set to sow paddy in his farms, but changed his mind when the panchang showed him that there would be deficit rainfall in 2009. "I went ahead with tobacco instead and it turned out to be a wise decision," he says. Reports suggesting that the monsoon will be delayed this year made Parshottam Patel from Gothda village in Mehsana write to AAU, asking for a copy of the calendar.

Farmers are not only inquiring about the panchang. Some like Parakramsinh Vaghela from Khakharda village in Jamnagar want to know about crop selection and the use of pesticides. His letter to the university read: "Please give me feedback on my choice of crop and also send me the monsoon calendar soon."

Buoyed by such responses, scientists at Anand are mooting a computer model that can synchronise all software and data. An English edition of this panchang is also on the cards.

The rain gods, however, don't always humour these scientists - their self-proclaimed accuracy rate is 85 per cent. The 2010 panchang, which has been generously distributed amongst the farmers in Gujarat, expects 31 per cent more rainfall than is the state average.

"For decades, monsoon forecast was based on statistical models," says AAU vice-chancellor MC Varshneya. "The Indian Meteorological Department adopted a more advanced 16-parameter model in 1988 to track the progress of the season across the country. The model held good till 2002. But in that year, though the model predicted that the month of July would see normal rainfall, many parts of the country witnessed drought-like conditions and agricultural production saw a sharp decline."

Every year AAU scientists and weathermen begin work on the panchang from January. They first sit down with a group of astrologers to prepare kundlis, or horoscopes, of planetary conjunctions. Then, these are interpreted to get an idea of whether a region will get low, medium or high rainfall. For instance, a couple of kundlis indicate that this year Gujarat should receive ample rainfall. Another suggests that the onset of rains maybe delayed, though.

The second step is to marry stargazing with empirical evidence. "Once we are ready with qualitative figures that we prepare through kundlis, we superimpose them with statistical data to make quantitative prediction of rainfall," says Dr HR Patel, a faculty member at the university. "For the past five years, our forecasts have come true, though, with some variations," says Varshneya.