Our blood, the elixir of life, is an incredible mixture of cells and proteins. While the red blood cells, also called erythrocytes, carry oxygen to different parts of our body, the white blood cells help us defend ourselves against invading pathogens. Then there are platelets, which are cell fragments, which aid in clotting of our blood among other things. All these cells are suspended in the blood serum—a storehouse of vital proteins and electrolytes needed by our body.

Researchers at the World Animal Protection and University of Oxford, UK, have analysed why some rural tribes in Assam hunt pangolins, the motivation behind this and possible interventions to stop hunting.

Prof. Chandra M. R. Volla, an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, has won the NASI Young Scientist Award 2018 for his research in the field of chemical sciences. His work deals with catalysis, the process of accelerating a chemical reaction by the use of an agent referred to as a catalyst. He shares the award with three other recipients.

Researchers from two Spanish institutes—the University of Barcelona and the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, and CCMB in Hyderabad, have identified some genes and regulatory elements involved in damage-response of the Drosophila regeneration process.

Study from IIT Bombay finds that airborne pollutants affect the water available for agriculture.

Researchers discover eight new species of bent-toed geckos in the Northeast states of India.

Astronomer Carl Sagan once said, “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” Little did we know that this “something”, for the field of tissue engineering, would be a little spinach leaf!

In a recent study, researchers from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, USA, St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Bengaluru, and the King George's Medical University, Lucknow, have revealed how changes in the gut microbes are related to inflammation in the HIV-infected children.

Researchers from the CSIR-National Physical Laboratory looked at the possibility of having two time zones for India. They propose to introduce a new time zone, called IST-II, for states on the east of West Bengal and also have suggested a feasible way to implement it.

Prof Ambarish Ghosh, Associate Professor at the Centre for Nanoscience and Engineering (CeNSE), Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, has been awarded the 2018 Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for his contributions to the field of experimental physics. Prof Ghosh, who is currently the Prof Ramakrishna Rao Chair Professor, is recognised with India’s prestigious award in science for his research on active magnetic colloids and nanomotors.