Himalayan ‘gold rush’: Growing livelihood reliance on lucrative and vulnerable trade

Trading in caterpillar fungus has bolstered livelihood in western Himalayas but also raised worries of exploitation

Palm fossils suggest Tibet had high mountains and deep valleys

A new study has suggested that Tibet may not have been a plateau all the time and perhaps had high mountains and deep valleys

China debunks greens

China recently released a policy document debunking environmentalists' accusations that it was exploiting the Himalayan region for the benefit of …

Book Excerpt: Tibet’s relations with Qing China

Though ties were initially friendly, they soured in the long-term, recounts ‘Echoes from forgotten mountains’

Why is Sonam Wangchuk fasting at -40 degree Celsius?

Wangchuk wants to educate not just the world but also the people of Ladakh about the looming threat of the climate crisis in the region

Celibacy: its surprising evolutionary advantages – new research

Institutions can also be shaped by people’s reproductive and economic decisions, a study on celibacy in Gansu, China, shows

China’s Brahmaputra dam: Trans-boundary water governance in South Asia needs a rethink

As Beijing announces construction of a super dam on the Yarlung Zangbo, it is time to reconsider the fluvial landscape approach to river basin …

New study adds to calls for formal recognition of Himalayan wolf

The research, conducted by British and Nepalese researchers, confirms that the proposed Himalayan wolf is an ancient wolf lineage, has developed …

Meet the villagers who protect biodiversity on the top of the world

On the Tibetan plateau, the village of Yunta shows that animals and humans can live peacefully and care for each other

Shaligrams, worshipped by Hindus and Buddhists for over 2,000 years, are becoming rarer because of climate change

The Kali Gandaki river in Nepal is fed by meltwater from the southern Tibetan Plateau. But with glaciers disappearing, the river is becoming …

Joshimath’s tragedy again shows us how fragile Uttarakhand’s Himalayas are

Climate change, glacial melt, sedimentation and human activity are a toxic brew threatening the very existence of Uttarakhand

With warm regrets

A US boutique is fined for selling shahtoosh shawls. In India, the government plans to ban its sale

‘It is the elephant-headed aspect so prevalent in Ganesha that has allowed his icon to gain a foothold in many cultures’

Down To Earth speaks to Lode Rosseels, a Belgian engineer, linguist and Japanologist, on Ganesha's journey from India to Tibet, China and Japan

Warming beyond borders: Amazon deforestation heats up Tibet, says new study

There are no borders in the fight against climate change, cooperation is the key, says study published in Nature

Women work harder than men — our anthropological study reveals why

Perfect sex equality in workload only occurs in instances where men move away from home after marriage and women do not

The link between climate change and the snow leopard

Climate change will shrink the habitat of this apex alpine predator; the key is to spread the word about its plight and get governments acting …

Ancient DNA is revealing the genetic landscape of people who first settled East Asia

It has shown rapid shifts in ancestry over the last 10,000 years across Asia, likely due to migration and cultural exchange

China’s shrinking population may lead to xenophobia, threaten CCP’s hold on power: Geeta Kochhar

Down To Earth speaks to China expert from JNU on the latest population figures  

Tibetan snow lion is a symbol of political authority: Jamyang Norbu

Tibetan political activist and writer delves into history to talk about mythical creature’s origins

Slow drowning of Tibetan grasslands fenced in by Beijing

Drastic changes are being set-off in the sensitive Tibetan region, but climate change is not the only culprit 

'UN must take urgent climate action for Tibet'

Tibetans hold climate march in Delhi to raise awareness about unchecked mining and dams in Tibet which are resulting in ecological devastation of …

Chinese hydropower dam on Brahmaputra becomes partly operational in Tibet

Commissioning of dam bound to raise alarm bells downstream in India’s Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Bangladesh

High hopes

Conservation area projects in Nepal prove that people and protected areas need not be mutually exclusive

Caught in the crossfire in Nepal

The Bankariyas, a forest-dweller community of central Nepal, have been uprooted from their traditional habitat and are living like refugees in …

Nepal earthquake: death toll crosses 3,600

The toll may further rise as bodies are still feared trapped under the rubble. US, UK and India offer financial aid to Nepal