Wildlife corridors are strips of habitats that connect larger landscapes or ecosystems which may be fragmented by human settlements, infrastructure and other forms of disturbances. These corridors allow for the…
Sandy shores, sand dunes, mangroves, mudflats, cliffs, seagrass meadows, salt marshes – these scenic features often make news as they face frequent threats. Marine litter, extreme weather and building activities…
“The earth has a fever,” scientists say rather poetically. This means that it is beginning to cross the thresholds of 1.5 and 2 degree Celsius (°C) temperature rise compared to…
In December 2022, India became the world’s third-largest automobile market, surpassing Japan. The sector accounts for around 7% of India’s gross domestic product (GDP). As the vehicle market expands, there…
At the turn of the millennium, Kodaikanal, a quaint South Indian hill town in Tamil Nadu, found itself engulfed in angst as protests erupted across various parts of the town.…
India has reported a drought at least once every three years in the last five decades. It has lost between two and five percent of its GDP due to the…
For countries to meet the target of keeping global warming within 2°C and ideally below 1.5°C, greenhouse gases need to be reduced, by at least 43%, by 2030. One way to…
Temporary wetlands are small and shallow aquatic habitats that, more often than not, dry annually or periodically. The period or length of time water is present within them is referred…
The adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is witnessing a swift expansion around the globe, driven by the growing emphasis of governments and demand from consumers for low-emission transportation options. India,…
Pharmaceutical drugs are widely used in healthcare to prevent and treat diseases. There are pills, syrups, or shots for almost every known health concern. However, there is growing evidence that…
Global warming has led to oceans also warming over the past century – more in some locations and less in others. Between 1901 and 2020, sea surface temperatures (SST) rose…
The use of sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆) will grow exponentially as India expands its installed renewable capacity. As the country continues its journey towards the target of 500 GW of non-fossil…
Methane or CH4, is a powerful greenhouse gas. It forms only 0.00017% of the atmosphere, but it is crucial in keeping the earth warm and habitable. Excess methane, however, is…
Plastic is pervasive in our lives – now in everything, everywhere, all at once. But plastic’s most sinister avatar is the one that’s barely visible - microplastic. It is less…
The April heat wave in South and Southeast Asia this year was detrimental to vulnerable and disadvantaged communities, noted a report by an international team of scientists. It highlighted the…
Consider this sentence: Many urban areas have depauperate flora and fauna due to anthropogenic disturbances. If we replace the words 'depauperate' with 'very few species', 'flora' with 'plants', 'fauna' with…
Cities and towns are often built close to riverbanks and floodplains for easy access to water and transport. Historically, in India, the fertile land of the riverbed and floodplains, that…
You might have seen organic food products at your local grocery store. But what is the process that goes into certifying these products as organic? And why are they so…
When members of two species have a relationship that is beneficial to both, the interaction is called mutualism. The term was first used by zoologist and paleontologist Pierre Joseph van…
When India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the Union Budget in February 2023, she referred to millets as "shri anna" or the best of all grains. Her rebranding of millets…
