The RNA revolution

Biology's Big Bang

It is probably no exaggeration to say that biology is now undergoing its “neutron moment”. For more than half a century the fundamental story of living things has been a tale of the interplay between genes, in the form of DNA, and proteins, which the genes encode and which do the donkey work of keeping living organisms living. The past couple of years, however, have seen the rise and rise of a third type of molecule, called RNA.

The analogy is not perfect. Unlike the neutron, RNA has been known about for a long time. Until the past couple of years, however, its role had seemed restricted to fetching and carrying for DNA and proteins. Now RNA looks every bit as important as those two masters. It may, indeed, be the main regulator of what goes on in a cell—the cell's operating system, to draw a computing analogy—as well as the author of many other activities (see article). As important, molecular biologists have gone from thinking that they know roughly what is going on in their subject to suddenly realising that they have barely a clue.

That might sound a step backwards; in fact, it is how science works. The analogy with physics is deeper than just that between RNA and the neutron. There is in biology at the moment a sense of barely contained expectations reminiscent of the physical sciences at the beginning of the 20th century. It is a feeling of advancing into the unknown, and that where this advance will lead is both exciting and mysterious.

Know thine enemy

As Samuel Goldwyn so wisely advised, never make predictions—especially about the future. But here is one: the analogy between 20th-century physics and 21st-century biology will continue, for both good and ill.

Physics gave two things to the 20th century. The most obvious gift was power over nature. That power was not always benign, as the atomic bomb showed. But if the 20th century was distinguished by anything from its predecessors, that distinctive feature was physical technology, from motor cars and aeroplanes to computers and the internet.

It is too early to be sure if the distinguishing feature of the 21st century will be biological technology, but there is a good chance that it will be. Simple genetic engineering is now routine; indeed, the first patent application for an artificial living organism has recently been filed (see article). Both the idea of such an organism and the idea that someone might own the rights to it would have been science fiction even a decade ago. And it is not merely that such things are now possible. The other driving force of technological change—necessity—is also there. Many of the big problems facing humanity are biological, or are susceptible to biological intervention. The question of how to deal with an ageing population is one example. Climate change, too, is intimately bound up with biology since it is the result of carbon dioxide going into the air faster than plants can remove it. And the risk of a new, lethal infection suddenly becoming pandemic as a result of modern transport links (see article) is as biological as it gets. Even the fact that such an infection might itself be the result of synthetic biology only emphasises the biological nature of future risks.

At the moment, policymakers have inadequate technological tools to deal with these questions. But it is not hard to imagine such tools. Ageing is directly biological. It probably cannot be stopped, but knowing how cells work—really knowing—will allow the process to be transformed for the better. At least part of the answer to climate change is fuel that grows, rather than fuel that is dug up. Only biotechnology can create that. And infections, pandemic or otherwise, are best dealt with by vaccines, which take a long time to develop. If cells were truly understood, that process might speed up to the point where the vaccine was ready in time to do something useful.

But physics gave the 20th century a more subtle boon than mere power. It also brought an understanding of the vastness of the universe and humanity's insignificant place in it. It allowed people, in William Blake's phrase, to hold infinity in the palm of a hand, and eternity in an hour.

Know thyself

Biology, though, does more than describe humanity's place in the universe. It describes humanity itself. And here, surprisingly, the rise of RNA may be an important part of that description. Ever since the human-genome project was completed, it has puzzled biologists that animals, be they worms, flies or people, all seem to have about the same number of genes for proteins—around 20,000. Yet flies are more complex than worms, and people are more complex than either. Traditional genes are thus not as important as proponents of human nature had suspected nor as proponents of nurture had feared. Instead, the solution to the puzzle seems to lie in the RNA operating system of the cells. This gets bigger with each advance in complexity. And it is noticeably different in a human from that in the brain of a chimpanzee.

If RNA is controlling the complexity of the whole organism, that suggests the operating system of each cell is not only running the cell in question, but is linking up with those of the other cells when a creature is developing. To push the analogy, organs such as the brain are the result of a biological internet. If that is right, the search for the essence of humanity has been looking in the wrong genetic direction.

Of course, such results are speculative and primitive. But that is the point. Lord Rutherford, who proved that atoms exist, knew nothing of neutrons. Chadwick knew nothing of quarks, let alone supersymmetry. Modern biologists are equally ignorant. But eventually, the truth will out.

Labels: Article, Biology, Science, Technology

# posted by Dee @ 11:34 PM 0 Comments

Let’s expose these Myths!

Myth 1: Success ratio in IIMs is 1:120
Here, we will have to separate IIMs from CAT. By my experience I can say that almost two-third of the students taking CAT are not targeting IIMs in the first place. They are targeting host of other institutes affiliated to CAT. They would not have even applied to IIMs if each IIM were charging a separate fee for entrance forms like the other CAT affiliated institutes. So this leaves us with 40,000 students and a ratio of 1:40.
Let’s go a step further. CAT is an exam that requires a lot of perseverance. However roughly only 50 per cent of students are able to persevere through the preparation period and are prepared to their best level on the day of CAT. So if you are taking CAT and seriously targeting IIMs and are ready to sweat it out till the CAT day, your chance of making it to IIMs will be 1:20.
Feeling Better?!!

Myth 2: Maths Genius + Vocab Stud + 800 wpm Reading Speed = IIM Call
Contrary to the popular belief, CAT is not a test to gauge mathematical aptitude and verbal aptitude. CAT is recognized as one of the best tests in the world to check the management aptitude of the candidates. The candidate needs to be good in mathematical and verbal ability but if those were the only areas IIMs were testing, there was no need to design a complicated exam like CAT to test the same.

Myth 3: The exam is getting tougher every year
Well, CAT 98 had 180 questions divided across 4 sections to be solved in 2 hours. So, a candidate was required to clear 4 sectional cut-offs and one overall cut-off in 2 hours. CAT 2004 contained 123 questions divided in three broad sections; hence a candidate was required to clear three sectional cut-offs and an overall cut-off in two hours. So a CAT taker in 2004 roughly had 50 per cent more time per question compared to a CAT aspirant in 1998. Of course, CAT in this period has moved from fundamental based test format to application-based questions.
So CAT has evolved into an application based test which in its course not only checks the basic fundamentals but also how you apply these fundamentals, given the pressure cooker exam environment with multiple simultaneous goals.

Myth 4: Speed and Accuracy match is what you need to crack CAT
An aspirant may have a great accuracy level and high speed, but if he does not possess the right exam strategy and the right selection of questions he will land up in no man’s land.
For a CAT taker one key trait is self-analysis. He needs to analyse his skills at regular interval and accordingly arrive at the right exam strategy. A CAT taker, who carries his ego up his sleeves on the day of CAT, will never be able to crack it. Rather he should use his presence of mind and keep an eye on the war (i.e. individual sections) rather than let his ego fight out each battle (i.e. each question) till the end.

Now, when the big myths have been shattered, let’s analyse why is CAT what it is today?

CAT — a test to check managerial aptitude
CAT checks the exam taker on the essential traits of a manager apart from the quantitative and verbal fundamentals that are prerequisite for anyone joining the MBA programme. These essential traits include adaptability, stress management, analytical approach, decision-making skills, self-analytical skills, and competitive benchmarking. All these skills are required to crack CAT in one way or the other. Apart from these, a manager is supposed to be a team builder, growth-oriented individual and have good ethical values. He should be able to look into a problem from multi-disciplinary angle. These skills are tested in the attitude tests viz. Group Discussion and Personal Interview.
So if you are able to get through the aptitude and attitude tests of CAT, you already have the right management aptitude and are fit for the revered team at IIMs to shape your future

CAT — What it takes?
Let’s understand what it takes to be a potential CAT cracker. Unlike college exams where one can slog it out, burn midnight lamps for 15 –20 days, solve last 5 years’ question papers and can still be sure to get a distinction, CAT preparation requires a single-minded effort, disciplined approach and a lot of perseverance. To be prepared for CAT, one needs to have maths & verbal logic as well as fundamentals in place. Mathematical and Verbal logic are a product of the way one has exposed himself to these logic areas over a period of time and cannot be mastered overnight. So, one should not be shocked if couple of people claim relatively good scores in Mock CATs without much of preparation. It only goes to say that their mathematical/verbal logic is in place. These candidates now need to work on capitalizing their logic upstart by giving due stress on mastering the maths/verbal fundamentals, striking the right exam strategy and getting that split second decision making in place.

Remember, it’s not the most intelligent, most diligent or the most spirited who cracks CAT. Intelligence, diligence and motivation pay only if you are a smart test taker.

# posted by Dee @ 3:46 PM 0 Comments

Ahh...! Dudes, days are going to be tough...! I have heard that your PM/PL/GL don't allow you to open Orkut and IMs at IBM and all other proxies like meebo are kept blocked. Even if you manage to get some new proxies which is unknown to the network administrator, you are not supposed to do so. I pray to GOD and I wish, at least they allow Orkutting and PGing (there is no other way to get out of stress while working). This really sucks....!!!! Now, 10 more months of B.Tech are left and they (not IBM People though) are planning to ban ORKUT. This is very shocking and dreadful news to all adored of Orkut.


However reasons for banning ORKUT is very obvious to all. Such networking organizations makes one avail of opening any kind of discussion forums they want to talk about. I have been on Orkut for some 2 years. As a newbie, as all of us do, i found plethora of profiles and communities, which are interested largely to harm the prides of nations, celebs, saviors, and prominent personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Pt. Nehru.... Erotic profiles with nude pictures have been proliferated these days. All we know orkut is affiliated to Google - a software Jumbo which is challenging Microsoft and Yahoo. Do we expect Google kind of company to offer us such kind of freedom?? This is true that world is a home for several communities having different paths and sometimes very opposite to each other. Orkut is offering all such bands to talk online whatever they want for. Lot of hate communities, rebellious organizations, millitant groups are using Orkut and other such networking sources to spread there messages to the rest part of the world and their peers.


A very good example is ULFA (United Liberation Front of Asom ), the banned millitant BAND of Assam. ULFA frequently makes use of Internet to attract sympathizers for its cause, with ORKUT being used for the purpose. ULFA is a well known tech-savvy, with its pawn of "Freedom", which are updated on internet through orkut on a regular basis and the statements are e- mailed to the peers. There are some orkut profiles of such persons concerning ULFA which declares themselves as Messiah and there scrapbooks and testimonials are found filled with supports and critics on opening such communities. They come up with the messages like India is a terrorist country and Indians don't take care of Assamese. ULFA introduces their millitants as Brave Soldiers and they aim "to bring together all the rebels and rebel groups of the northeastern region". Some members of these communities speak up against their community, with many other communities in ORKUT itself working on restoring peace in the state and NE region. Several communities are present, with huge memberships, which propagate a positive campaign and question the role of the militant groups in disturbing peace in the region in the name of struggle for sovereignty. The anonymity ORKUT is offering to its users could be abused by ULFA members or supporters to attract sympathy for the outfit, especially among the upcomingma generation. To explore these kind of activities by ULFA, a very good article on IBN Live is there.


Now the million dollar question which arises here is - Should we ban ORKUT? The recent news and happenings related to same what i mentioned above can be seen as a hot matter of talk among the orkut users. A bunch of orkut users, which i am a part of instead, login orkut to see their friends online, have a talk with them, hellos, byes, take cares..... There are many advantageous communities where people do share there views and ideas related to a particular matter of discussion whatever its span be - scientific, philosophy, spitituality, religious, cultural, chit-chats, puzzles, automobiles.... The activist group like Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and Goa has come up with the urge of banning orkut completely. The Shiv Sena has a point, what they're saying is valid in a certain context. The 'non-shining' India – close to 70 per cent or more – is not happy about some empowered 'haves' maligning their heroes. 'Shiv Sena activists ransacking cyber cafes!' is the type of news which came up in nearest past. More recently Mumbai Police has asked to ban Google/Orkut to block such offending communities and profiles instead. Now personally i have few words to say. I am a Trainee Pagal (Puys exceeding number of posts greater than 30 and less than 100 are called Trainees - A PG lingo.), using pagalguy (an online forum for CAT aspirants) for some 2 months and it has been very obvious that few moderators are there who themselves are PG members (mostly Certified Pagals). These moderators are very strict if you post irrelevant things in particular thread, in fact they comment and direct you to go to the thread which is having a place for your post. So, this is one of the best example that how such kind of moderation fix you in a limit, which you can't go beyond. What i meant actually is, yes ofcourse we should ban, not orkut or google, but banning the malicious communities and profiles, which are intended to harm the peace and pride of a nation or people or a personality will do instead. Google should use some sort of moderations to restrain on such communities and profiles. This is the unanimous voice too, DON'T BAN ORKUT!

# posted by Dee @ 9:02 AM 0 Comments