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One of the most fundamental questions is “are we alone?” The answer to that question would shake the foundations of our understanding of the universe and our place within it. Much of our identity is framed on the presumption that we are a peculiarity. We see ourselves as the only intelligent species on the only planet that hosts life. We therefore make ourselves the center of the universe and elevate our position. The answer to “are we alone?” would shake the foundations of religion, philosophy, and biology. Finding other planets like our own would shake the foundations of astronomy and geology.Imagine you are a member of a primitive tribe, living on the plains thousands of years ago. You’ve led a sheltered life and your comprehension of the universe is defined only by your observations and the observations of your tribe. You strike out on your own across the plains, to see what else is there. Imagine seeing your first bird and having your worldview shaken by the realization that there are forms of life that can fly. You continue onward and reach the shore. Imagine seeing your first fish and having your worldview shaken by the realization that there are forms of life that can swim.We are almost that primitive in our understanding. We define life itself based upon our limited observation of it on our planet, Earth. All we really know about life is based upon observations of the life that formed on the planet Earth. From those observations, we conclude that life involves carbon and life requires water. So, we extrapolate that if we can find places where water and complex carbon based molecules exist, then life may also exist. That may well be short-sighted. There may be life that doesn’t need water nor carbon. But, chemistry tells us that life is more likely to be based on carbon than on any other element. Carbon is the lightest, most abundant, element with four valence electrons in a shell capable of eight. That means a carbon atom can form four covalent bonds while nitrogen (to its right) can form three and oxygen (to nitrogen's right) can form two. Carbon can also form double bonds, allowing strong (but not so strong the molecules can't change), complex, branching molecules. This means carbon is a light and abundant element capable of forming very complex and flexible molecules. Life is complex. Life needs to be flexible to survive. Water is also viewed as a near prerequisite for life. Water is a universal solvent. It can dissolve many substances, making it extremely valuable at transporting materials in and out of living cells.So, we look for complex carbon molecules and we look for water and we look for temperatures at which that water can be a fluid. So far we’ve found no life and few places that might sustain life. But today, NASA announced the discovery of a solar system that contains seven rocky worlds, all with the potential for water on their surface. Three of those seven planets are in the habitable zone (a region around the star with an environment much like the region where our planet Earth orbits). We have found multiple places, within a single star system, where life might exist.Not only does this give us a great specific target to direct further study, but it raises our confidence in the idea that Earth is not only not unique in its form, but that planets of similar form might actually be quite common. We have scanned an almost infinitesimally small amount of our galaxy, looking for planets similar to Earth, and yet we’ve found multiple planets that might be like Earth. Maybe they are more like Mars or more like Venus, further study will tell, but with each additional discovery of small rocky planets, abundant in carbon, friendly to water, and moderately irradiated by their star, confidence in their commonality exists.Astronomer Frank Drake proposed an equation that has become known as the Drake equation: N = R* • fp • ne • fl • fi • fc • L.The Drake equation proposes that if we multiply the rate of formation of stars suitable for the development of intelligent life by the fraction of those stars with planetary systems by the number of planets, per system, with an environment suitable for life by the fraction of suitable planets on which life actually appears by the fraction of life bearing planets on which intelligent life exists by the fraction of civilizations that develop a technology that releases detectable signs of their existence, into space, by the length of time such civilizations would continue to broadcast, we would arrive at the number of civilizations in the galaxy that could possibly be detected.Much of that equation is, today, guesswork. We have no concrete ways to determine the numerical values. We have to speculate and speculation is qualified by our observations. This discovery, announced today, gives us better confidence in putting a more optimistic number into that middle term ne.In our own solar system, we know of one planet that certainly is suitable for life and two planets that at one time may have been suitable for life. Today, a discovery of another solar system with between three and seven planets that may well be suitable for life.We need to continue to make similar discoveries to become more and more confident. Someday, soon, we may actually reach the point where we are comfortable saying that a star that could potentially support life is more likely than not to also have planets that could support life. Such a revelation would dramatically change the value of N in the Drake equation, giving us more and more confidence in the idea that we are not alone. We need to develop ways to better study this system (TRAPPIST-1). In one location in the sky, we have three to seven targets that could reveal information that would radically affect multiple branches of science and possibly the way we see ourselves in the universe.This is pretty fricking cool. With an admitted slight bit of hyperbole, this is kind of like Darwin first setting his eyes upon the Galapagos. We’ve found an interesting place to turn our sights upon. We may determine that we can find no signs of life in that system. That would be disappointing, but still immensely valuable because it is more information to enhance our understanding.

Was there ever a hostage situation where the perpetrator got what they wanted?Well, there are many world over, but I will go with just two, both happening in my country,India.1 : Kidnap and Release of Dr.Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of the then Home Minister of India,Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, by the JKLF Militants in 1989:The 1989 kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed was an act carried out by members of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front,[1] a Kashmiri Muslim militant organization, on 8 December 1989, in Jammu and Kashmir.[2]Rubaiya was the daughter of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, then the Home minister of India in the V. P. Singh government.[3] The kidnappers demanded the release of thirteen of their militants[1] in exchange for Rubaiya's release. The Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah did not want to capitulate. But the Central government accepted their demands and freed the jailed militant. Rubaiya was kidnapped within five days of her father being made the first Muslim Minister for Home Affairs (India) by the V. P. Singh Government to instill confidence within the Kashmiri people.[4][5]Rubaiya's abduction was spurred by her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's appointment as independent India's first Muslim Union home minister. He had taken the oath in Delhi on December 2, 1989, just six days before.Sayeed, who was in Delhi then, came to know of the abduction two hours later. The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, a pro-independence militant outfit, claimed credit for it through telephone calls. Their ransom: the release of five jailed colleagues.The Vishwanath Pratap Singh government -- then in power only for six days -- hurriedly constituted a Cabinet subcommittee comprising ministers Arun Nehru, Arif Mohammad Khan and Inder Kumar Gujral. In Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Moosa Raza formed a special cell to tackle the crisis.The next day saw frantic attempts to establish contact with the militants. On December 10, they reiterated their demand: release the militants by 1900 hours on Monday or "Rubaiya's body will be thrown within Srinagar city."Negotiations began in earnest with Justice M L Bhat of the Allahabad high court as intermediary. The first deadline came and went; talks continued. Meanwhile, four of the five militants whose release was demanded were brought to Srinagar.Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, fresh-returned from an abandoned foreign tour, was dead against giving in. But the Centre had more or less decided to free the militants.December 13 saw Gujral and Arif Mohammad Khan landing in Srinagar with the prime minister's orders to release Abdul Hamid Sheikh, Sher Khan, Noor Mohammad Kalwal, Altaf Ahemed and Javed Ahemed Jargar. On Wednesday afternoon at 1505 hours, they were released in Rajouri Kadal in downtown Srinagar.Zafar Meeraj, a prominent journalist in the valley, received a telephone call an hour later. "We have got our boys," the JKLF spokesman told him in Urdu, "The girl will be with her parents soon."Another hour and Rubaiya was back with her family. "I had left her fate in the hands of the Almighty," said an overjoyed Sayeed, "She got a fresh lease of life."The release of the militants saw great euphoria in Kashmir. "There was no sympathy for Rubaiya. The people were all with the militants," recollects journalist Aasha Khosa who has spent the last 10 years in the valley.(Dr.Rubaiya Sayeed with her father Mufti Mohammed Sayed after her release )Mehbooba Mufti, who now heads the Peoples Democratic Party after the death of her father, the Mufti, and been the Chief Minister of J&K in a coalition government with the BJP till June 2018 is the sister of the kidnapped Rubaiya Sayeed.2. The Hijack of Indian Airlines Flight IC 814 to Kandahar in Afganisthan:This episode took place exactly ten years after the first one, in 1999:Indian Airlines Flight 814, commonly known as IC 814, was an Indian Airlines Airbus A300 in route from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal to Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, India on Friday, 24 December 1999, when it was hijacked and flown to several locations before landing in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Harkat-ul-Mujahideen was accused of the hijacking with the support and active assistance from ISI..[1][2][3]The aircraft was hijacked by gunmen shortly after it entered Indian airspace at about 17:30 IST. Hijackers ordered the aircraft to be flown to several locations. After touching down in Amritsar, Lahore, and Dubai, the hijackers finally forced the aircraft to land in Kandahar, Afghanistan, which at the time was controlled by the Taliban. The hijackers released 27 of 176 passengers in Dubai but fatally stabbed one and wounded several others.The motive for the hijacking appears to have been to secure the release of Islamist figures held in prison in India. The hostage crisis lasted for seven days and ended after India agreed to release three militants – Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, and Mulana Masood Azhar. These militants have since been implicated in other terrorist actions, such as the 2002 kidnapping and murder of Daniel Pearl, 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.[6] The hijacking has been seen as one of the millennium attack plots in late December 1999 and early January 2000 by al-Qaeda-linked jihadists.[7][8][9]The Indian Government sent in a team of negotiators, headed by Vivek Katju, to discuss the demands of the hijackers, which included the release of Maulana Masood Azhar – founded Jaish-e-Muhammed in 2000 which gained notoriety for its alleged role in the 2001 Indian Parliament attack.[25][26]Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh – arrested in 2002 by Pakistani authorities for the abduction and murder of Daniel Pearl.[27][28]Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar – has played an active role since release in training Islamic militants in Pakistan administrated Jammu & Kashmir.[29].After the three militants landed in Kandahar, the hostages aboard the aircraft were freed. On 31 December 1999, the freed hostages of Indian Airlines Flight 814 were flown back through special plane.(The hijacked Indian Airlines plane in Kandahar with the Taliban army)Maulana Masood Azhar later founded the dreaded terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed which is widely suspected to have master minded the suicide bombing on a convoy of CRPF jawans, resulting in the loss of more than forty precious lives.Sources :1989 kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed - WikipediaRediff On The Net:Ten years of conflict in KashmirIndian Airlines Flight 814 - WikipediaImages from the internet.

IIM Kozhikode Interview ExperienceDate: 14/02/2020 Morning SlotVenue: Radisson Blu, Dwarka, DelhiProfile10th/12th/B.E. (Civil Engineering): 91.2/88/67.4CAT 2019 Percentile: 98.18 (91.26/98.13/98.11)Category: NC-OBCWork Experience: 7 months in engineering consultancy firmWAT: If Britishers had not colonized India, India could have become a superpower (20 mins.)PI (~15 mins.)2 panelists, M1(Early 40s, Faculty), M2(Late 30s, Faculty)M1: So, how's the feedback about us outside?(M2 took my file and started going through the certificates and documents.)Me: Good morning sir, most of them were saying that the panelists are cordial and chill.M1: What is the meaning of your name?Me: It means a person who has successfully completed his education. (M1 giving me a puzzled look after looking at my UG marks.)M1: Why did u leave your job? Candidates leave their job before CAT, and you left after the result, why so?Me: (Explained them the reason)M1: What were your roles and responsibilities in your company?Me: (Explained)M2: What are different types of building structures? (Passed me a notepad and asked me to explain using diagrams)Me: Well, if we classify according to the transfer of load, there are 3. Framed structure, load bearing structure and composite structure.(I wasn’t sure about what should I draw. So, I just made top and isometric view of framed and load bearing structures.)M2: What type is this building?Me: Not sure but it might be a composite structure.M2: What is an earthquake? (After looking at my UG mark sheets. I had a C+ in Earthquake Engineering)Me: Earthquake is the vibration of earth produced by the release of energy.M2: What causes an earthquake?Me: They are produced by the instant release of energy from the rocks or the tectonic plates that are subjected to strong forces. When 2 rocks or plates are rubbing against each other, a lot of pressure is built up between them. When it reaches a certain point, the plates start moving and energy is released.M2: What are earthquake zones?Me: Different Geologies at different locations in the country implies that the likelihood of damages by the earthquake is also different. So, seismic zones are divided into different zones.M2: How are the zones determined? How many zones are there?Me: Earthquakes occurred in the past are considered. The tectonic setup, geology and seismology is studied. In India, there are 4 zones.M2: In which zone does this place lie?Me: Sir, I am not sure but it must be in zone 3 as the place from where I did my UG was in zone 2. (Total guess)M1: How is an earthquake measured?Me: SeismometerM1: Explain working of a seismometer using a diagram.Me: (Drew a diagram similar to this and explained how it works)M1: Why is the weight suspended on the frame and not on the ceiling of the room where the device is kept?Me: (I had no idea.) Maybe it is calibrated according to that. I have actually never seen a real one.M1: Where are they located and what is the agency that monitors earthquakes?Me: (Guessing the answer) I am not sure but it must be located in all the major cities. I don’t know about the agency.M1: Meteorological Department?Me: Yes sir, maybe Meteorological Department.M2: How do you make a structure earthquake resistant?Me: Well, there are different ways to do that. The reinforcement in a structure plays a vital role during an earthquake. It increases the flexibility of the building and the chance of sudden failure are less.Another technique is base isolation. It is a design strategy in which the base of the building counteracts the horizontal movement of the structures.In major structures like Burj Khalifa, dampeners are also used. They are installed in the top levels of the building, and dampens the movement of the structure.M2: What are your future plans?Me: (Told them briefly)M1: How a degree in civil engineering can help you in the field of marketing?Me: (Talked about skills that a Civil Engineer possess and how they can be useful.)M2: What other calls do you have?Me: IIM C, L(ABM), I, B(BA), New IIMs, FMS, NITIE Mumbai, IIFT Delhi, IIT B, IIT D, IIT KGPM2: What will be your order of preference?Me: IIM C>FMS>IIM K>IIM I>IIFT D>NITIE M>IIT B> IIT DM2: OK Dikshant, we are done with the interview. Do you have any questions for us?Me: No sir. (I wanted to ask but couldn’t recall anything at that moment.)M1: You can leave now.Me: (Slowly gathered my documents and forms, and was hoping that they will offer me a candy)(No candies offered)Verdict: Converted (First List)Takeaways:IIM K does not stress you out a lot.They are concerned about the academic understanding of the candidate and expect common sense and general awareness.Their interview feels similar to that of IIM I.Technical questions are expected to be explained with the help of diagrams.Questions from academics are generally asked from the subjects in which you were weak in graduation.