How crushed stone could help fight climate change

From sugar plantations in Brazil to tea estates in India, crushed rock is being sprinkled across large stretches of farmland globally in a novel bid to combat climate change. The technique is called enhanced rock weathering (ERW) and aims to speed up the natural capture and storage of carbon dioxide — a planet-warming greenhouse gas. … Read more

Why do monsoons hit Kerala first?

Dark clouds loomed over the skies of Palakkad, Kerala. | Photo Credit: K K Mustafah The summer kicks in and sets in hard, with the scorching sun right above us. Then we wait — eyes on the skies, hoping for the first splash of rain. And where does it fall first? On the lush, green … Read more

India’s Shubhanshu Shukla’s Axiom-4 mission now targeting June 25 launch

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 is now eyeing a launch on June 25, NASA announced on Tuesday (June 24, 2025). … Read more

Scientists build pressure mattress to minimise bed sores

The researchers built a real mattress with flexible plastic panels joined by thin metal strips. Representative image. | Photo Credit: Hush Naidoo Jade/Unsplash Pressure ulcers, also known as bedsores, happen when the same spots on a person’s skin are squashed for too long, cutting off blood flow and killing tissue. Today’s alternating-pressure mattresses try to … Read more

New species of gecko endemic to Western Ghats discovered in Coonoor

The newly discovered gecko species | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT A new species of gecko, believed to be present only around Coonoor, has been discovered in the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. Published in ‘Bionimina’, Dravidogecko coonoor is the formal name of the “…distinct population of Dravidogecko in Coonoor Hills of the Upper Nilgiris, Western Ghats, … Read more

Fighting antimicrobial resistance with insect-based livestock feed

Traditional livestock production systems have severe environmental consequences, including high greenhouse gas emissions, extensive land and water use, and risk of fostering antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Together with the steadily rising demand for nutrition, global and regional food systems have been exploring alternative ways to sustainably maintain their supply chains. Insect-based feed has emerged as one … Read more