Despite successful bans on the veterinary drug diclofenac in Nepal and parts of India, a decade-long undercover investigation reveals that toxic alternatives like flunixin and nimesulide are rapidly replacing it, posing a renewed existential threat to the region’s critically endangered vulture populations.
While the readers picked their choice of stories published on the website for 2017, here are the editors’ pick. Hope you enjoy them!
Born on 26th November, 1926, in Jhang, in undivided Punjab, Dr. Yash Pal was an Indian scientist, educator, science communicator and educationist. After completing his M.Sc. degree in Physics from Panjab University, he moved to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for his PhD. His areas of specialisation included cosmic rays.
Dev Raj Sikka was born on 1st March 1932, in Jhang Maghiana in the undivided Punjab. After completing his M.Sc in physical chemistry from Agra University with a first rank, Sikka began his career in the Indian Meteorological Department in 1954. He later joined the Institute of Tropical Meteorology (known today as Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology), becoming its Director in 1986.
Dr. U R Rao was born on 10th March 1932, at Adamaru in the state of Karnataka. After completing his undergraduate at Anantpur, Rao moved to Banaras HIndu University for his Masters and then to Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad to complete his PhD under the guidance of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai.
C V Vishweshwara or “Vishu” as he was known to all, was born on 6th March 1938, in Karnataka. He finished most of his schooling in Bengaluru and then his graduation in Mysore University. For his PhD, he moved to Columbia University and later to University of Maryland in USA, to work on general relativity. On returning to India, Vishu joined Raman Research Institute in Bengaluru and then later joined the Indian Institute of Astrophysics.
Pushpa Mittra Bhargava was born in Ajaymeru in Rajasthan on 22nd February 1928, to Ram Chandra Bhargava, a medical doctor, and Gayatri Bhargava. He was homeschooled until about the age ten, by his grandfather, after which he was directly admitted to class 9 in Varanasi. Having completing his Master’s in organic chemistry from Queens College, one of the best institutions in Uttar Pradesh back then, Bhargava joined Lucknow University for his Ph.D. By age 21, he was armed with a PhD in synthetic chemistry.
Dr. Lalji Singh was born in the small village of Kalwari in Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh on 5th July 1947, to a farmer and head of village, Suryanarayan Singh. With no higher education facilities in his village, Lalji strived for an education early on, travelling to a nearby village to complete his schooling and joining the reputed Banaras Hindu University. After completing his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from BHU, Lalji was admitted for his PhD in the same university.
Whizzing and whirring past us are these insects that most of us remember as ‘helicopters’ of our childhood. Often subjected to our harsh fascination, these winged beauties were tied a string to their bodies, and flown around. Dragonflies and damselflies, collectively known as Odonates, were once as interesting to us as dragons and damsels of stories. Yet today, we barely have the time to notice these creatures.
A new research from Space Physics Laboratories, Thiruvananthapuram and Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru has used a ground-based microwave radiometer profiler to evaluate the height of the atmospheric boundary layer, which is the lowest part of the atmosphere and changes based on its interaction with the surface of the Earth.
Thickness of ice is one of the key indicators of global warming, but it is difficult to take these measurements accurately as direct methods can not be used on a large scale. An international team of scientists make an effort to standardise these measurements and evaluate the various current models.