Investigating the 'Encultured' spaces of scientific labs in India
Pankaj Sekhsaria’s lucid narrative style explanation breaks down the complexity of science and facilitates a wide audience to engage with …
In a whitewashed country
We begin the new year with this piece on the ‘modern’ and 'traditional' from the Anil Agarwal reader (Vol.2)
Bankruptcy of ideas and innovation: What India’s recent science & tech indicators show
Indians have shown little innovation over the decades. They are content to copy successful ideas from elsewhere or …
Scientific researchers must maintain integrity
These soldiers of science must understand that they may not have taken the Hippocratic Oath to serve patients, but their research determines the …
Biggest hunt for highly intelligent aliens yields no results
The search was conducted as part of the Breakthrough Listen Initiative which kicked off in 2015
Engineering this fungi may produce eco-friendly alternative to synthetic dyes
Lab-cultured Rhodosporidium toruloides produces 86 grams indigoidine per litre
New laser-based technique to replace pressure’s 400-year-old measuring standard
The fixed-length optical cavity sensor is 100 times faster, mercury-free and has a higher resolution — compared to standard mercury manometres
What is the summer solstice? An astronomer explains
It brings the longest day and shortest night of the year for the 88 per cent of Earth’s people who live in the Northern Hemisphere
Human brains distinctively attuned to musical tones: Study
Certain brain regions in humans show stronger preference for sounds with pitch than macaque monkey brains
Scientists vote to recognise Anthropocene as Earth’s new epoch
The move signals the end of the Holocene epoch, which began 12,000 to 11,600 years ago
Lotus-inspired biodegradable water repellent material developed
A water-repelling, biodegradable material inspired by lotus leaves has been developed by a joint team of researchers from India, Switzerland and …
A mango database developed for plant breeders
Kerala Agricultural University scientists have developed a database that lists 40 mango varieties based on features like the type of flower, seed,…
Theoretical physicist E C G Sudarshan passes away
A professor at the University of Texas, he was nominated for Nobel Prize several times. If found true, his theory of particles travelling faster …
The emerging science of nanoflowers
Nanoflowers can find applications in optoelectronics devices or sensors, catalysis and solar cells and also have great potential for possible …
The Chinese patent juggernaut
China has toppled Japan from No 2 spot and is set to become the leader in global patent filings, specially in future technologies
‘Ancient and Medieval maps were very inaccurate’
Briton Susan Gole is a collector and historian of maps, especially those of India. She has published various books on the subject. She is also …
Debased database
Statistical data has been used and abused for centuries by a range of people for a variety of reasons. Is there a way out?
Spero: India's first crowd-funded e-bike with a 100-km range
Spero is an e-bike developed by S Manikandan of Miltex Engineers, Coimbatore. It has been funded by people. This state-of-the-art bike comes in …
India's guide to Monsoon 2016
Climate reporter Shreeshan Venkatesh explains the monsoon forecast, as put together by India Meteorological Department for the monsoon …
Protein bodyguards
A protein found in almost all life-forms not only offers protection against toxins but also preverits errant behaviour in other proteins
Reptile theory turns turtle
The reproductive behaviour of a turtle species overturns a theory that held that reptiles always lay eggs on land
Biomining and bacteria
Microorganisms are proving to be cheaper, more efficient and cleaner at ore extraction than conventional mining techniques
Enzymes go synthetic
Growing awareness in industry about the potential of enzymes might lead to their synthetic production
Catch a falling planet
...A recent discovery is the first confirmation of the long-held belief that planets such as Earth may exist in other parts of the universe
Where did Homo erectus first appear?
The antedating of two fossils of Homo erectus -- our immediate ancestors -- has shaken a long-held belief that humans originated in Africa