Towards empowerment: busting myths around vitiligo

Vitiligo is an autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own pigment-producing cells. File photograph In a world that idolises perfection, vitiligo tells a strikingly different story — one of resilience, uniqueness, and rediscovered beauty. Vitiligo is a skin condition where the body loses its pigment in patches, turning areas of the … Read more

Two existing drugs offer hope to cure Russell’s viper bites

Studies carried out in mice have demonstrated that two approved drugs — varespladib and marimastat — were effective in countering systemic and lethal effects of Russell’s viper (Daboia russelii) venom either individually or in combination. The two drugs were tested against Russell’s vipers venom sourced from different States across India. Russell’s vipers are responsible for … Read more

India’s Shubhanshu Shukla’s Axiom-4 mission put off to June 22

This photo provided by Axiom Space shows Shubhanshu Shukla from India, Peggy Whitson from the U.S., Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. | Photo Credit: AP Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station has been postponed to June 22, to allow NASA to evaluate the operations on the … Read more

What is IIT-Delhi’s quantum communications breakthrough? | Explained

IIT-Delhi and DRDO scientists have successfully demonstrate entanglement-based free-space quantum communication over 1 km. | Photo Credit: X.com/@SpokespersonMoD The story so far: On June 16, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement that IIT-Delhi scientists together with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) demonstrated quantum communication over a distance of more than 1 … Read more

Rice reveals surprise ability to adapt to cold faster than evolution

In the early 1800s, ‘the theory of acquired characters’ was the most widely accepted explanation of evolution. Simply put, the theory stated that characteristics that an organism developed during its lifetime, through use, disuse or environmental influence, could be inherited by its offspring. The French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck formalised this idea in two laws in … Read more

All you need to know about: clinical trials

A sailor’s experiment In 1747, Scottish naval surgeon James Lind conducted what is now considered the world’s first controlled clinical trial aboard HMS Salisbury. Scurvy, a deadly disease causing bleeding gums and fatigue, was devastating for sailors. Unaware of vitamins, at that stage, Lind divided 12 affected sailors into six pairs, each receiving a different … Read more

DRDO, IIT-Delhi demonstrate free-space quantum secure communication over 1 km

DRDO and the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT-Delhi) successfully demonstrated Quantum Entanglement-based free-space Quantum Secure Communication over a 1 km range, marking a major breakthrough in quantum cybersecurity and secure communications, on June 16, 2025. | Photo Credit: X/@SpokespersonMoD via PTI Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)-Industry-Academia Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE) at IIT Delhi … Read more

What is synthetic aperture radar?

An artist’s concept of the NISAR satellite in earth orbit. The radar antenna reflector is deployed on top. | Photo Credit: NASA Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is a way to make sharp pictures even when it’s dark or cloudy. Instead of using visible light like a regular camera, SAR systems send out microwave pulses and … Read more