Research Matters

A study by a team of international researchers has suggested that diversifying crop production in India to include cereals like millets and sorghum could be a sustainable way forward. 

Rusty-spotted cat ((Prionailurus rubiginosus) [Image Credits: David V Raju / CC BY-SA]

Numb, bruised and in pain, she tried getting up. It was a cold night, and the hallway was dark. The last thing she remembered was she being pushed down the stairs after an argument about who would do the dishes. The dinner was a happy time. There was her special biryani and his most-liked murgh makhani. Their favourite sit-com was running on Netflix—something they enjoyed from their dating days. They were discussing her thesis and his semester exams—both due in a couple of days. But, it soon turned ugly, nasty and violent.

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay), National Centre of Biological Sciences (NCBS) Bengaluru, Anna University, Chennai and ETH, Zurich uncover the molecular events that lead up to the formation of protein clusters commonly seen in Parkinson’s disease.

Study finds, online streaming platforms flouting tobacco imagery rules.

Researchers show how free-ranging dogs modify their behaviour and personalities based on our presence in urban areas.

Ever looked at those tiny, green, olive-like capers in your pasta and wondered where they come from? Capers, also called Capparis, is the largest genera in the Capparaceae plant family and consists of around 139 species spread across the tropics. Found in arid habitats, these plants are mostly shrubs, and their flower buds and fruits are widely used as a pickled condiment. In a recent study, researchers from Pune's Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) and China's Zhejiang University have explored the genetic traits of two varieties of capers—spinosa and herbacea. 

Researchers from IIT Bombay find how temperature, humidity and properties of different surfaces influence the evaporation rates of respiratory droplets infected with COVID-19.

In a recent study, herpetologists have discovered three new species of geckos belonging to the genus Cnemaspis. These geckos are thought to be endemic to the rocky granite boulders found in the Mysore plateau region of Karnataka.

COVID-19, the pandemic that has shaken the world, will perhaps change our lives forever. Often, we now talk of a ‘pre-COVID’ world, where business was as usual, and a ‘post-COVID’ world which is the new normal. While the disease, caused by a tiny virus, has affected millions, it has also brought to fore some often-ignored challenges and opportunities to build a better tomorrow. Science has been in the forefront, driving these monumental changes across the world—from understanding the virus and designing a vaccine, to throwing insights on how we could prepare for and prevent the next pandemic.