March against asbestos

Though its use is banned in most countries, the asbestos industry continues to thrive at the cost of putting millions of people at risk

Spanish longliner detained in São Tomé for hunting sharks

Inspections revealed that fish holds of the liner contained blue sharks classified as “near-threatened” by the International Union …

Life around Mumbai’s salt pans

The salt pans are a source of livelihood for more than 2,000 migrant workers from different parts of the country

Sewage plant raises storm in temple town

Despite protests from villagers near Kerala's most famous temple town, authorities insist on locating a sewage treatment meant for Guruvayur, in …

Surviving Ebola

Whether you will survive an Ebola infection or not depends on the immune response of your body, not on the level of infection

Visakhapatnam pharmaceuticals ‘unit’ leaks gas; 2 dead, 4 injured

The city unit of Sainor Life Sciences Pvt Ltd, in Parwada area, reported a leak of benzimidazole gas at 11.30 pm

Over 20 million deaths, 300 million life years lost due to COVID-19, estimates WHO

Health progress for various indicators slowed down since 2015; burden of non-communicable diseases increased since 2000

Eels have fascinated us for ages — now we need to stop eating them

All available data consistently show that current eel abundance is only a shadow of what it used to be a few decades ago

Shallow-water mining not a ‘silver bullet’ to resolve growing global need for metals: Study

Shallow-water mining involves removing sediment-bearing minerals, which offer refuge to seafloor organisms; this could trigger local extinctions &…

New species of snake eel found in Bay of Bengal by researchers

The species, proposed to be named as Indian fringe-lip eel was found in the waters of Paradip and Petuaghat harbours

Humans will leave Earth not to explore, but to exploit

Wing Commander (retired) Rakesh Sharma recently completed 35 years of being the first Indian to have ever set foot in space. He talked to Down To …

New gamma ray telescope will better observe explosion of stars

The four-metre telescope in Ladakh will be able to operate in bright environment like twilight hours and moon-lit nights, unlike traditional ones …

Human development index: India climbs one spot to 130

Rising economic inequalities and wide gender gap don’t let India achieve a faster ascent among 189 countries

World’s life expectancy up but gains uneven finds World Health Statistics 2016

A child born in a high income country is expected to live till 80 but life expectancy in sub- Saharan Africa is less than 60 years

The lotus effect

Water doesn't stick to lotus leaves. Nature has given the plant a self-cleaning mechanism. Crack the science of it, and you have the formula for …

Disappearing Act

Only special breeding programmes and creation of corridors can save the lion-tailed macaque from extinction

Traditional wisdom

Researchers in Gujarat use rural expertise to predict weather when modern methods fail to make accurate forecast

Sharks bear brunt of seasonal fishing frenzy

Even as the Andaman and Nicobar coast is witnessing the June-end whirl of shark fishing activity, the local administration and conservationists …

Evolution basics

Evolution>> The Greatest Show on Earth by Richard Dawkins Random Books, Indian Price Rs 450

Health-conscious consumers, busy lifestyles driving up market value of antimicrobial packaging: Report

Valuation may reach $11.5 billion this year; Asia-Pacific to be most lucrative market

Study unravels how ocean warming impacts early development of Giant Kelp, can aid conservation

At higher temperatures, spore release increased but other reproductive processes were hindered

Life expectancy improves in some countries after big drops in 2020 — but US and others see further falls

New variants that evade existing immunity are likely to arise and the longer-term impact of COVID infections on the health of survivors is a big …

India’s life expectancy falls to 67.2 in 2021, decade-long improvement undone

Human Development Report finds decline in life expectancy in 70% countries; Decline in income in 2020 for 85%  

ExoMars mission delayed, rover will now take off in 2022

European Space Agency cited software problems with the spacecraft as a reason for the delay

NASA tests autonomous drill to explore signs of life on Mars

The drill can operate without real-time human input. If it gets stuck, it can also dislodge itself