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Home Page of Dr. Godfrey Louis

 
Dr.Godfrey Louis
  

Pro Vice Chancellor 

Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT)

Kochi, Kerala, INDIA

 



Former  Positions: 
  • Professor and Head, Department of Physics, CUSAT
  • Member of Syndicate, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam


Welcome to my Home page

Contact information:

Postal address: 
Dr. Godfrey Louis
Pro-Vice-Chancellor,
Cochin University of Science and Technology,
Kochi - 682 022, Kerala, India.
E-mail:  godfreylouis@gmail.com
              godfrey@cusat.ac.in
Fax :  +91 484 2575182
Cell Phone: +91 9847124092
Office Phone:  +91 484  2575699
Residence Phones:  +91 484 2806344,  +91 484  4067344

Please note the change in office address.
On 27th May 2009 I have assumed charge as Pro Vice Chancellor of Cochin University of Science and Technology
On 6th October 2006 I have joined as Professor in the Department of Physics of Cochin University of Science and Technology  
(old address: Dr. Godfrey Louis, Reader,  School of Pure & Applied Physics,  Mahatma Gandhi University,  Priyadarsini Hills P. O.,
 Kottayam - 686 560,  Kerala, INDIA.)
Updated on 29 June 2009  

 Investigation on RED RAIN OF KERALA (2006)

  Red Rain Cells
"The red rain phenomenon of Kerala and its possible extraterrestrial origin"
Godfrey Louis & A. Santhosh Kumar, Astrophysics and Space Science, Vol. 302, pages 175-187, 2006
(published online first on the date 04 April 2006)

Link to Online: (full text restricted to subscribers of the journal)
 http://springerlink.metapress.com/openurl.asp?genre=article&issn=0004-640X&volume=302&issue=1&spage=175

Preprint (full text) of the above paper (Released in 02 Jan 2006) is available for viewing from any of the following links or other mirror sites of   ArXiv.org:
Primary US link: http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0601022  
Indian mirror:      http://in.arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0601022
UK mirror:           http://uk.arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0601022
Investigation on RED RAIN OF KERALA (2008)

Red Rain research Update (5 September 2008):
Presented in Astrobiology Conference, SPIE Symposium , August 10-14 2008 -  in San Diego, California, USA.

Proc. SPIE, Vol. 7097, 709712 (2008); DOI:10.1117/12.794041

Optics + Photonics 2008 - Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology XI, Conference 7097 - Proceedings of SPIE Volume 7097

Unusual autofluorescence characteristic of cultured red-rain cells

 Godfrey Louis, Cochin Univ. of Science & Technology (India); A. Santhosh Kumar, Mahatma Gandhi Univ. (India)

Abstract:
The red cells found in the red rain in Kerala, India are now considered as a possible case of extraterrestrial life form. These cells can undergo rapid replication even at an extreme high temperature of 300 deg C. They can also be cultured in diverse unconventional chemical substrates. The molecular composition of these cells is yet to be identified. This paper reports the unusual autofluorescence characteristic of the cultured red rain cells. A spectrofluorimetric study has been performed to investigate this, which shows a systematic shift of the fluorescence emission peak wavelength as the excitation wavelength is increased. Conventional biomolecules are not known to have this property. Details of this investigation and the results are discussed.

Link: http://spie.org//app/program/index.cfm?fuseaction=conferencedetail&conference=7097
Abstract: http://scitation.aip.org/getabs/servlet/GetabsServlet?prog=normal&id=PSISDG007097000001709712000001&idtype=cvips&gifs=Yes

New ** Preprint download: spiepaper709712.pdf

Click here for some of the fluorescence microscope images of the cultured red rain cells


Articles and stories  on red rain research : (New are added to the end of this list)

  1.  Skepticism greets claim of possible alien microbes - World Science,  5 January 2006. http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/060104_specksfrm1.htm
  2. A dust storm couldn't have caused the red rain of Kerala - by Brig Klyce , Whats New in Cosmic Ancestry,  6 January 2006,  http://www.panspermia.org/whatsne40.htm#060106
  3.  Red rain may have ‘extraterrestrial origin’ By Jenifer Johnston - Sunday Herald (UK),   15 January 2006,  http://www.sundayherald.com/53577
  4. When  aliens rained over India - by Hazel Muir, New Scientist magazine, issue 2541, 04 March 2006,  page 34 (Cover Story) http://www.newscientist.com/contents/issue/2541.html     http://www.newscientistspace.com/article/mg18925411.100.html
  5. It's raining aliens - New Scientist Podcast,  04 March 2006 ( mp3 format audio file size 10.3 MB) http://www.newscientist.com/data/av/podcast/newsci-20060303-raining-aliens.mp3
  6. Red rain could prove that aliens have landed - By Amelia Gentleman and Robin McKie, The Observer (UK), 05 March 2006 http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1723913,00.html
  7. Is it raining aliens?.... by Michael Hanlon, E-Notes.com, 06 March 2006  http://science.enotes.com/science-news/raining-aliens-red-blood-falling-from-sky-baffled
  8. Is mysterious 'red rain' first evidence of life in space?  By Chris Benfield, Yorkshire Post (UK), 06 March 2006 http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=55&ArticleID=1375334 
  9. Red rain from another planet? - by George Iype, Rediff  news, 08 March 2006  http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/mar/08gspec.htm
  10. Life hain professor! - Prerna Shah, Times of India, 10 March 2006  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1445747.cms
  11. Alien attack after red rain in Kerala  - Naveen Nair, CNN-IBN, 18 March 2006  http://www.ibnlive.com/article.php?id=6952&section_id=11#

  12. Red rain puzzle is still up in the air -by  Hazel Muir , New Scientist Magazine issue 2545, 01 April 2006  http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19025453.100.html

  13. UK Team offer new insight into red rain mystery - British Satellite News, 27 April 2006  http://www.bsn.org.uk/view_all.php?id=11615

  14.  ANALYSIS OF RED RAIN OF KERALA - Cardiff Centre for Astrobiology , 30 March 2006  http://www.astrobiology.cf.ac.uk/redrain.html

  15. Red rain of Kerala - David Darling, Encyclopedia of Astrobiology, Astronomy & Spaceflight, http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/R/red_rain_of_Kerala.html
  16. Is It Raining Aliens? - Jebediah Reed, Popular Science, June 2006, http://www.popsci.com/popsci/science/2c21c0f98d07b010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html
  17. Mysterious red cells might be aliens - Jebediah Reed , CNN.com,  June 2, 2006  http://edition.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/06/02/red.rain/

  18. Red rain in Kerala - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_rain_in_Kerala

  19. Physicist: Cell-like structures could be microbes from space - WorldNetDaily.com, June 4, 2006 http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=50498
  20. Something  weird fell in the red rain - Ed  Willett , Leader-Post, June 08, 2006 http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/arts_life/story.html?id=c1627bd9-334a-428a-8d5f-a7c532c44ec2
  21. "Extraterrestrial Life" in Red Rain of Kerala, India? -Linda Moulton Howe,  Earthfiles.com, June 15, 2006 http://www.earthfiles.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1103&category=Science
  22. When aliens visit - David Tenenbaum, The Why Files, 22 June 2006, http://whyfiles.org/shorties/207red_rain/
  23. Germs from space? - Michael Carroll , Astronomy Magazine , 21 June 2006, http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=4337
  24. Alien Lifefall in Red Rain on India? - Douglas Chapman, Strangemag.com, http://www.strangemag.com/redrainfolder/alienlifefall.html
  25. Red Rain Cells of Kerala, India - Still No Definite DNA - Linda Moulton Howe,  Earthfiles.com, August 19, 2006 http://www.earthfiles.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1129&category=Science
  26. Ripple Marks:  Red Rain - Cheryl Lyn Dybas , Oceanography  Vol. 19 , No.3, Page 11, Sept 2006 http://www.tos.org/oceanography/issues/issue_archive/issue_pdfs/19_3/19.3_ripple_marks.pdf
  27. Prof. Chandra Wickramasinghe - the man who asserted: "Life did not start here on earth but in space,"  - by Walter Jayawardhana , Asian Tribune,   October 26,  2006. http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/2788
  28. David Darling's News letter #37 http://www.daviddarling.info/discussion/newsletters_past_37.html
  29. David Darling's News letter #39 http://www.daviddarling.info/discussion/newsletters_past_39.html
  30.  Claim of alien cells in rain may fit historical accounts: study – World Science Net , Jan 22, 2008 http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/080122_red-rain.htm
    Link to the  abstract of original paper of P. McCafferty in International Journal of Astrobiology: http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?aid=1661980
  31. “It’s Raining Aliens!” Coloured Rain in Kerala and the Fuzzy Frontiers of Science - Shiju Sam Varughese -Sarai Reader 07: Frontiers  pages 348-358 http://www.sarai.net/publications/readers/07-frontiers/348-358_shiju.pdf  
  32. 'Alternative life' at 300 Celsius - R Gopakumar, DH News Service, Thiruvananthapuram, http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Jun212008/national2008062074569.asp
  33. Report: cells “from space” have unusual makeup – World Science,  8th September 2008, http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/080908_redrain.htm

  34. Fluorescence Mystery in Red Rain Cells of Kerala, India - by Linda Moulton Howe (2009) http://www.earthfiles.com/news.php?ID=1526&category=Science


Previous papers on red rain:

  1. Cometary panspermia explains the red rain of Kerala  - Godfrey Louis & A. Santhosh Kumar, October 2003,  http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0310120
  2. New biology of red rain extremophiles prove cometary panspermia  - Godfrey Louis & A. Santhosh Kumar, December 2003,  http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0312639

Conference presentation of red rain research:

  1. Work on red rain was also presented in the 3 day workshop on `Astrobiological problems for physicists'  at NORDITA, (Copenhagen, Denmark) 8-10 January 2004. http://www.nordita.dk/conference/AstroBio2004/
  2.  Invited Lecture on "Microbial red rain of Kerala"   presented by Godfrey Louis at the conference on " Cosmic Dust and Panspermia"  held at Cardiff University, Cardiff U.K. 5-8 September 2006.  http://www.astrobiology.cf.ac.uk/conference.html
  3.  Invited speaker on topic " Red rain phenomenon of Kerala" in the 2006 world mystery forum Conference,  November 11 to 12 , 2006 at  " Mystery Park" Interlaken, Switzerland. http://www.worldmysteriesforum.ch/index.php?id=6&L=1
  4. Invited Speaker, Program committee Member and Session Chair  in  Astrobiology Conference 7097, SPIE Symposium , August 10-14 2008 -  in San Diego, California, USA. Presented paper "Unusual autofluorescence of cultured red-rain cells", Proc. SPIE, Vol. 7097, 709712 (2008); DOI:10.1117/12.794041
    Red rain cells
    red rain cells 100x objective digital image capture

    About me

    Education:

    M. Sc. Physics (Specialization in Space Physics), Department of Physics, University of Kerala, 1981.

    Ph. D. in the area of Experimental Solid State Physics (Ultrasonic Study of elastic properties and Phase transition studies in crystals), Cochin University of Science and Technology, 1995.

    Other Positions:

    • Member of  Syndicate,   Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam. 
    • Member of Senate,  Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam.
    • Member of  Academic Council of Mahatma Gandhi University.
    • President Academy of Physics Teachers
    • Member of Board of Studies in Electronics, Mahatma Gandhi University.
    • Head of the Department of Physics, CUSAT (14th Nov. 2007 onwards)

    research activities:

    Research activities are in the area of experimental Solid State Physics, Electronic Instrumentation and computer based Instrumentation. Work involves the growth of  large single crystals and investigation of its elastic, thermal and electrical properties using mainly ultrasonic and electrical conductivity techniques. - Phase transition study in crystals. 

    Special Research:  

    Solving the mystery of the Red Rain phenomenon of Kerala

      Special Interest:  

      Electronics, Astronomy, Astrobiology and Extraterrestrial life.

      Employment History:

      1.  Department of Physics, Union Christian College, Alwaye - 683 102, Kerala,  during 1981 to 1985
      2.  Department of Physics, St. Paul's College, Kalamassery - 683 503, Kerala., during  1985 to 1987
      3.  School of Pure and Applied Physics, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, from 1987 to 2006 (October 5th)
      4.  Department of  Physics, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin, Kerala  from  2006 (October 6th) onwards.
      Membership in Professional Bodies:
      • Life member of Acoustical Society of India
      • Member of Academy of Physics Teachers, Kerala

      Research Students:

      1. Dr. A. Santhosh Kumar  (awarded Ph. D)
      2. Dr. George Varughese ( awarded Ph. D)
      3. Dr. Leesal Iype (awarded Ph.. D)
      4. Dr. Georgekutty Joseph (awarded Ph. D) 
      5. Dr. R. Rajesh (awarded Ph. D)
      6. Mr. Jobin Micheal


      Click here for Publications List



        Page designed & maintained by  Dr. Godfrey Louis
        Subpages (4): Fluorescence (2008 results) Investigation on RED RAIN OF KERALA (2006) Other red rains in the world Publications

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