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

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 …

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

‘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

‘African swine fever may have come to Arunachal Pradesh, Assam from Tibet’

Swaraj Rajkhowa, acting director of ICAR-National Research Centre on Pig, Guwahati, speaks to DTE on African swine fever and pork meat ban …

As black-necked cranes return to Tawang, expert says awareness key for survival

Sacred to Tibetan Buddhists, the black-necked crane faces a variety of threats in its only wintering retreat in India

Over 1,000 people, including monks, arrested for opposing Dege hydropower dam project in Tibet

Experts claim monasteries have been put under lockdown; dam will be environmentally detrimental

Unknown viruses dating back 15,000 years found in Tibetan glacier

The viruses likely originated with soil or plants, rather than with humans or animals

First yak domesticated 2,500 years ago near the Brahmaputra in Tibet, not far from Indian border: Study

Not only did humans in Bangga domesticate yaks, they also domesticated cattle and created hybrid offsprings by crossing the two

The first-ever IUCN assessment of the Himalayan Wolf is out. And it is grim

Species listed as ‘Vulnerable’, with just 2,275-3,792 mature individuals in the wild

Climbers have turned Mount Everest into a high-altitude garbage dump, but sustainable solutions are within reach

Modern technology and international cooperation are key to ending the pileup of waste in this iconic setting

World Donkey Day 2024: Overtourism, feral dogs, conflict with herders & unplanned development threats for Ladakh’s kiang

Down To Earth speaks to Tsewang Namgail from the Snow Leopard Conservancy about the rare and iconic Tibetan wild ass