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It has three billion base pairs but only about two per cent of the human genome codes for proteins. In a two part series, Pawan Dhar tries to understand what the remaining bulk of the human genome is doing? Is it a genetic graveyard or a cryptic instruction manual that ensures survival of the species?

Long DNA synthesis is an evolving technology that aims to custom-make genes and genomes. Once this technology becomes affordable, will it still be useful to cut and paste DNA? Pawan Dhar analyses the trend.

Is there a way to scientifically decipher what 'soul' is? Is it quantifiable, made of elements or no? Pawan Dhar tries to look for its imprints in science.

Darwin's model of evolution complements a subtle message in the ancient religious texts. Do science and spirituality both point to the same trend using different examples? Does spirituality go a step beyond and predict the future? Pawan Dhar draws the parallels.

Vedas, the oldest documented literature of human race, define the grand human illusion as maya. Can science help us understand this core concept spanning across faiths? Pawan Dhar elucidates.

The excitement and anticipation surrounding CERN's scientific seminar on the "Latest update in the search for the Higgs boson" was so palpable at the Route de Meyrin that you could cut it with a knife, says CERN staff physicist Archana Sharma.

'Nothingness' is one of the most enigmatic spiritual concepts challenging the logical human mind. Pawan Dhar tries to scientifically examine the composition and dynamics of this abstract-sounding nothingness.

The dimension of spirituality that exists beyond the physically known universe remains largely unknown. In this new series, Pawan Dhar will explore the possibility of a unified view between the two apparently divergent fields of science and spirituality.

Building an all-inclusive computational model of the human brain is one of the final frontiers of science. Pawan Dhar explains how it might help scientists unravel mysteries of brain functions, molecule-by-molecule.

A computational model of human skin has enormous applications in the cosmetic industry. In future, it may be possible to use virtual skin model to diagnose hair growth, colour and ageing conditions or devise personalized treatment protocols, says Pawan Dhar.

Can a human heart be reliably built upon thousands of mathematical equations? Will a human heart beating on a computer help in treating cardiac conditions? Pawan Dhar seeks the answers.

One of the final goals of systems biology is to recreate and design life in silico. Researchers are stitching together pieces of molecular inventory to create virtual microbial cells, says Pawan Dhar.

Constructing a virtual cell out of a real cell calls for massive number crunching of experimental biological data into computable units. The key is to use the right combination of methods and tools, says Pawan Dhar.

Computational systems modeling is increasingly being used in biology at the molecular pathway and network levels. What goes into converting life into numbers? Pawan Dhar explains the concept in the first of a series of articles on the virtual cell.

Every day thousands of animals get killed to feed a rapidly growing human population. The prevalent practices of 'slaughter to salver' entail risks of infection as also suffering for the animals. A new technology of producing animal meat in the lab could be the much awaited solution, Pawan Kumar Dhar contends.

Given the enormous popularity of the periodic table in chemistry, doesn't it make sense to build a periodic table for biology? Pawan Kumar Dhar visualises the anatomy, the potential pay-offs and the constraints of this novel idea.

Mendel's laws of inheritance were zoom-in-zoom-out. They were not designed to describe the evolution of information in the intermediate layers between genotype and phenotype. What kind of preparation is needed to discover laws in these layers of biology? Pawan Kumar Dhar explores.