Author: Dr Biju Dharmapalan
Food is fundamental to life—nourishing body and soul—so how it’s accessed, prepared, and consumed can fundamentally change societies. The way we eat is undergoing a radical transformation, driven by a perfect storm of technological innovation, environmental concerns, and changing consumer preferences. From the fields to our forks, technology is disrupting every aspect of the food industry, promising a future where our plates are more sustainable, nutritious, and personalised than ever before. As many of us are looking for ways to eat a little better and tread a little lighter on the planet, it’s worth watching how food production is changing.…
Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons Averting climate change, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and higher carbon emissions have become one of the biggest challenges facing humanity as the world transitions towards a so-called net-zero. To minimise their ecological footprint, nations spend considerable effort in renewable energy, electric mobility, artificial intelligence, green hydrogen, smart cities and carbon capture technologies. However, many of the principles of sustainability were also well-rooted in ancient civilisations, even if they are being tried out now. The Indus Valley Civilisation shows us some amazing urban planning and sustainability concepts that were in place more than 4,500 years ago. India…
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as one of the most popular technologies of the 21st century. Countries across the globe are in a race to develop sophisticated AI, which has the potential to revolutionise governance, government services, industry, and daily life. In the case of a nation such as India, where the linguistic diversity is immense, the digital infrastructure is expansive, and the technology ecosystem is growing at a very rapid rate, the difficulty is not to embrace AI but to create its own AI models that are cognizant of the social, cultural, and linguistic realities of the country. In…
Image Courtesy: Twitter In the current volatile geopolitical climate—marked by conflicts such as the Russia–Ukraine war and tensions in West Asia—energy insecurity has once again become a global concern. Among the most affected sectors is the cooking fuel, particularly Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), which millions of households depend on daily globally. In India, where LPG is the backbone of domestic cooking, even minor disruptions can rip through the society. To understand the significance of this fuel, it is essential to trace the fascinating history of LPG and its bottling in cylinders that made its widespread use possible. A VALUABLE WASTE…
Space Farming Image Courtesy: NASA As India moves toward establishing its indigenous pace station, the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), and envisions to make human space travel a reality, we need to focus on how we are going to feed our future space colonisers. Consequently, space farming or space agriculture emerges not merely as an experimental curiosity, but as mission-critical infrastructure for sustained human presence in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) that would be needed for the success of future human space missions. It also becomes essential for reducing logistical dependence on Earth, enabling closed-loop life-support systems, and ensuring crew health, autonomy,…
Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons Throughout the extensive history of human inquiry, no question has been more enduring than this: How does life convert the inanimate into the animate? Ancient civilisations contemplated this enigma through philosophy, mythology, and nascent forms of natural inquiry. The aspiration of alchemists to achieve transmutation, along with contemporary molecular biologists’ endeavours to engineer biological systems, has shaped humanity’s pursuit of comprehending the bioalchemy of matter, fundamentally influencing the progress of science. Currently, the term ‘bioalchemy’ has transcended the domain of magical tales. It delineates an innovative paradigm wherein life serves as a blueprint for technology, sustainability,…
In 1993, Steven Spielberg’s film Jurassic Park captivated audiences worldwide with its intriguing idea, the potential of resurrecting extinct species through advancements in genetic engineering. While entirely fictional, the film sparked curiosity and inspired scientific investigation into reviving ancient creatures like the woolly mammoth or passenger pigeon. Thirty years later, researchers are exploring what was once considered science fiction. Techniques like cloning, genetic engineering, and selective breeding are becoming part of fundamental conservation strategies. Several companies and institutions are at the forefront of these de-extinction efforts. Colossal Biosciences, a US-based biotech company, has gained wide attention for its ambitious projects…
Image Courtesy: Internet SPOTLIGHT: Dr DEBALA MITRA (14 DECEMBER 1925 – 2 DECEMBER 2003) Too often, the dedicated scholars who painstakingly reclaimed India’s past fade into the background. Among such unsung heroes, the remarkable life of archaeologist Debala Mitra warrants a closer examination. Born in pre-independence Bengal, she defied the constraints of a patriarchal society and entrenched feudal traditions to become a luminous figure in Indian archaeology. Mitra was a woman who made the crumbling stone speak. She rose to become the first woman Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), shattering glass ceilings in a male-dominated field.…
The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) stands as one of the most ambitious and transformative scientific projects of the 21st century. TMT is set to be constructed on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, US, one of the premier locations on the earth for astronomical observations. The clarity and stability of the atmosphere above Mauna Kea facilitate incredibly detailed visual observations of the night sky, allowing TMT to capture the precise data required to test fundamental theories of physics and detect the faint signatures of life on distant worlds. Our perception of the universe is poised to experience a significant transformation as a result…
OBITUARY/ Dr E P MADHAVA BHATTATHIRI (1928-2025) Dr E P Madhava Bhattathiri, a distinguished biochemist and esteemed educator, passed away peacefully at his residence in Thiruvananthapuram on 14 February 2025 at the age of 97. His remarkable journey through life was marked by an unwavering commitment to science, education, and humanity. Known for his simplicity and humility, Dr Bhattathiri’s life and career serve as a beacon of inspiration to generations of scientists and educators worldwide. EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION Born in the serene town of Chengannur in Kerala in 1928, Dr Bhattathiri exhibited an early passion for science and knowledge.…