Scientists at the Delhi-based National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR) have used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology to increase phosphate uptake and transport in japonica rice varieties. The resulting rice lines had higher seed and panicle numbers, thereby increasing the yield without compromising seed quality. The studies were carried out in a greenhouse. Phosphorus is … Read more
From golden citadels to divine shields, rulers across time have dreamt of impregnable security. But in every age, these ambitions have either collapsed under their own weight or have provoked greater instability. In 2025, this ancient dream went to orbit. In May, U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a bold new national defence initiative called the … Read more
As the world braces for another climate summit in November this year, the Subsidiary Bodies meeting in Bonn, Germany, brought together negotiators, scientists, policymakers, and civil society actors to tackle the complex, behind-the-scenes work that shapes the outcome of the Conference of the Parties (COP) summit. Held annually in Bonn, this mid-year gathering sets the … Read more
After the Egyptian pharaoh Hatshepsut died around 1458 BC, many statues of her were destroyed. Archaeologists believed that they were targeted in an act of revenge by Thutmose III, her successor. Yet the condition of the statues recovered in the vicinity of her mortuary temple varies and many survive with their faces virtually intact. Now … Read more
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla poses for a photo with a stunning panoramic view of Earth in the background, in the 7-window Cupola Module of International Space Station (ISS). | Photo Credit: ISRO Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission, had a telephonic conversation … Read more
(This article is part of the Gender Agenda newsletter. To get the newsletter in your inbox every Sunday, subscribe here.) In India, we hold a place of reverence for those who study STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, maths). These drive people upwards, through social and financial hierarchies, sometimes enabling people to break through caste. We all … Read more
The greenhouse effect was discovered more than 150 years ago and the first scientific paper linking carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere with climate change was published in 1896. But it wasn’t until the 1950s that scientists could definitively detect the effect of human activities on the earth’s atmosphere. In 1956, United States scientist Charles … Read more
The ocean has always spoken — in waves, in currents, in silent rhythms beneath its vast surface. For centuries, sailors, scientists, and philosophers have tried to understand its patterns, often relying on observation and instinct. Today, a new listener has emerged: the computer. Armed with data from satellites, ocean sensors, and remote platforms, computers are … Read more
In India, we hold a place of reverence for those who study STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, maths). These drive people upwards, through social and financial hierarchies, sometimes enabling people to break through caste. We all know about the STEM gender gap: “Women [in South Asia] are severely underrepresented in the STEM workforce and only … Read more
