Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Entangled in the waves

World we perceive is because of what we see, or hear it seen. Not so long ago, people thought that if something can’t be seen, it’s just not. Now science has told us that it’s not true. Yet we are still so limited by what we see. We see something because light rays from sun or lamp bounce off an object and enter our eyes. Among the electromagnetic waves of many kind, we see what falls in visible spectrum, a limited range of frequencies which human eyes can see. What falls below or above, such as ultraviolet, gamma, radio, x-ray, microwave, and infrared, is not seen. But they are perfect light in their own regard. Scientists have been able to “see” these lights through special radio telescopes. Many animals have vision beyond human capacity, in different light regions. I often find myself imagining what world would like like if visible spectrum included all wavelengths.

Each object emits infrared radiations due to its temperature. Many astronomical body emit lights in ultraviolet and radio region. Most of electronic gadgetry of world uses waves to communicate. Imaging yourself in a world entangled in the web of light. Waves crisscrossing us, surrounding us, engulfing us. Waves from TV remote, TV antenna, mobile phones, security systems, radio stations, earth itself, from every body at every temperature. Something like a laser secured bank locker shown in movies (viz. Oceans 11). We’ll know more about our surroundings but we’ll also be afraid to step on or touch something.

I may be wrong, of course. Even in light, we see room lighted up, but we don’t see light rays. Probably we won’t see other waves too, if they are diffused. But if directed, such as waves emanating when you press a remote button, would be seen. How will that world be? Is it advantageous that we see what we see, or it’s just accidental?



I am off for Dussehara for four days. See you on 11th.

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