https://nerds-of-a-feather.github.io/library/Recent content in Library onHugoenAalok Varma and Anagha VarmaSun, 05 Jul 2026 23:17:09 -0400https://nerds-of-a-feather.github.io/library/ceph-appreciation-01/Sun, 05 Jul 2026 15:51:18 -0400https://nerds-of-a-feather.github.io/library/ceph-appreciation-01/<p>As a scientist who is working on cephalopods, I couldn’t help but have a cephalopod appreciation post as one of the first few entries of my blog. Cephalopods – often shortened to ceph(s) – include the soft-bodied (coleoid) squids, octopuses, and cuttlefish, as well as the shelled (nautiloid) nautilus. These are fascinating and weird creatures, starting right from their name: the “cephalo” part means ‘head’ and the “pod” part means ‘foot’, so the word ‘cephalopod’ is just a fancy way of saying ‘head-foot’, which is rather apt because every cephalopod is basically just a head with 8 legs (which scientists call ‘arms’) and no torso.</p>https://nerds-of-a-feather.github.io/library/maraia/Tue, 16 Jun 2026 10:27:31 -0400https://nerds-of-a-feather.github.io/library/maraia/<blockquote> <p>“Let’s start at the very beginning. A very good place to start.” <br>     – Maria [von Trapp-to-be] in The Sound of Music.</p></blockquote> <p>Beginnings are given a lot of importance. And these days I hardly read a book which hasn’t captured my interest within the first couple of paragraphs, let alone pages. So it took me a while to decide where exactly the NOAF journey should begin, to ensure it was interesting enough to retain your attention, dear Reader. It seemed apt to start off with an essay on artificial intelligence, which is not only in vogue (and in <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgeqe084nn4o" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreffer ">Vogue</a>), but was a major motivating factor for starting this blog.</p>https://nerds-of-a-feather.github.io/library/an-act-of-optimism/Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:10:16 -0700https://nerds-of-a-feather.github.io/library/an-act-of-optimism/<p>Dear Reader,</p> <p>Regardless of whether you got here by personal invitation or you stumbled upon this page by going down an internet rabbit hole, welcome to “Nerds of a Feather” – the soon-to-be multiple Pulitzer prize-winning blog that will revolutionize the world. Ok, this blog isn’t all that – it’s simply supposed to be a curated archive of the rumblings of my brain. And since I’m a nerd, I’m hoping these rumblings will also resonate with other nerds. So, fellow Nerd, welcome.</p>