New study uses mathematical analysis of walking patterns for early detection of Parkinson’s disorder.

Ecology

Bengaluru
30 Jul 2020

The big, bright, green-coloured Andaman day gecko is a sight to behold; only that, you have to go all the way to the Andaman Islands to get a glimpse of it. Endemic to the islands, these geckos live in trees and are active during the day. Thanks to cash crops grown on these islands today, they can be found in plenty, feeding on bananas, coconuts and betel nuts. They belong to the genus called Phelsuma, believed to have evolved from Madagascar, an island about 6000 km away from the Andamans! A new study has traced their evolutionary history and has thrown some light on how they differ from the other geckos in the Andamans.

Bengaluru
29 Jul 2020

People see human-animal conflicts as a fight between two species on opposing sides. However, in reality, the human aspect also has multiple dimensions. In some cases, there are two groups—the affected public—and the forest department staff, who manage and mitigate it; in others, more such groups. One of the frequent human-animal conflicts is that between humans and monkeys, especially the rhesus macaque, whose population is widespread in many cities. Now, a study by researchers shows that differences in people's opinions on mitigating such conflicts could instead be adding to the conflict.

 

Bengaluru
17 Jul 2020

The Nicobar long-tailed macaque is a species of monkeys endemic to three islands of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. Found in troops that consist of an alpha male and female, there is a system of hierarchy, as is seen in all group living animals. While adults are further categorised as beta individuals and subordinates, juveniles and infants also form a part of the troop. In many social animals, like the macaques, the ranking of an individual determines the role they play on other activities within the group. In a recent study, researchers have investigated if an individual’s rank has any effect on how the members groom each other.

 

Bengaluru
16 Jul 2020

Incidents of snakebites and resulting deaths are no rarity in India, which accounts for half the world’s deaths due to snakebites. Now, a new study claims that India has witnessed an estimated 1.2 million deaths due to snakebites between 2001-2020. 

Bengaluru
14 Jul 2020

For what would a butterfly depend on ants? A recent study explores a complex relationship between an ant and a butterfly.

Dehradun
6 Jul 2020

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

Kolkata
28 Jun 2020

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

 

Pune
26 Jun 2020

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

Bengaluru
24 Jun 2020

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.

 

Bengaluru
4 May 2020

Salazar Slytherin – the parseltongue wizard who talks with snakes in J.K. Rowling’s fantasy Harry Potter is not just a mystical character name of the Potterverse anymore! Now, its found a place in India’s biodiversity as a newly discovered pit viper from Arunachal Pradesh has been named after this character.