US-based economists win Nobel Prize for groundbreaking work with ‘natural experiments’

Their approach has revolutionised empirical research, says Nobel committee

New genealogy project allows astronomers to trace ‘ancestors’

The database provides information on more than 33,000 astronomers, their advisors and universities and the links to their dissertations

Switching to public transport could cut 40% of vehicular emissions by 2050

Moving away from cars will bring significant environmental, financial, health and social benefits, says a report

Molting seals add mercury to seawater, reveals study

Mercury, the most toxic metal, is easily absorbed and accumulated in marine organisms 

Doctors don't counsel pregnant women on risks from toxins found in common products

US study recommends training and evidence-based guidelines for physicians to minimise exposure of would-be mothers to environmental toxins

Trans fats in food may worsen memory

Earlier researches had revealed that the artificial fats are bad for heart

Lost memory could be retrieved

New breakthroughs on where memories are stored could lead to treatments for Alzheimer’s disease

US must brace for more lightning strikes in the future

Scientists predict that lightning strikes will increase by 50 per cent due to global warming

Pregnant women exposed to pesticides carry high risk of having kids with autism spectrum disorder

Exposure during early development can affect mood, learning, social interactions and behaviour, reveals a study conducted near agriculture sites …

Cigarettes with additives pollute air more: study

Fifteen chemicals increased by 20 per cent or more in air with the cigarettes

Indonesian frog species displays unique reproductive behaviour

Limnonectes larvaepartus is the only species of frog known to give birth to live tadpoles

NASA’s NuSTAR clicks first solar image

Picture is the most sensitive solar portrait ever taken in high-energy X-rays.

Climate change and earthquake hazard

Is there a link between monsoon rains and earthquakes in the Himalayas? Roland Burgmann, professor at Department of Earth and Planetary Science, …

Tibetans breathe easy in high altitude with gene from extinct human species

Unusual gene variant prevents blood from congealing

‘People share more personal information with health apps than with doctor’

Smartphone apps are changing the way people manage health. They help people monitor symptoms and tailor treatment accordingly. But the data …

Rapid privatisation has worsened health care services in poor and middle-income nations: study

But public sector, too. needs quality improvement, say researchers from University of California

Natural source of fire retarding chemical identified

Presence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers, used in insulation among other things, in the environment was till now attributed to human activity

MGNREGS won't subsidise rural toilets, says Gadkari

New study shows the small improvement achieved in sanitation between 2001 and 2011 not enough to improve health outcomes

Trio win physics Nobel for studying universe's expansion

The laureates studied several dozen exploding stars, called supernovae and made the discovery

Ozone: good news and bad news

Hole in the ozone layer is healing, but ground level ozone is destroying crops that could feed a third of India’s poor

Sacred lotus may hold secret of longevity

Study reveals its genetic makeup helps it combat environmental stress, retain seed viability

Oceans report card: Global ocean health scores 67 out of 100

Seas surrounding Indian peninsula score 61, lower than global average