In the present time, with increasing demand for transportation fuels coupled with declining reserves of crude oil, scientific communities are forced to focus on renewable fuels. Although biofuels obtained from energy crops such as food and non-food energy crops act as renewable fuels, various issues such as food versus fuel debate, biodiversity loss and their effect on the land has shifted the idea of energy production towards other alternative biofuel producers like waste materials and microorganisms.

Climate change and anthropogenic pressure are affecting natural environments world over. In this scenario how vulnerable are forests? If we keep growing at the rate we are growing now, what impact will it have on our forests in the years to come? Scientists from Indian Institute of Science and Wildlife Institute of India explore these far reaching questions in an Indian context. Their findings show that many forests are under considerable stress. The researchers say a perception change can help protect our forest.

Climate change is here and governments around the world are trying their best to stem its debilitating impacts. REDD+ (Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation), a programme to encourage the sustainable management of existing forests that take in large amounts of greenhouse gases, is a step in this direction. However, there are technical difficulties in measuring the effectiveness of REDD+.

Different parts of the country was inundated with floods this year, while other parts continue to face rainfall shortages, leading to drought situations. The culprit behind the disparity may be the sudden, extreme rainfall events we have been facing. Warming temperatures leading to extreme events may be affecting the overall rainfall the country receives says this new study.

Qissa-e-Sanjan, or the Story of Sanjan, records the epic tale of Parsi migration. It describes how a section of Zoroastrians left Iran to escape the Islamic conquest, and found India’s shores at Sanjan in Gujarat. Instead of a welcome they were presented with a full glass of milk, which symbolically suggested that there was no space for the newcomers. The priest then added a spoonful of sugar without spilling the milk, a promise that the Parsis would assimilate with the local community. Like sugar in milk, the Parsis found a new home.

For over a century, India has nutured a host of science and technology based institutions. We capture the timeline of these institutions as they were established.

Click here to view the interactive timeline.

Rabies is a fatal disease associated with dogs. However, it could well be spread by many animals -- both wild and pets. Today, on World Rabies Day, here is all you want to know about the disease and ways to prevent them. But if you thought it was a challenge, find out the truth about this and help make the world free of this deadly disease

The art of doing science lies in logical thinking where research evidences chart the direction of evolving understanding of everything around us. Since, the people who do science, the researchers, are human, invariably, science is subject to our thinking biases and our behaviour. Now, a new study explores how the ‘human’ aspect of scientists can affect science and what biases can creep in the scientific community. Keeping an eye on these biases and involving this aspect in the process of doing science may result in better research, argues the researcher. Find more about these biases and their result on scientific epistemology. 

Artecology Initiative presents a unique performance -- How to be a fig -- to help audience connect with nature and their environment. Involving artists and researchers, this unique performance wishes to showcase the amazing life of a fig tree and its connection with other organisms in its life cycle. Learn more about how to be a fig by attending this unique performance on the 23rd September, 2017 at the J N Tata Auditorium, IISc.