Learning from insect social networks

Insects like honeybees and ants live in groups that constantly communicate with each other. In fact, communication networks in some insect groups have been successfully compared to artificial technological information transfer networks. Drawing parallels between such highly coordinated processes in living organisms and their artificial counterparts, a team of scientists from IISc, IISER-Kolkatta and BITS-Pilani, seek a better understanding of network communication, to improve the existing information processing networks.

Suneha Mohanty

Peering into the obscure world of glass

Did you know the rigid glass covering your window, is liquid on the inside? This mysterious property of glass – its internal structure resembling a liquid – has puzzled scientists for more than half a century. “Knowing the secret behind the formation of glass can help us design glass more scientifically”, said Prof Ajay Sood from IISc, an author of the paper.

Madhukara S Putty Sandhya Sekar

Finding the grey in protein synthesis

There is a tendency of describing biology in black and white but the cells exploit all shades of grey between the two limits of black and white. Researchers at IISc, Bangalore have thrown light on what can be called a grey area in the field of protein synthesis. A vital mystery in the mechanism that makes proteins has been solved.

Sambit

CRACKED! - New insights into how glasses break

Professors U. Ramamurty and R. Narasimhan at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have been looking into this and identified the mechanisms for both ductile and brittle glasses through detailed experiments, complemented with computer simulations and careful autopsy of fractured surfaces.

Bharti DK

How open are enterprises to new technologies?

Small and medium enterprises in India, especially those in the manufacturing sector, absorb new technologies when they want to rise above the competition, finds a new study from IISc. Improving quality, customer demand and scale expansion are the main motivations for these enterprises to adopt new technologies.

Aditi Hastak

How to avoid inbreeding between endangered vultures

Using advanced genetics techniques, a recent study has estimated the relationship between vultures being reared in an extensive, pan-India conservation breeding programme. This information will be used to plan the breeding of the three “Critically Endangered” captive vulture populations, which will be used to supplement the highly depleted wild populations.

Sandhya Sekar

IISc professor gets honorary doctorate from Swedish University

Professor Dipankar Das Sarma from the Solid State Chemistry Unit at IISc has been awarded an honorary doctorate from Uppsala University, Sweden. This is only the second time that an Indian academic has been given this honour.

Sandhya Sekar

A system to deliver drugs to individual cells

A system to package and deliver drugs to each cell of your body, depending on its needs, has been developed at IISc. “Nanocapsules” made from a special type of material can now deliver drugs right inside cancer affected cells in the body.

Suneha Mohanty

Kolkata is also a victim of urban sprawl

Over the last 30 years, Kolkata has added 8 km2 of built-up area every year. Recent research has shown that Kolkata is no exception to the global urbanisation trends.

Sudhira

An excellent articifical water repellant surface

An artificial surface that does not get wet, and retains its water repellant properties even when kept immersed has been developed at IISc. Researchers were able to control the time for which the water repellant property is maintained; they were also able to demonstrate that resistance to water flow past the surface is reduced. This can result in diverse applications like, better printers, and efficient and cheap blood testing.

Paritosh Karnatak

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