Discovering My True Self: A Journey of Self-Discovery

  Why there’s still no bridge (or tunnel) across the Strait of Gibraltar — and whether one will ever be built The idea is intoxicatingly simple: a fixed link connecting two continents — Europe and Africa — at the narrow choke-point between Spain (and the British outpost of Gibraltar) to Morocco. Imagine taking a train or driving across in an hour or less, a rail line seamless from Madrid to Casablanca, goods flowing without ferries, tourism surging, geopolitics reshaped. And yet, despite repeated proposals for well over a century, there is no bridge and no operational undersea tunnel across the Strait of Gibraltar. Why not? This post unpacks the full story: the geography and engineering realities; the political, legal and strategic complications; the money questions; the proposals that have come and gone; environmental and social concerns; and realistic prospects for the decades ahead. I'll cover the technical facts, the diplomatic back-and-forth, and the reasons the project ke...

  Every day, the Saptagiri Express begins its journey from Chennai Central Railway Station at 6:25 AM. Sometimes, due to morning traffic on the busy platforms, it departs a few minutes late — around 6:30 AM. For thousands of passengers, this train is more than just transport. It’s a lifeline connecting Chennai with Tirupati, carrying pilgrims, workers, students, and small traders. Inside the compartments, life is a story in itself. Families clutching bags filled with offerings for Lord Venkateswara, tired workers returning home after long weeks in Chennai, small vendors balancing baskets of fruits and snacks, and even singers walking through coaches, offering a song in exchange for a coin or two. It was on one such morning journey, around 8 AM, that I witnessed something unforgettable. As the Ticket Collector (T.C.) made his rounds, checking tickets, he stopped before a man who had none. The passenger, visibly poor, admitted he had no ticket and no money to pay the fine. His silenc...

1. The Ocean’s Whisper – A Hidden Divide Picture this: You are sailing in a small wooden boat in the 19th century. The sea is calm, the horizon stretches endlessly, and the scent of salt mixes with the tropical wind. On your left lies the lush island of Bali , alive with monkeys, tigers, and elephants. On your right, a short distance away, lies Lombok , with cockatoos screeching in the canopy, marsupials darting between trees, and lizards unlike anything you’ve ever seen. The water between these two islands is barely 35 kilometers wide —a distance a fisherman could cross in a few hours. Yet, to your astonishment, the animals, plants, and even the very spirit of the two islands seem to come from different worlds. This invisible boundary is called The Wallace Line . It is not a human invention, nor a political border. It is nature’s own line, drawn across the heart of the Indonesian archipelago. On one side, Asia breathes. On the other, Australia whispers. 2. Alfred Russel Wallace – The ...

  Dark Oxygen: The Hidden Breath of the Deep Ocean Introduction The ocean is one of Earth’s last great frontiers. Covering over 70% of the planet’s surface, it has provided humanity with food, trade routes, and inspiration for countless myths and legends. Yet, the deeper we explore, the more mysteries we uncover. Beyond a few hundred meters, sunlight can no longer penetrate, leaving the world below in eternal darkness. In this pitch-black realm—thousands of meters beneath the surface—conditions are extreme. Crushing pressures, freezing temperatures, and the absence of sunlight make survival seem impossible. And yet, life thrives. From bioluminescent fish that flicker like underwater stars to gigantic squid and bizarre worms living around hydrothermal vents, the deep ocean teems with organisms adapted to darkness. But one question has long puzzled scientists: How do these organisms survive without the sunlight-driven photosynthesis that produces the oxygen and food on which most ...