Killer puff

IT IS well known that smoking causes premature death and disability. Little data is, however, available on the number of such deaths in India.

All birds in one tree

AN INTERNATIONAL team of scientists has ruffled the feathers of old beliefs on evolution in birds.

The inside story

EMERGENCE of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis bacteria has rendered most TB drugs useless. Scientists are now scrambling to find new antibiotics to treat the disease. A study on how a popular TB drug works has come as the first step towards developing better strategies to fight the bacterium that kills millions every year.

Identity crisis

IT HAS been 165 years since a unique population of wolves living in the Indian side of the trans-Himayalan region was first described but its classification still remains contentious. It was assumed to be a population of the Tibetan wolf (Canis lupus chanco)—a subspecies of gray wolf. But genetic studies indicate that it is actually a different species; some biologists call it the Himalayan wolf.

Science and Technology - Briefs

CLIMATE SCIENCES On thin ice

Climate studies, the Indian way

INDIA often finds itself in the midst of debates on climate change. But there is very little country-specific research available to guide climate-related policy. In 2010, researchers and policy advocates on climate change came together to form a network to promote quality climate research in the country. Three institutes, IIT-Delhi, IIT-Madras and Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), established the Indian Climate Research Network (ICRN). The network boasts over 150 members.

Not all is lost

IODINE IS important for the body. It helps convert food into energy and is needed for normal thyroid function. But there have been concerns that the element is lost during cooking. Two studies have now shown that Indian recipes retain most of the iodine in food.

Gold’s toxic legacy

EVERYONE wants to horde gold these days. But the ever increasing demand of the precious metal seems to have put people living near the gold mines at risk. A study in Karnataka has indicated that even those areas where gold mines have been shut down are heavily contaminated with arsenic.

Bad bug

MOUNTAIN pine beetle is known to eat into the bark of pine and kill them. But the bug causes more harm than is apparent.

Waste to wealth

FRUIT PEEL is not such a waste after all; it can be used to make gold and silver nanoparticles. A study has shown that discarded pomegranate peel can be used to synthesise nanoparticles of the precious metals. These are ultra-small particles ranging from 1-100 nanometres (a nanometre is a billionth of a metre) and find extensive use in biomedical and electronic devices.