I'm sure, you definetly have watched dracula films..Specialy in these days, when twilight series breaking all records and making a name on it.But do you ever think about how vampire stories were originated?? do you ever thought have they been realy existing?? If u don't know that, these facts will help you to get a some kind of idea.
The story of vampires actualy based on a disease called porphyria.Hemoglobin is responsible for transporting O2 in the blood.In this disease hemoglobing synthesis in the body is disrupted and a defective molecule is being synthesised instead of hemoglobin.Formation of a defective molecule breaks down normal body function and leads to anemia.Anemia mean decrease in normal red blood cells in the blood.
These patients lack fresh blood in their bodies due to above mention reasons.They look more whiter than other people. They cant go through direct sunlight.this is becouse of the defective molecule formed in the body instead of hemoglobin.It reacts in direct sunlight.So when they expose in to direct sunlight their skin will be damaged.These patients should avoid sunlight and it is better for them to go out at night.these patients are treated by injecting blood.Few centuries ago patients were treated by drinking blood.
These symptoms of these patients is the origin for vampire legends since vampires also share these symptoms.It is the main reason for the creation of falk stories about them making deadly creatures who are hunting people for blood at night time.Existing of these patients make the misconception that vampires were realy existing in medieval time but actualy they were not.Porphyria is a rare disease and today we have lots of treatment fot it and we cant find out people having those symptoms.So dont afraid to go out at night, You will never meet vampires in streets.If u meet one like vampire, dont afraid he or she might be just a patient.
Really interesting information. As you described for vampires, most of the popular para-normal concepts (or rather so-called unexplained mysterious phenomenas) such as ghosts, near death experiences, extra-sensory perception, telepathy, astrology, etc can be explained within current scientific knowledge. In fact, most of these concepts/incidents were recorded as hoaxes.
ReplyDeleteFor example, in a recent study, scientists suggests that the reason for most common near-death experiences are due to high concentrations of blood supplied to the brain. (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/04/100408-near-death-experiences-blood-carbon-dioxide/)
I think if you compare the modern science with concepts like para-normality ,parapsychology, reincarnation, the modern science is still a in kindergarten and should go long way to realize that those are the real sciences which I like to call them as supernatural or superhuman abilities.
ReplyDelete2500 years ago, Lord Buddha and Hindu yoga Gurus taught the ways to practice and train your mind and do supernatural things like telepathy, telekinesis, levitation, teleportation, duplication even though the main objective of their teaching is not that.
If you watch X-men (Cartoon and Movies) and Heros (TV series) you could have get some idea about those abilities. However, in those movies they don't discuss about training the mind. What they believe is mutation of genes are the reason for those abilities. I see that as a failed attempt to interrelate science and phenomena that can't be explained by science. But I like both X-men and Heros because I believe humans can be superhuman by training their minds which is not an easy task.
That’s true Gihan.. Modern science has many unexplored avenues. Science sometimes spent centuries to explore some phenomena. It’s never ending.
ReplyDeleteBut.. same time, dont forget, most of the myths around us were disclosed only with the help of modern science. It has happened in all over the world. For Sri Lanka, if you can remember, half a century ago we had many stories about ghosts, miracles and reincarnations etc. But can you hear those today? The reason is most of those cases are proved to be as hoaxes or psychological complexities. Also the free scientific education is also helped people to look at those rationally.
In other hand, can you bring at least 10 real examples for said supernatural things like telepathy, telekinesis, levitation, teleportation or duplication? Even your examples are also from cartoons, movies or tele-series but can you bring one from real life? it’s not so easy I guess.
Most of them will come in front of us as not more than fairy tales!! Complex scientific theories are not required to explain them, but the simplest scientific approach is important.
For instant, the secret behind the rapid development of India is not the 2500 year old Yoga Guru’s mind super powers but the country’s ability to explore the opportunities with science and technology!
You are absolutely correct on supernatural powers and their existence. However, I am not in a position to prove that those powers are possible even though I believe they are possible. I took examples like movies and cartoons to illustrate them but not to prove that.
ReplyDeleteFurther, you are correct about the myths and different ways of thinking about the phenomena which people didn’t understand before. I agree with you about the understanding of modern science is important and others will not be able to make a person a fool if he has a good scientific background.
If you take telephone as an example, in 1874, Alexander Graham Bell invented the Telephone and even after 136 years, today people invent new technologies for telephones. So even today can we use our mobile phones in anywhere in the country and if the recipient has turn off the phone or he/she is not in a service area can we talk to them? How long your battery can last long without charging? Does that affect the brain and other tissues by the electromagnetic waves? Is there any proper way to recycle mobile phones? Hmmmm… Is it a solution or an array of problems?
As you mentioned India and development, tell me how can we measure the development? Is it life expectancy ? No. of child births? No. of telephones or vehicles per capita? My dear friend, all of them are just numbers. Can we measure how happy are they? What will happen in another 100 years? Can they coexist with the environment as they did for centuries? Will India be the next world’s biggest polluter?
Science has done lot of good things and as well and bad things to this world and I would give you the chance of comparing the effects of good things and bad things and let me know whether which effect is bigger.
According to my view there are lots of drawbacks in modern Science as below.
1. It is shortsighted
2. Normally, focused on one specific field but in reality a problem has multiple dimensions
3. Less focused on areas which have less commercial attractiveness (It is driven by money)
4. Very less understanding about the human mind
However, I am not against with modern science and my argument is it should go long way to illustrate lot of dilemmas which modern science can’t explain. Inability of explain according to the theories of modern science doesn’t mean that a phenomenon is a hoax. There are two options. It can be a hoax or science is not yet ready to explain it.
The term “development” can be defined in many ways. But in my comment, I used it with a simple conventional meaning of economic development. I just only tried to emphasize the fact that the miracles of yogas, rishis or babas still consist not more than a believe and nothing to do with the real world. Apart from that, I don’t have any argument with your critiques on the “contemporary model of development”.
ReplyDeleteMaking fire to generate heat is considered to be a revolution of human history. In contrast, I can produce a list of thousands of drawbacks due to the human controlled fire (as you listed for telephone). No wonder any kind of scientific innovation is blamed for various misuses. This is not due to an inherent fault of science but entirely because of the wrong way of using it.
About your list of drawbacks in modern science…, its not clear by claiming it as shortsighted. I too agree with you on need of integration of branches of sciences. Also I believe the less attention on non-commercially attractive fields are mainly due to common model of development.
Understanding about the mind..., science has discovered many related to mind during past century or so. We are not ready to accept most of the discoveries mainly because of the dogmas that we live with . If you mean the super powers of mind, you have to specify it before claiming against science.