Safeguarding Ozone and Earth

As we celebrate the 22nd International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, Down To Earth takes a look at what should be done to protect Earth's shield without heating up the planet  

Sweet ’n’ sour

Moringa and tamarind are popularly known as the trees of life for Indians. Moringa is in fashion as the world eyes India to feed its frenzy for the new superfood. Hardy tamarind shares the same versatility but struggles to find its way out of the wood. Karnika Bahuguna and Shreeshan Venkatesh travel to the hinterland of eastern and southern India to make sense of this dichotomy

Are we losing the war on dengue, chikungunya and mystery fever?

Be it heavy breeding, unplanned construction or possible virus mutation, the dengue and chikungunya cases have spiraled out of control this year. Emergence of mystery fever makes the situation worse

A fishy business

The fish you eat possibly contains a cocktail of antibiotics, fed to it for reasons other than disease treatment, shows an investigation by Rajeshwari Sinha and Amit Khurana. They visit 22 fish farms in West Bengal to find out how rampant is the use of antibiotics and why it goes unnoticed

Deluge despite deficit

This year, floods have occurred even in areas that are arid or have received less than normal rainfall. As erratic weather events become more common with climate change, India urgently needs to formulate a national flood management policy

Stung by Aedes

Incidence of dengue and chikungunya has grown dramatically in recent years. Let’s understand the impact of climate change on virus transmission and expansion of geographical areas at risk

When superstition gets under the skin

In Africa, people living with albinism are perceived as ghosts and live with constant fear of being killed. Down To Earth talks to those who sensitise the world about this medical condition

The cloud

Beyond the romance, clouds are an enduring scientific mystery that must be unravelled

Indigenous people in India and the web of indifference

On the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, we bring together the stories of exclusion, oppression, and at times, recognition

Current distress

Six states, 30 villages, 13,000 kilometres. Down To Earth travelled to some of the most remote villages of the country to assess India's progress on rural electrification. And the results were far from encouraging. Was the government too hasty in promising 24x7 electricity for all by 2019?

How has India’s caste system lasted for so many centuries?

Caste system continues even after losing its raison d’etre, but the scramble for development has destroyed the ancient sustainable and shared patterns of resource-use it had taught for centuries

Reality of floods

Rivers breached danger mark, lakhs of hectares of standing crops were destroyed and millions were displaced. It's time we stepped back and understood why urban floods have become a new normal

Hepatitis C: India has failed to tackle the deadly disease

Chronic HCV infection accounts for 12-32 per cent of liver cancer and 10-20 per cent of cirrhosis cases in India. Most people with chronic Hepatitis B or C are unaware of infections and are at serious risk of developing cirrhosis or liver cancer

How cow became the mother of demigods

The current political discourse on cow protection disregards the history of beef eating in India

Forestry should be tied with agriculture for socio-economic development

While agriculture can feed the world’s population, it is responsible for deforestation globally. The SOFO report shows how food security can be ensured by maintaining forest cover

Diagnose the discord

Latest data shows that cancer is rising sharply in India. It's time we understood the intriguing facts from cancer registries to frame a more nuanced control strategy

Highlights of 2016 UNICEF report on the state of the world's children

The UNICEF report, titled The State of the World's Children 2016, makes startling revelations on prevalence of inequity in child health, education and poverty. Here are the major takeaways from the report

Human puzzle

Signs of butchery in the Siwalik Hills of India 2.6 million years ago make the story of human evolution more intriguing than ever

Climate-smart agriculture: an answer to climate change

Sustainably increasing agricultural production, adapting to climate change and reducing emissions are the main points of climate-smart agriculture

Report card: Environmental governance under NDA government

The government has stepped up action on environmental concerns such as pollution, but retains a myopic view of natural resource management and strengthening of institutions