Category: Science & Technology
Quarks
Going ahead with my article on elementary particles, a fact about matter particles i.e. quarks. Individual quarks cannot be observed while only bounded states of quarks and anti quarks known as mesons are observed. Quarks have asymptotic freedom i.e. force between quarks is weak over shorter distances while stronger over longer distances. This is a small correction to my earlier article wherein it could be implied that individual quarks had been observed.
One for Science: Elementary Particles, Mass and Forces of Nature
In pursuit of science, fitness, and happiness, this article is a continuation of the video shared here on fat loss. The chemical equation of human fat C55H104O6 decomposes into Carbon and Oxygen. Ruben Meerman’s video on the mathematics of weight loss led to the genesis of this article. Dipped with a small dose of quantum mechanics, this article shares a very brief overview of the micro world of elementary particles and laws of nature governing our bodies and this Universe.
Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen atoms play a fundamental role in burning fat. About 96% of human body is made up of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen. Hydrogen and Helium are also the elements which build the atomic mass of our universe. Hydrogen and Helium atoms make up 99.8 % of all atoms and 98% of all atomic mass in the Universe. An atom has protons and neutrons in its nucleus with electrons orbiting the nucleus. Protons and neutrons have the same weight which is much more than the weight of electrons. Mass of electrons is negligible compared to the weight of protons and neutrons. The number of protons decides the elementary characteristics of the elements on the periodic table. The mass differs from the weight. Mass measured by mass of atoms in the body which is equal to the mass of protons and neutrons combined. Mass is constant while weight changes according to the gravitation pull of the planet. The movies Interstellar and The Martian are good examples of how weights can vary in different planets. Continue reading “One for Science: Elementary Particles, Mass and Forces of Nature”
The beauty of e…
Sharing one of the most insightful and informative videos on the meaning of e. e is commonly used in natural logarithms and in computing continuous compounding. In layman terms, e is the greatest possible result after continuously compounding one hundred percent growth over one time period…A must watch video…
Rise of Digital Payments in India
Digital payments, which form part of mobile payments, also work through digital wallets (P2P) is very convenient to use. They bypass savings and checking account and form as an alternative to using credit or debit card. P2P Digital wallets are linked to your savings/checking account to easily transfer cash for facilitating purchases online or payment of utilities etc. China’s is setting the benchmark for innovation in many categories not only in e-commerce but also in many emerging technologies. Apart from Alipay, WeChat Pay is another leading digital online payment player in China. Jack Ma also invested in Paytm, the leading online payment player in India, which is planning to create the largest digital bank in the world. The milieu of innovation and entrepreneurship is also due to the fast emerging ecosystem which the Chinese government is building in China.
Digital payments are a great way to further cashless payments within an economy so successfully done by Sweden in Europe. A major revenue growth area for Amazon would be Amazon Pay as an alternative mode of payment for online purchases while Apple Pay and Google Pay are already huge players in this segment. Whats App is launching its version of digital payments while Venmo from Paypal is a prominent rising P2P digital payment star in the US.
Credit Suisse estimates that the mobile payments in India will reach $1tr by 2023, a huge growth from the estimated $200bn in 2018. The surge in the fintech industry in India is hugely due to the policies promoted by the present government for encouraging incentives like digital lockers. Mr. Modi’s thrust to promote digitization is also a very measured way to bring underbanked people in India into the banking sector. Paytm digital bank can accept deposits and remittances but can not lend, to mitigate risk-taking behavior. This would also help the unbanked population in India to be included in the banking sector. According to many reports, there are more than 60 fintech players in India in the digital payment segment, a surge due to Indian government pro digitization policies especially after 2016. (Citation would be included). Deloitte estimates the mobile wallet industry has shown a huge growth between 2013 and 2017, with a phenomenal growth of 120% CAGR, having more than doubled in 2016 and 2017. The report further estimates, that prepayment instruments increased from 10% to 22% of total digital transactions soon after the commencement of demonization policy. A major policy initiative taken by the government was to introduce Unified Payment Interface, a real-time payment processing system to transfer cash online from account to the wallet. Launched in 2016, this is one of the most innovative features in the world and serves as a catalyst for the proliferation of digital payment system in India.
Mobile payment has been one of the most innovative technological methods used in poor countries especially sub-Saharan countries to propagate financial inclusion. Mobile payment has been one of the most impactful financial inclusion tools of modern times.
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To be continued…
Suggested Readings
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4162586-china-leads-mobile-payments
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Payments_Interface
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/10/ant-financial-to-raise-9-billion-at-a-150-billion-valuation.html
AI: Robo Advisors
For those who have seen Matrix and Space Odyssey 2000, understand the disruptive power of AI. Artificial Intelligence might not be truly disruptive in the way it’s portrayed in the movies. Disruptive Power is the ability of a new technology to change the pattern of consumer behavior. The introduction of Smart Phones led to the disruptive technology in mobiles. Before smartphones, the primary purpose of mobiles was to talk with people but with Smart Phones, the slogan changed to…and you can also use it for talking. Smart Phones refined the way we interacted with others through social platforms or the consumer buying power. Apps were the catalyst through which consumers leveraged technology for their gratification. Continue reading “AI: Robo Advisors”
UMICH: Bicentennial Celebration, Aunt Ruth, Exploration to Space with Nish at his little best
Happy Independence Day my fellow Americans…July Fourth…241 years since the adoption of Declaration of Independence…
“In the bright history of this institution, we joyfully read a happy augury for her future.” President James B. Angell, 1887
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor celebrated 200 years of its start. Please do not confuse inception with the movie Inception by Christopher Nolan which although a brilliant movie was a bit confusing through its matrix of subplots. Continue reading “UMICH: Bicentennial Celebration, Aunt Ruth, Exploration to Space with Nish at his little best”
