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Phonetics vs. Clarity: The Schwa Debate Across Languages

The schwa, ironically named "nothing" in Hebrew, can cause quite the stir. This barely-there sound might seem insignificant, but drop it in the wrong place, and you’ve got a big Hindi vs Tamil debate to deal with. Turns out, “nothing” really is something!

Language is an evolving entity, shaped by cultural and phonetic shifts. One of the most interesting phenomena in linguistics is the deletion of the schwa sound, especially in Hindi and other Indo-Aryan languages. Isn’t it ironic that something literally called “nothing” in Hebrew—schwa—can cause so much controversy? Despite its name, this tiny, unstressed vowel sound has sparked more linguistic…

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I didn’t drown. I fought, and I overcame

In a world where giving up seems easier than pushing through, life becomes much harder after quitting. Life may be strong but so am I, I am alive until I physically die. Bigger than all my goals is one aim, I didn't drown. I fought, and I overcame!

PhD is often romanticized as a journey of knowledge and intellectual growth, which it is. But for me, it has additionally been a relentless grind and a test of my endurance, willpower, and sometimes sanity. My work is not just about mastering complex theories or doing nuanced and sophisticated experiments. It is also about surviving the unending loop of burnout, struggling to adapt to a new…

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Low-key panic is my solution to problems

Navigating the intricate web of human relationships and the chaotic journey of life, I've discovered an unexpected ally: low-key panic. While this sounds chaotic, it's not; this controlled panic has helped me tremendously. It's time to find your own ally.

Human relationships are very complex and this fact is not new. As I am exposed to more and more people, I realize the hundred kinds of relationships I can have with people. The past year has taught me so much that it is taking me forever to process all of it. The biggest lesson that I have learned is conflict management. I use the word management because resolution is not always the solution.…

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Did I forget how to have fun?

Self-awareness, personal growth, changing interests, and the dynamic nature of what brings joy - but did I forget how to have fun?

I fulfil my responsibilities,I get all my work done.But at the end of the day,I forgot how to have fun. The idea of fun is subjectiveand differs for everyone.But if you ask me for ideas,I probably forgot how to have fun. Socializing comes naturally to some,or at least one comfortable connection.But I have to rewire myself before any interactionbecause apparently, I forgot how to have fun. At…

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S.O.S. Earth: The tipping point of no return

Earth is at a critical juncture, with wildfires, floods, and record heatwaves signaling a climate in crisis. This isn’t a distant threat—it’s our current reality. The tipping point is here. Beyond this is no return. We need to take action now!

Climate change is no longer a distant threat lurking on the horizon—it’s here, reshaping our world in real-time. From devastating wildfires to unprecedented floods, the signs are clear and the time for action is now. As record temperatures scorch our cities and rising seas encroach on our coasts, we find ourselves facing a stark reality: the tipping point of no return is upon us. From the melting…

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Effects of doomscrolling: Is delulu the solulu or not?

Treading the thin line between online engagement and compulsion is hard and we tend to fall one way or the other. Is there a way to deal with this, or is delulu the only solulu?

Have you heard the phrase, “Delulu is not the solulu”? It is a new phrase in use today that means delusion is not the solution. In the digital age, our smartphones often feel like extensions of our hands, constantly feeding us a stream of information, useful as well as useless. Among this deluge, a peculiar habit has emerged—doomscrolling. Ever scrolled through Instagram, Twitter, Threads,…

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एक समय ऐसा भी

जिसे कभी-कभी नहीं, रोज़ ही कोई खयाल आता हो, उससे कभी सपनों के बारे मे पूछना। अतरंगी जवाब न मिले, ऐसा हो ही नहीं सकता। आज का ये मेरा खयाल ऐसे ही सोच के कुएँ से निकला है।

कहते हैं ��हाँ चाह, वहाँ राह। पर उस चाहत की राह के गुण तभी गाने चाहिए जब खुद को साबित करने की क्षमता हो। वरना फिर वही बात हो जाती है कि, “अधजल गागरी छलकत जाए”। इतने सालों की मेहनत और अभ्यास के बाद, अब मैं ये कह सकती हूँ कि मैं हिंदी भाषा के क्षेत्र में पूरी तैयारी के साथ खड़ी हूँ। मुझे उम्मीद है आपको पसंद आएगा! कई सालों पहले साहिर लुधियानवी जी ने लिखा था, “कभी-कभी मेरे दिल मे खयाल आता है”। पर…

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Rethinking Gender Dynamics in Careers

"Men are judged by their potential, while women are judged on their past performance". Tomorrow can only be shaped with small steps starting today.

“Men are judged by their potential, while women are judged on their past performance”. I didn’t say this, but is there truth to this? What do you think? Read the original research here: Overlooked Leadership Potential: The Preference for Leadership Potential in Job Candidates Who Are Men vs. Women (Frontiers in Psychology) Men and women approach their jobs differently. This is a known point, but…

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Existential panic: How real is anything?

Existential panic is a more common than people often admit, and it is a valid and natural feeling. However, it's crucial not to repress this feeling but to find ways to understand life. While there can be various ways to cope, there is only one way out.

Existential panic is a term used to describe a feeling when a person hits the limits of existence and doesn’t know the way forward. This happens more often than people would like to admit, but it is not an invalid feeling. However, the important thing here is not repressing that feeling but finding a way to understand life’s situation in general. I have written extensively about the enormity of…

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A tough decision: Beliefs are inconsequential to fate

The realization that belief may not significantly shape fate is a tough pill to swallow, but it aligns with science and life. Embracing cosmic dynamics, we break free from stagnant beliefs, embarking on a scientific adventure of growth and understanding.

Belief is a strange quality and everybody possesses it. We believe in so many things – ourselves (hopefully?), family, friends, talented people, and so on. One question troubling me was: What is the consequence of belief? I backtracked and thought about the source of belief inside us – the mind. It controls everything, and the rest of the body is just a toolkit for the great magician that it is.…

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Are artificial sweeteners linked to carcinogens?

One WHO committee says aspartame is a possible carcinogen, but another says it’s safe to consume. How can this be? Who do we believe? Let’s understand what’s going on behind the scenes, so that you can decide for yourself.

A recent study by a WHO committee published in July 2023 put the artificial sweetener aspartame under the category of possible carcinogens, which are substances that cause cancer. However, a second WHO committee that is the Expert Committee on Food Additives did not change the threshold for consumption of this artificial sweetener. So who do we believe? Let us pull apart the situation and build…

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Bizarre things happen or exist in this universe

A man drowning in an invisible fire of blue lava on a star older than the universe wonders if he can survive to see the universe in its entirety. What connects the concepts in this absurd scenario? It is the bizarre things that happen in this universe.

Remember the strange things we saw in this world in my older article, “Stranger Things in our World“? There are even more bizarre things that happen or exist in our world and universe that are sure to blow your socks off. Let’s roll! Blue lava Lava is known to everyone as the red magma that erupts through volcanoes from under the Earth’s crust. But can you believe that blue lava is also seen in…

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Scrape the barrel, break fresh ground

Actions may speak louder than words, but I don't bite off more than I can chew. A picture worth 1000 words comes close, But my 50 lines today are worth a million of those. I will hit the nail on the head today, for I know the wind is blowing which way.

I realize that a picture is worth a thousand words,when I see worms taken away by the early birds. So, I fed myself something warm,And got ready to face the storm. A picture worth 1000 words comes close,But my 50 lines today are worth a million of those. I will hit the nail on the head today,for I know the wind is blowing which way. There’s once bitten, twice shy,But when twice bitten, you…

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Illusions, detachment, or being aloof: Where am I?

I don't want to get involved in the drama and the lies, I don't want to feel the emotions that make me cry, I just want to be aloof and free from it all, But is that really living or just building a wall? Am I alone or just lonely?

I don’t want to get involved in the drama and the lies, I don’t want to feel the emotions that make me cry, I just want to be aloof and free from it all, But is that really living or just building a wall? Am I alone or just lonely? It has been almost three years since I have been living alone in a different country. Whenever people talk about living in a new place alone, they talk about new…

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Scientific Illiteracies that will shock you again! (Literally)

Ignorance is a very difficult disease to cure. The self-proclaimed "Google doctors" and Flat Earth Society are leading examples. I have compiled more such misinformation in the 2nd part of scientific illiteracies that will shock you. Are you one of them?

There is no dearth of willful illiterates in this world. My father always says that eyes closed due to sleep can be opened, but eyes closed due to ignorance are the most difficult ones to open. It really triggers me when a person does not want to open their eyes to reality because it seems difficult and requires effort. They fail to see the light of knowledge beyond hard work. While it may seem…

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Non-dualism and logic

Is it the answer to questions, or is it just more questions? Do we see a lot of things around us, or are we missing many more things that exist? This is my take on looking at ourselves and our world with logic, not eyes.

What should one follow – a religion, belief system, spirituality, or ‘how-to’ guide? I don’t know the answer to that, and nobody does because the one you are following may also be following someone else, and the chain may be going on and on. So, who are you following in the end? Nobody knows, and neither do I. But I know one thing for sure – I am on a path to understanding the world around me,…

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Beyond the visible: Giving color to our universe

We are mesmerized by the beauty of the world that we see with our eyes; and that is just photons. Now imagine the beauty of the universe if we could see all the different types of particles in the universe! Image credits: NASA, ESA

Cover image: JWST with its solar panel deployed, shortly after release from the Ariane 5 launch vehicle.Credits: NASA, ESA The James Webb Telescope is out there giving us absolute gems in the form of data about the origins of our universe. It is a fantastic extension of the capabilities of the Hubble Space Telescope. But not everybody really understands these images. There are a lot of questions…