Scientists from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore have described a new species of plant in Coastal Karnataka. Here the team describes the morphological features that helped them identify the plants as a separate species. They find that Reissantia sessiliflora is endemic to the region and highlight the threats faced by the plant along with the actions the public can take for its conservation.

The Indian National Academy of Engineering, a consortium of distinguished engineers in the country, has announced the winners of the annual Young Engineer Award 2017. With 3 awards, IISc grabbed the highest number of awards this year followed by ISRO and six IITs winning one each. The award is given as a recognition to engineering and scientific contributions in the country, with individuals selected from government, academia and industry. 

Cancer is a difficult disease, both for patients and doctors. One of the many side effects of cancer therapies is secondary infections that are caused by a weakened immune system. Current strategies for treating bacterial infections in cancer patients have many drawbacks. Addressing these issues scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi show that administering antimicrobial medicines with gold nanoparticles increases their efficacy by upto 40%.

We live in an era of medical advancements where sequencing of the human genome and its subsequent applications in personalised medicine, offer to completely revolutionise the diagnosis, treatment and even prevention of various diseases. Personalised or precision medicine is an approach that strives to move away from the ‘one-size-fits-all’ philosophy of Western medicine. It tries to cater to an individual’s disease condition, genetic predispositions as well as local environmental factors. Surprisingly, the concept of personalised medicine isn’t a brand new one.

Transistors are the backbone of the zillion electronic devices that we use today. While development of these semiconductor devices dates back to four decades, it's applications are ever increasing. Internet of Things is the new application that is transforming the development of transistors. In view of this, scientists at IIT Bombay and SCL ISRO have developed a new kind of Bipolar Junction Transistor that is completely indigenous. The researchers believe a home made technology can see its application in strategic sectors like space and defence.

Snakehead fishes are predatory ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Channidae. Found across Asia and Africa, snakehead fishes are important sources of food, and are widely cultivated by humans. Snakehead fishes are known survive on wet land for up to 4 days, and are considered to be a highly invasive species, with a single snakehead female capable of laying up to 150,000 eggs in just a span of two years. So far, 38 valid species of snakeheads had been recognised.

Chillies are an indispensable  part of the Indian platter and contribute heavily to our economy since India is a leading producer of chillies. A threat facing the chilli farmers is the fungal disease caused by Colletotrichum truncatum that affects the yield of the crop. In a new study, scientists have explored the mechanism behind the fungal disease, how the fungus actually attacks the plant and fruits and have also studied the genotype of the causative agents. This study, the researchers believe, can help develop mitigation plans and save farmers from an impending crop loss.

Have you ever been away from the city, away from the bustling activities and clattering? If you have, then, without all the noises of the city to distract you, you might have noticed how loud a seemingly empty field is! Birds, frogs and insects all join in on this chorus. The animals making these calls need to invest time and energy into making them, and hence are made for specific reasons, where every call counts.  Often, in the animal kingdom these vocalisations are used to attract potential mating partners.

India is gifted with lush green tropical forests and an annual monsoon that revives life in most parts of the country. Yet, the country is reeling from a persistent drought, while many of our forests are losing ground to rapid development. In the midst of this change, let us look at the state of environmental education in the country.  In this story, Shaurya Rahul Naralanka, a lecturer of environmental science at Manipal University reminds us of the challenges and opportunities in teaching about nature. 

What do sword billed humming birds, fig wasps and acacia ants have in common? It’s the phenomenon of co-evolution, where these organisms are dependent on other organisms for survival and they reciprocally affect the other’s evolution.