Indian scientists dismiss findings of Newton, Einstein

NEW DELHI: Indian scientists have reportedly dismissed the  theories of Issac Newton and Albert Einstein at a major science conference and claim ancient Hindus pioneered stem cell research.

According to reports, some academics at the annual Indian Science Congress dismissed the findings of Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein, while a group of    scientists have  hit out at speakers for making such irrational claims, including that ancient Hindus invented stem cell research.

Hindu mythology and religion-based theories have increasingly become part of the 106th Indian Science Congress, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

But experts said remarks at this year's summit, which runs from 3-7 January, were especially ludicrous.

The  southern Indian university's head  cited an old Hindu text as proof that stem cell research was discovered in India thousands of years ago.

On the other had, G Nageshwar Rao, vice chancellor of Andhra University, also said a demon king from the Hindu religious epic, Ramayana, had 24 types of aircraft and a network of landing strips in modern day Sri Lanka.

Kannan Jegathala Krishnan claimed “there was no bend in space-time gravity” and that Albert Einstein "didn’t even understand it.” He also called Einstein’s discoveries “misleading."

He added that Isaac Newton was “not able to understand” gravitational repulsive force.

The Indian Scientific Congress Association expressed "serious concern" at the remarks.

 "We don't subscribe to their views and distance ourselves from their comments. This is unfortunate," Premendu P Mathur, general secretary of Indian Scientific Congress Association was quoted as saying.

Critics said that while ancient texts should be read and enjoyed - it was nonsense to suggest they represented science.

It is pertinent to note that such claims like this from Indian scientists are not new as previously, Indian academics, last year,  said the first working airplanes were invented by and Indian named Shivakar Babuji Talpade eight years before the Wright brothers.

In 2017, the education minister for the western state of Rajasthan said it was important to “understand the scientific significance” of the cow, as it was the only animal in the world to both inhale and exhale oxygen.

In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said proof that cosmetic surgery existed in ancient India was shown the the story of the Hindu god Ganesha, whose elephant head is attached to a human body.