“When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do”, said Walt Disney. And, one such thing Dr Anindita Bhadra, now an Assistant Professor at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata (IISER Kolkata), did during her later PhD days was to curiously analyse huge amounts of observational data on small colonies of paper wasps (Ropalidia marginata).

Researchers at the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research - Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT) are solving two major problems faced by society today, food waste and energy production. The team reviews various ways in which food waste can be converted to fuels, power, heat and value added chemicals.

Study shows hydrogen sulfide (H2S) dimer contains hydrogen bonds, just like water

Kopi Luwak, a coffee variant believed to be of Indonesian origin, has gained popularity all over the world over the last few years. The reason for its popularity is attributed to the factors such as flavour and texture which is achieved through a unique process—digestion of the coffee beans by Asian palm civet.

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, develop a highly effective solution for recovering green sand in small and medium foundries.

Research from IISc finds a vital link between immune system disorders and psychological conditions like OCD

Aerosols such as smoke or dust suspended in the lower layers of the atmosphere can either heat up the planet by trapping solar radiation, or cool it by reflecting sunlight back into space. Little is known, however, about how much aerosols that are present much higher up — above the clouds — contribute to this warming. 

Researchers from the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences Calcutta, Kolkata, and the Indian Institute of Technology Patna, have examined the practice of outsourcing in the Indian context. They found that the outsourcing model helps companies remain viable, particularly during economic crises.

If ever the Beatles were to be formed again, they would definitely agree to rope in field crickets, the distant rockstar relatives of grasshoppers, into their influential band. The male members of the Gryllidae family are noted in the animal world for the music they make with their forewings. As the sun goes down and the dark is welcome, the musical concert of adult male field crickets goes live. Some sing continuous trills, the others produce periodic chirps to enchant the ladies of their own species for mating.

Researchers at IISc, Bengaluru, claims that wind turbines, installed to harness renewable energy from the wind, are instead creating deleterious effects on predatory birds and their prey.