Sympotein XII: Communication

Birds do it, bees do it and humans too. Albeit a bit differently.

‘Communication’ is the word! It is difficult to imagine life without it!

Humans have a funny way of doing it. “Let's eat, grandma” and “let's eat grandma” can be the difference between having a meal with your grandmother and being barred from family reunions.

Communicating effectively and efficiently is very important, isn't it? If you were to be one of our non-human friends, how would you?

Also, remember that you live in an environment governed by the unforgiving laws of natural selection. With little room for error, you need to impress your mate, express your dominance over your possessions, or perish and end up in someone's dinner plate. It is a process that ranges from molecules within cells, to giant swarms of birds exhibiting a beautiful ballet in the sky and everything else in between.

In the face of noise or the need to be surreptitious, this becomes more difficult. And yet, you can always count on nature to amaze you.

These are but some of the aspects that we delve into in this year's Sympotein.
We will try to find some basic underlying tenets in this multi-level, multi-modal and seemingly overwhelmingly diverse process. We intend to give you a flavour of this diversity, the tricks used to optimize the process, the interesting ways in which the system is hacked and repurposed, and how the omnipotent hand of evolution pushes it.

Big or small, loud or subtle, confessing your love by spreading your pheromones or trapping an unsuspecting romeo and devouring him- it has it all. It's a spectacle like no other. Variety is the spice of life and nature doesn’t disappoint and neither will we. Entertainment guaranteed!

To top it off, we have a guest talk by Prof. Vidyanand Nanjundiah, which you definitely don’t want to miss!

So mark your calendars and clear up your schedules!

See you all!

When: 31st March 2016, 2.30P.M. onwards
Where: Dasheri