Saad Shaikh, MD

The giant sequoia ( Sequoiadendron giganteum ) stands as a testament to nature's grandeur. I recently encountered this magnificent species in two distinct settings: Sequoia National Park in California, during the summer of 2024, and at the Mata-Jardim José do Canto in the Azores, a few months later. The Azorean sequoia, one of the few on the islands, originated from seeds brought from California. While both trees share the characteristic towering trunk, reddish-brown bark, and overall form of a giant sequoia, subtle differences are apparent. The Azorean tree, though healthy and thriving in the humid, temperate climate, is not as tall as its California counterpart, and its bark possesses a distinct quality. These variations highlight the profound influence of environment on even the most genetically predisposed organisms. It's a reminder that while the seed holds the potential, its unfolding is intricately woven into the tapestry of its surroun...

  Twenty years ago today, this  article  was published about a surgery I performed on a two-year-old girl named Alaa, a child blinded by war. Shrapnel from an American tank shell—fired on a children’s birthday party mistaken for an insurgent gathering—killed most of her cousins and family members. It left Alaa with a torn abdomen and filled her eyes with metal fragments that would rust and poison her ocular tissue. At the time, a local law student, Ashley Severance, contacted me at my private practice, asking if I could help. The surgeon originally scheduled to remove Alaa’s eyes had backed out—fearful, in that post-9/11 era, that saving this child might be seen as aiding the enemy rather than helping a fellow human being. I knew I had to try. If it were my child, I would want someone to do everything possible. father told me, “It’s not fair that a young child will never get to see her mother again.” He was told to let her die—her...

That morning, deep in the Serengeti, as I ventured out on a walking safari to witness the great wildebeest migration, I joked with my guide that I felt the urge to "mark my territory," so that lions knew who’s king of the jungle, or in this case savannah. He laughed, and we wandered, stepping into the vast wilderness on foot. As we walked, we spotted a male lion resting with two females in the distance. My guide nudged me, saying, “Let’s go, it’s getting late.” But I had a feeling something was about to happen. “No, let’s wait a bit longer,” I said, keeping my eyes on the scene. The lions stirred. I noticed them gazing intently toward the bush in the distance, where I could see rustling through my binoculars. The male and his lead lioness got up, walking in the direction of the movement. Then, from afar, another lioness approached—likely a new member of the pride. The male without hesitation left his mate behind and lay down, waiting. And then, ...

Elon  Musk’s AI startup, announced in July 2023, claims to seek “to understand the true nature of the universe,” according to its website. While this ambition is intriguing, it mirrors a timeless quest—one that sages and philosophers, have embarked on long before Musk. Case in point, the Buddha. The paradox, however, is that the true nature of the universe cannot be understood by “trying” to understand it. The act of understanding depends on a matrix of symbols, concepts, and language—constructs of the human mind, or what is referred to in eastern metaphysics as Maya. Any search for meaning within these frameworks is inherently limited by them. Kurt Gödel demonstrated in his incompleteness theorems that no system can explain itself entirely; it can only be understood by stepping beyond it. The same applies to our conceptual descriptions and models of reality. In much the same way, to truly grasp the universe, we must transcend the conceptual systems w...

Petrichor , the enchanting earthly aroma of freshly fallen rain on dry soil ( from Ancient Greek πέτρα 'rock' or πέτρος 'stone' and ἰχώρ, the ethereal fluid that is the blood of the gods in Greek mythology ) , is a complex phenomenon. Produced by a chemical called geosmin, secreted by Streptomyces bacteria, this scent serves a fascinating purpose: attracting small arthropods. These creatures, in turn, consume the bacteria and disperse its spores, aiding in reproduction. Remarkably, humans possess an acute sensitivity to geosmin, despite our relatively weak olfactory sense. We can detect this compound in concentrations as low as 100 parts per trillion. The Japanese Buddhist concept of jijimuge , meaning "the unimpeded interpenetration of all phenomena," offers a profound lens through which to view this ephemeral experience. It encapsulates the idea of a universe interconnected without barriers, where all beings and things are inhe...

In March 2023, I captured this photo deep within the Amazon forests of Brazil. The dense tapestry of life unfolded before me—shrubs, trees, vines, and epiphytes interwoven, their fallen leaves forming a soft carpet on the forest floor. This, I thought, was nature’s garden—a wild, intricate masterpiece.  At first glance, it seems devoid of symmetry. Humans crave symmetry; we create orderly gardens with straight paths, and our footprints trace lines across the Earth. But nature defies our neat constructs. Its symmetry is different—a dance of curves, spirals, and organic shapes. No straight lines here. Circles emerge, imperfect and textured, like ripples on water. The golden ratio whispers in the curves of seashells and the spirals of hurricanes. Trees naturally thrive in biodiverse environments like forests, coexisting with fungi, epiphytes, and parasites. Twenty some years ago, when I settled in Lake Nona, the area boasted beautiful native forests. Sad...

  I captured this photo in August 2023 on one of Gethsemane’s now bohemian colonial streets in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. The image resonated with me because it serves as a gentle reminder: “Here, and now, smile.” Although smiling seems like an easy thing to do, for some, it isn’t. That day, I encountered a different perspective on laughter and smiles. As I strolled through the vibrant streets, I ran into a group of the city’s famous Palanqueras—women dressed in colorful skirts and turbans, their shawls gracefully draped around their shoulders. These women are experts at selling goods, balancing vast baskets of traditional treats and tropical fruit on their heads. They are named after San Basilio de Palenque, the first “free town” in the Americas, founded by those who escaped lives of slavery. Remarkably, this community remains mostly intact, not too far from Cartagena. Now, let’s delve into the intriguing tradition that connects smiles and mourn...

Forget the Eiffel Tower or the Great Wall. This photo captures a different kind of adrenaline rush – me at the Berber Motor Speedway in Alabama. where I was pushing my limits at the Porsche Sport Driving School. The experience felt a lot like surgical training.  Each day started with classroom lectures from seasoned race car drivers, followed by practical sessions on the track and specially designed handling and drifting courses, and of course several races. Lunch and dinner provided opportunities to chat and network with fellow drivers and instructors. But the most captivating aspect wasn't the thrill of speed. It was the remarkable parallels between racing a high-performance Porsche and performing vitreoretinal surgery. Of course, the stakes are undeniably higher in surgery, but both activities require similar skills:  critical decision-making, split-second reactions, intricate hand and foot maneuvering, and continuous self-assessment to enh...

  Oaxaca, Mexico "Quieres comprar una pulsera?," or for my non Spanish speaking readers, "Do you want to buy a bracelet?" At first, I said no but then I changed my mind. young girl selling bracelet in Oaxaca, Mexico "Yes, of course, but only if you tie it on my hand." The purpose of travel for me is to observe life, which, by the way, I was doing sitting comfortably on a bench alone in Oaxaca's Zocalo enoying all typical evening happenings. So I saw this as an opportunity to explore that objective a little further. "Do you go to school?" "No." "How old are you?" "I am 8." "So what do you do all day?" "I live in the pueblo nearby and I make these bracelets, and my mother makes pottery while my dad works in the village and we come here and sell it on the weekends." "What happens if you do not sell enough bracelets? Do you have enough to eat?" "Yes,...