Issue 149 (Sep - Oct 2022)

How likely it is to be in a pub in one of remotest corners of the world and hear in an open mike session a poem on foundational questions about life from both scientific and philosophical perspectives? Not so likely. That’s exactly what Kathleen V. Tatem did in an Irish pub in Hawai’i a few years b…

There are some exemplary people who we may call “embodiments of rectitude.” These exceptional people look at life with a holistic view. They see things correctly, they think correctly, and they attach their every initiative with a consideration for truth. They move forward between the carnal soul a…

  “Nearly 1 in three public health employees say they are considering leaving their organization within the next year ... More than half of public health employees report at least one symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder ... More than 9 in 10 employees say their work is important and they a…

I am a cognitive neuroscientist experimenting on human cognition while learning and using language. In short, I am a psycholinguist. I am also a religious person who believes and follows Islamic tradition. Many of my friends ask me how I can deal with the two conflicting worldviews and whether one…

During one of my on-call shifts as a chaplain, I encountered an 18-year-old female patient who was brought into the hospital due to a suicide attempt. She was in distress. I introduced myself as chaplain, and I told her that I could provide emotional support without making any judgments. I operated…

Time Out (of This World) In This Article Time Out (of This World): The Physics of Time and How We Could Make Time Stand Still   Foundational questions, experimentalists, direction of time As the foundations of physics becomes a specialization in philosophy and an interest of primarily theoreti…

Sohba (Conversation) means making effective speeches to direct people to the Almighty, enlightening others with words and thoughts, using other’s good opinions of oneself to guide hearts to eternity, and always wishing well for others. The famous Turkish Sufi poet who lived in the 13th century, Yun…

A rare, rainy day for drought-stricken San Jose, California, ushered a lot of wet students into my room at lunch time. I like to call my room “Mr. B’s Restaurant” due to the diverse scents, flavors, and the vibrant psyche therein. The microwave lets me inquire about the variety of spilled content o…

(continued from the previous issue) I am The Troubled Watermill; My water flows, roaring and rumbling Thus has Allah commanded; For I’ve troubles, I groan Halfway through the poem, the watermill has finished his answer to Yunus’ question. Even though he has explained the source of his troubles, h…

Sometimes I want to be a bird and fly. Sometimes I want to be a fish and swim. I don't know how to fly or swim. Right now? I'm counting again, and I'm picking up my years and splitting them up with my disappointments. I'm starting again today. Anonymous As humans, the trait from the animal wor…

Imagine that one day, in your garden, you find an ancient coin. On this coin are written unknown characters. It’s unlikely you’ll be able to read these figures until the code is cracked by a specialist. Even if you do not know about the period or civilization from which this coin comes, you will no…

“Pluralism” is a concept more pronounced in modern times than at any other time in history. Yet, it did exist in the past—maybe not as a word but as a reality of social existence, especially in the early days of Islam. Believers back then welcomed different perspectives, ideas, and feelings, and ap…

More Evidence that the Moon Came from the Earth Will et al. Indigenous noble gases in the Moon’s interior. Science Advances, Aug 2022. Humankind has always been fascinated with the Moon and studying it for nearly five centuries since Galileo. A recent discovery now adds new evidence to the curren…