Researchers from IIT Kharagpur, IISc and ISRO have discovered that balancing microscopic nanoparticles with flexible metallic structures allows ultra-low carbon steel to achieve a mix of extreme strength and crack resistance.
IIT Bombay researchers have identified bacteria that can consume toxic pollutants in the soil and produce helpful nutrients as a byproduct.
Researchers from the Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, report that the diversity of earthworms enriches the carbon content of the soil.
Scientists from Birla Institute of Technology, Pilani, uncover the mechanism behind how plants tolerate and grow in soils with high salt content. The study also explore the role of the bacteria Enterobacter cloacae, which is a known plant growth promoting rhizobacteria.
Organic farming, a method of farming that uses no artificial pesticides or fertilisers, is a re-emerging practice in agriculture and is seen as a new hope in times where our lands are ravaged by chemical fertilizers. Following this method has multiple benefits among which maintaining soil health is one. But how much of ‘good’ does it do to soil? A new research has now studies the various long and short term effects of organic farming on soil health and has found that in comparison with conventional farming methods, organic farming results in better soil health as indicated by its physical, chemical and biological properties
Albeit irksome, termites are one of the fascinating insects we have around us that play a major role in the recycle of nutrients. Found in mounds made of soil, their nests reveal a host of information about the surroundings. In a recent study, researchers have investigated the relationship between the abundance and distribution of termite mounds, and the impact of soil properties and the fragmentation of the natural forests on the same. Since studies on termites found in Asia are very few, the researchers claim this study opens up a lot more fascinating information in the world of termites of southern India