What drew Shrinivas Kulkarni to physics? What's the current state of astrophysics and its future prospects? What major reforms need to be implemented to boost India’s progress in astrophysics?

For the latest episode of SparX, we are joined by Shrinivas Kulkarni, a renowned Indian-American astronomer. Mr. Kulkarni has made groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of the universe. His notable career milestones include the discovery of the first millisecond pulsar and the identification of the optical counterpart of a gamma-ray burst. Kulkarni's work has earned him numerous accolades, with a recent addition of the 2024 Shaw Prize in Astronomy to the list.

Resource List - 

About Shrinivas R. Kulkarni - https://sites.astro.caltech.edu/~srk/ 

The Discovery of the First Millisecond Pulsar: Personal Recollections by Shrinivas Kulkarni - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/384500207_THE_DISCOVERY_OF_THE_FIRST_MILLISECOND_PULSAR_PERSONAL_RECOLLECTIONS

About the Millisecond Pulsar - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millisecond_pulsar#:~:text=The%20first%20millisecond%20pulsar%2C%20PSR,200%20that%20have%20been%20discovered. 

What is a Beaming Fraction? - https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Beaming-fraction-as-a-function-of-the-mass-of-the-neutron-star-in-NGC-300-ULX1-The_fig2_353920284 

More about Brown Dwarf - https://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/questions/question62.html 

We are joined by author and science journalist, Anil Ananthaswamy. Anil Ananthaswamy's "Through Two Doors at Once" looks at the mysteries of quantum mechanics, revealing its profound impact on our understanding of reality.

Through his book, Ananthaswamy sheds light on the strange implications of quantum mechanics, from superposition to entanglement.

By examining the latest experiments and theories, here’s another insightful episode that offers a fascinating glimpse into the quantum world and its potential to transform our understanding of the universe.

Manu S. Pillai returns to SparX for another fascinating episode on history to give us a sneak peek into his latest book– "Gods, Guns and Missionaries". It shows us how how colonialism, religion, and identity have interacted in India over the past many years. Through 15 essays, Pillai shows how European missionaries and colonial powers changed Hinduism and its modern forms, revealing a more complex history than often told. The book also explores how these historical forces still shape Indian politics and society today.

Resource List - 

Gods, Guns, and Missionaries - Book by Manu S. Pillai https://amzn.in/d/6njkWSc 

H-Pop - Book by Kunal Purohit https://amzn.in/d/26KnoHw 

What is Protestantism? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism 

What was the Protestant Reformation https://www.britannica.com/event/Reformation 

Read more about Francis Xavier https://www.jesuits.global/saint-blessed/saint-francis-xavier/ 

Read more about Roberto de Nobili https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_de_Nobili 

Read about Thomas Munro’s donation to Tirupati temple https://vocal.media/fyi/soldier-to-governor-of-madras-thomas-munro-who-captured-the-hearts-of-the-people 

Read about Rous Peter’s donation to Meenakshi temple https://indroyc.com/2024/04/12/unveiling-the-legends-of-madurai-the-tale-of-peter-pandian/#:~:text=In%20a%20gesture%20of%20gratitude,to%20adorn%20her%20celestial%20feet. 

Charles Wilkins translating the Gita https://www.mvnadkarni.com/files/Introduction%20to%20Charles%20Wilkins%20Gita.pdf 

About SparX by Mukesh Bansal 

SparX is a podcast where we delve into cutting-edge scientific research, stories from impact-makers and tools for unlocking the secrets to human potential and growth.  

We believe that entrepreneurship, fitness and the science of productivity is at the forefront of the India Story; the country is at the cusp of greatness and at SparX, we wish to make these tools accessible for every generation of Indians to be able to make the most of the opportunities around us.  

In a new episode every Sunday, our host Mukesh Bansal (Founder Myntra and Cult.fit) will talk to guests from all walks of life and also break down everything he's learnt about the science of impact over the course of his 20-year long career.  

This is the India Century, and we're enthusiastic to start this journey with you. 

Follow us on Instagram:      / sparxbymukeshbansal  

Website: https://www.sparxbymukeshbansal.com

You can also listen to SparX on all audio platforms

Fasion | Outbreak | Courtesy EpidemicSound.com

What's driving the current surge of interest in quantum computing? What are the main obstacles to scaling up quantum computing systems? What's the current state of investment in quantum research and development?

For the latest episode of SparX, we are joined by theoretical physicist, Joel Moore. Joel's research has greatly improved our understanding of quantum materials and their unique properties. His work on condensed matter physics has led to important advances in the field, shedding new light on the behavior of complex systems. Join us as we discuss the field of quantum mechanics and understand the progress of quantum computing.

Resource List - 

Einstein’s Theory of Relativity - https://www.space.com/36273-theory-special-relativity.html 

What is String Theory? - https://www.space.com/17594-string-theory.html 

What is a super conductor? - https://builtin.com/hardware/superconductor 

Superconductivity - https://www.energy.gov/science/doe-explainssuperconductivity#:~:text=Superconductivity%20is%20the%20property%20of,transition%20to%20the%20superconducting%20state. 

Read about EPR Paradox Paper - https://cds.cern.ch/record/405662/files/PhysRev.47.777.pdf 

What is Entanglement? - https://scienceexchange.caltech.edu/topics/quantum-science-explained/entanglement#:~:text=Entanglement%20is%20at%20the%20heart,scientists%20call%20an%20emergent%20property. 

More on SQUID - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQUID

What is a tokamak? - https://www.iter.org/machine/what-tokamak#:~:text=The%20tokamak%20is%20an%20experimental,the%20walls%20of%20the%20vessel. 

What is a stellarator - https://www.energy.gov/science/doe-explainsstellarators 

What is the ITER? - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITER#:~:text=Construction%20of%20the%20ITER%20complex,figures%20are%20disputed%20by%20ITER. 

For more on Quantum Computing - https://aws.amazon.com/what-is/quantum-computing/#:~:text=Quantum%20computing%20is%20a%20multidisciplinary,hardware%20research%20and%20application%20development. 

Google Quantum AI - https://quantumai.google/ 

About SparX by Mukesh Bansal

SparX is a podcast where we delve into cutting-edge scientific research, stories from impact-makers and tools for unlocking the secrets to human potential and growth.

We believe that entrepreneurship, fitness and the science of productivity is at the forefront of the India Story; the country is at the cusp of greatness and at SparX, we wish to make these tools accessible for every generation of Indians to be able to make the most of the opportunities around us.

In a new episode every Sunday, our host Mukesh Bansal (Founder Myntra and Cult.fit) will talk to guests from all walks of life and also break down everything he's learnt about the science of impact over the course of his 20-year long career.

This is the India Century, and we're enthusiastic to start this journey with you.

Follow us on Instagram:      / sparxbymukeshbansal

Website: https://www.sparxbymukeshbansal.com

You can also listen to SparX on all audio platforms

Fasion | Outbreak | Courtesy EpidemicSound.com

Did you know Bryan Johnson spends over $2 million per year in his personal health and longevity experiments?

Bryan Johnson took the internet by storm in 2023 when it was reported that he spends approximately $2 million annually on his health regimen aimed at reversing aging. His extreme lifestyle choices and practices, including a strict diet, extensive supplement intake, and unique medical procedures, sparked widespread discussions in various news articles and platforms throughout that year.

Join us today as we sit down for a conversation with Bryan to learn more about his journey, experiences, habits and routines he follows that helped him successfully reverse his age. 

Resource List -

Read about Bryan Johnson - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Johnson 

Who is Terry Grossman? - https://transcend.me/pages/about-terry-grossman 

More on Terry Grossman - https://youtu.be/_2rjnGCdlJI?feature=shared 

Blueprint Website - https://blueprint.bryanjohnson.com/ 

Blueprint Protocol Website - https://protocol.bryanjohnson.com/ 

What are DNA Methylation Clocks? - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6520108/ 

Paper by Dario Amodei - https://darioamodei.com/machines-of-loving-grace 

Fantastic Voyage, book by Ray Kurzweil - https://amzn.in/d/diSBypa 

About SparX by Mukesh Bansal 

SparX is a podcast where we delve into cutting-edge scientific research, stories from impact-makers and tools for unlocking the secrets to human potential and growth.  

We believe that entrepreneurship, fitness and the science of productivity is at the forefront of the India Story; the country is at the cusp of greatness and at SparX, we wish to make these tools accessible for every generation of Indians to be able to make the most of the opportunities around us.  

In a new episode every Sunday, our host Mukesh Bansal (Founder Myntra and Cult.fit) will talk to guests from all walks of life and also break down everything he's learnt about the science of impact over the course of his 20-year long career.  

This is the India Century, and we're enthusiastic to start this journey with you. 

Follow us on Instagram:      / sparxbymukeshbansal  

Website: https://www.sparxbymukeshbansal.com

You can also listen to SparX on all audio platforms

Fasion | Outbreak | Courtesy EpidemicSound.com