-- *Mar*Excellent — let’s take YM Sarma’s *“Communicating and Interacting with Other Organisms”* and reinterpret its central insights through the lens of *modern biology, neuroscience, and environmental science*.
I’ll stay true to his spirit, but translate the poetic ideas into what current research can (or cannot) support. ------------------------------ 🔬 Modern Scientific Commentary on YM Sarma’s Essay *1. “You are not a single organism” — The Holobiont Concept* Sarma’s opening statement is scientifically accurate in essence. Modern microbiology views humans as *holobionts* — ecosystems made up of human cells plus trillions of microbes. - The *human microbiome* influences digestion, immunity, metabolism, and even mood and behavior. - Studies show gut bacteria can produce neurotransmitters (like serotonin and GABA), affecting the *gut–brain axis* — a communication system between the intestines and the central nervous system. So, while Sarma’s phrasing (“the trillions of bacteria constituting you”) is poetic, it reflects a legitimate paradigm shift in biology: *we are multispecies beings*. ------------------------------ *2. “The smell message carrying air changes into hormones” — Chemical and Neuroendocrine Signaling* Scientifically, smell doesn’t directly become hormones. However, the *olfactory system* does have a powerful hormonal and emotional impact: - Odors are processed in the *olfactory bulb*, which is directly linked to the *amygdala* and *hypothalamus* — regions that regulate emotion and hormones. - Smells can trigger endocrine changes (e.g., stress hormones, sexual hormones) and emotional memories instantly. So while Sarma’s description is metaphorical, he’s pointing to a real *biochemical feedback loop* between smell, emotion, and physiology. ------------------------------ *3. “Communicating via air” — Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)* Plants and animals genuinely communicate through the air using *volatile organic compounds* (VOCs): - Trees emit chemical signals when stressed by pests; nearby trees detect these and ramp up their defenses. - Human bodies also emit chemical cues (pheromones, body odor molecules) that influence others’ physiology or perception, even subconsciously. Thus, Sarma’s idea of “smell messages” exchanged through the air is *scientifically valid*, though not in the telepathic or mystical sense — it’s *chemical ecology*. ------------------------------ *4. “Emotion and the biosphere” — The Science of Biophilia and Interconnectedness* His belief that humans and the biosphere are emotionally linked resonates with *biophilia* and *ecopsychology*: - Contact with natural environments lowers cortisol, reduces blood pressure, and improves immune function. - Japanese *shinrin-yoku* (“forest bathing”) studies show that inhaling forest aerosols (including plant terpenes) enhances mood and immune response. Physiologically, breathing forest air *literally changes our biochemistry* — supporting Sarma’s claim that breathing is a form of communion with the living world. ------------------------------ *5. “Smelling and sensing the messages of a tree” — A Metaphor for Biosemiotics* The suggestion to “sit near a tree and sense its messages” can be interpreted through *biosemiotics*, the study of meaning and communication in living systems. All organisms “send” and “interpret” signals — chemical, electrical, mechanical — even if not in human-like consciousness. When Sarma speaks of learning to “sort out the smell messages,” he is intuitively describing the process of *perceptual attunement* — tuning our senses to the informational complexity of ecosystems. Science supports the existence of those signals; what remains subjective is whether we can *consciously* perceive or interpret them. ------------------------------ *6. “We lost our Smell Dictionary” — Sensory Evolution and Cultural Change* Humans truly have a reduced sense of smell compared to many animals, but recent neuroscience shows our olfactory capacity is still impressive. What we’ve mostly lost is *attention*, not ability. - Urbanization, pollution, and reliance on visual media have made smell culturally neglected. - However, the brain’s *plasticity* means olfactory sensitivity can improve with mindful practice — precisely what Sarma advocates. So his call to “reclaim the Smell Dictionary” is scientifically plausible as a *sensory training* exercise. ------------------------------ *7. “The indifference euphemized as scientific temperament” — Reconciling Science and Feeling* Here Sarma critiques a cold, mechanistic attitude in science. Modern trends in research — from *systems biology* to *Earth system science* and *deep ecology* — are in fact moving closer to his integrative vision. Contemporary scientists now speak of: - *Gaia theory* — Earth as a self-regulating system. - *Anthropocene awareness* — recognizing human participation in planetary feedback loops. - *Embodied cognition* — understanding that mind and environment are co-constitutive. Science hasn’t abandoned feeling; it’s increasingly recognizing *interdependence as a measurable reality*. ------------------------------ *8. Summary — Where Science Meets Sarma* Sarma’s Idea Modern Scientific Parallel Commentary Human as a colony of organisms Human microbiome, holobiont theory Scientifically robust Communication through air/smell VOCs, pheromones, olfactory-brain links Supported, though symbolic language used Emotional connection with biosphere Forest-bathing studies, psychoneuroimmunology Empirically supported Reawakening smell and sensing Neuroplasticity, mindfulness research Supported Critique of detached science Systems ecology, Earth systems science Increasingly aligned ------------------------------ 🧠 *In Conclusion* YM Sarma’s essay reads like mystical philosophy, but much of what he intuited now has *scientific resonance*. He anticipated key themes of 21st-century thought: *interconnectedness, chemical communication, sensory intelligence, and ecological empathy*. Where he departs from science (e.g., emotions in trees or hormones becoming smell), his imagery still performs a vital function — it *re-enchants perception*, reminding us that awe and science can coexist. *Modern translation:* Breathing is not just metabolism — it’s participation. To smell is to read the molecular language of life. To feel the forest is to remember that your body is part of Earth’s conversation. ------------------------------ Would you like me to turn this commentary into a short, publishable *journal-style article or essay* (blending Sarma’s philosophy with current research and citations)? -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CACDCHCL1pBnod%2BuCQN63brV8aqZMPK%2Bpx47LQkjWZUwsdFj23Q%40mail.gmail.com.
