Book Reviewed: What Is Life? Five Great Ideas in Biology by Paul Nurse

What makes life? This is a short book of 143 pages, well-written, reads fast, and it is extremely illuminating. This book is written for a layperson and should interest readers interested in the biological and philosophical nature of life. Erwin Schrodinger’s book with the same title published in 1944, generated profound thoughts, and this book takes us to the next level as more knowledge is available now. A living cell has unique properties with complex biochemical mechanisms for its independent existence, generating energy (metabolism), and reproduction. How does chemistry give rise to biology? What could have led the first replicating molecules up such a path? The author proposes five unique ideas for life to emerge in the cosmos. With a framework of laws of physics operating in cosmos, the physical structure of a cell, the biomolecule that holds the genetic information (hereditary), biological evolution by natural selection, well-coordinated biochemical reactions and the information contained in a biological cell. The ability of life to evolve through natural selection and a hereditary system that exhibits variability is essential for organisms. Cells must be bounded, physical entities, separated from, but in communication with their environments. These characteristics of biological life invoke a physicality of life that excludes computer programs (artificial intelligence), and cultural entities like economy, technology, and cities which also evolve but not the same as a living cell. Viruses cycle between being alive, when chemically active and reproducing in host cells, and not being alive when existing as chemically inert viruses outside a cell. The gut microbes exist independently in humans and other animals that affect the physiology and neurobiology of their hosts. The mitochondria that produce cellular energy were entirely separate bacteria but entered the living cell to permanently reside during the biological evolution. Most primitive microscopic cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), photosynthesize and capture their own nitrogen, and the archaea get all their energy and chemical raw materials from volcanically active hydrothermal vents deep below on the seafloor. All living organisms, to various degrees, are interdependent with their environment and other species. The way life couples complex polymer chemistry with linear information storage is a compelling principle. But one thing that the author doesn’t consider is consciousness and how it operates in life forms. Erwin Schrodinger argued in his book that an undiscovered physical law would explain life completely. That was a time when little was known about biological consciousness. Consciousness is not found in physics formulas but becomes necessary in the interpretation of quantum reality. The consciousness and spacetime are emerging phenomenon when matter and energy act according to the laws of physics. But the desire (consciousness) to survive, reproduce and avoid danger for its own existence operates in most primitive life forms. In fact, some plant biologists argue that plants also have consciousness despite the fact that they don’t have a brain or network of neurons (nervous system). There are academic journals that publishes biological papers in the field of plant neurobiology and plant cell communication

Book Reviewed: Rearming Hinduism by Vamsee Juluri

Perceptions of Hinduphobia The anti-Hindu sentiments is a warfare catalyzed by the current trends in the cancel culture, Marxism and wokism that has led to the Critical Race Theory or Caste system in the United States. For the followers of Vedic Dharma, the caste is equated with race. Marginalized communities in India are considered as Blacks and Brahmins as the Whites even though racially they are identical and follow a homogeneous culture. Diametrically opposed groups like Muslims and LGBTQ+ are categorized together, which has weaponized Muslims to play the victim card under the so called “Hindu nationalism.” The media seem to suggest that the caste system is actively practiced in modern India like the Whites treated Black people during civil rights era in the United States, which is untrue. Hinduphobia has become a mission to dismantle Indigenous civilization and its heritage. The colonial rule regraded the Hindu culture as primitive, hedonistic, idol-worshipping focused on animal sacrifices, and the myth of Aryan invasion that brought civilization to the Indian tribes. The anti-Hindu sentiments are fueled in the Western hemisphere by religious intolerance, lack of religious literacy, misrepresentation in the media, woke academic culture and racism. Hinduphobic rhetoric is reducing the entirety of Sanatana Dharma to a rigid, oppressive, and regressive tradition. In this book, the author makes an enthusiastic argument using the wisdom of Vedas, Mahabharata, Ramayana, Puranas, the Bhagavadgita and the underlying philosophies of Sankhya and Vedanta that flows in all these sacred scriptures. They are not merely Indology texts, as termed since the colonial rule, but they are perennial metaphysical Ideas that emerged to make connections with the cosmos and the Creating Entity, which is called Brahman or the Pure Consciousness, or the Supreme Being. The richness of the Hindu belief system originated from deep thinking form hundreds of rishis, sages, gurus, emperors, and Hindu leaders which are described in the vast Sanskrit literature. It did not come from One son of God, One Messenger of God, or One Prophet or One sacred text. Intense polarization in the academic world and social media has done much harm to the interests of Hindus and the Vedic belief system.

Book Reviewed: The Grimkes: The Legacy of Slavery in an American Family by Kerri K. Greenidge

The two Nanas; the legacy of Grimkes’ struggle for abolition and women’s rights This book explores the racial and political history of the extended family of white Grimke sisters; Sarah, and Angelina Grimke born in a slave-holding family in Charleston, South Carolina, later become antislavery revolutionaries and pioneers for women's rights in the 1820s. This work highlights the significance of Grimke's three African American nephews and their families. The Grimke sisters’ older brother, Henry had three sons from an enslaved woman named Nancy Weston. The sisters take the responsibilities of caring their nephews and shape their future with good education who later become prominent members the African American community. The life of the white Grimke sisters is not free from the sin for their racial paternalism. The sisters could envision the end of slavery, but they could not imagine Black equality, when their Black nephews did not adhere to images of a how an enslaved person must behave towards white women. They were harsh and shrewd that reflects on the limits of white racial politics during early America. This story is masterpiece of hope, the quest for freedom, for redemption, and for a voice in the nation during a devastating time in American history and how it has shaped the lives of African Americans in 21st century. In this journey, the two sisters strive for a life of their own, dramatically shaping each other’s destinies and forming a complex relationship marked by guilt, defiance, estrangement, and the uneasy ways of love. The two sisters were undeterred by the harsh criticism for their activism but also had significant influence on the lives of their nephews and their families. This work focuses on the work of two Nana’s from Grimke’s household, one black and one white; Angelina “Nana” Weld Grimké (1880 – 1958), an African American journalist, playwright, and poet was born to Archibald Grimké; and Angelina Nana Grimke Hamilton (1872-1947), a white Nana, born to Sara Grimke Hamilton and William Hamilton, the granddaughter of Grimke family’s matriarch Angelina Grimke. The book contrasts the legacies of the two women, the black Nana was inspired by the challenges they faced in a dominantly white world and reflected on the pain, suffering and rage of the colored elite and the impact on other less fortunate people with enslaved legacy. But the white Nana was a medical doctor from the University of Michigan who lived to exalt Grimke family for the unassailable service offered to the oppressed people. She never spoke of the slavery practiced by her white grandparents in South Carolina, nor did she have any empathy for the economically and socially challenged African Americans. The author narrates the story of Grimke’s with passion and illuminates how their legacy has helped shape racial activism. Strongly recommended to readers interested in African American history, and abolition movement.

Book Reviewed: The Rescue Effect: The Key to Saving Life on Earth by Michael Mehta Webster

Reshuffling the environment The author uses a term “Rescue Effect” to describe the fate of endangered species and how humans could assist them to evolve naturally under renewed environmental conditions. The author cautions that humans need to diminish the destructive aspects of the fossil fuel burning, loss of forests and raising sea levels. This could transform habitats, offer opportunities to for endangered species evolve, or move species to new locations. He observes that this will engineer the reshuffling of species on the planet that is honed to evolutionary processes under new challenges and opportunities. The author uses examples of Bengal Tigers in India, Cichlid fish in the great lakes of Africa, Coral Reefs in the Caribbean, and the Mountain Pygmy-Possum in Australia to illustrate his theory. African cichlid fish have tremendous morphological variations that allow them to live in niche habitats. Some fish have adapted to eat the scales of other fish. Others have adaptations that allow them to live among rocks. Several species adapted to reproducing in turbulent waters by carrying fertilized eggs in their mouths until they hatch. More than 50% of all coral species in the Caribbean went extinct between one and two million years ago, probably due to drastic environmental changes. But one group of corals in the genus Orbicella adapted to these climate changes because of their high genetic diversity and prospered. This book is a collection of essays that does not provide the ecological or biological or statistical data that supports his hypothesis. He merely offers narratives but doesn’t get to the core issues with scientific data that would be helpful to readers who are interested in protecting the environment and the preservation of endangered species.