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Here’s why our appetite shrinks in summer heat

When temperatures soar, many people find their appetite suddenly plummets. The idea of eating a hot meal becomes...
Features

Excess iron lowers neurons vulnerable to stress

Researchers have found that excess iron in neurons could lower the brain cells’ defences, increasing vulnerability to stressors...
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Gut health improves sleep

It’s no accident that we spend a third of our lives asleep. It is essential to our health, and...
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Social impact of climate policy felt within same income group

A study that estimated the social impact of climate policy in 88 countries has found that the biggest...
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Healthy morning food choices shape long-term health

Healthy choices made at the start of the day can have a significant impact on overall health and...
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Five-min walk break offsets harms of prolonged sitting

A five-minute walking break every hour strikes the best balance between feasibility and effectiveness in mitigating health harms...
Features

People who lift weights live longer: Study

Strength training has long been seen as something you mainly do to build muscle or look good. But...
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New molecule helps scientists reprogram brain immune cells to fight Alzheimer’s

A newly discovered molecule, OLE, restored the brain’s immune cells to a more protective state in Alzheimer’s disease...
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Aravalli Biodiversity Park helps Delhi retain rainwater, cut flood risk

As Delhi braces for the upcoming monsoon, a recent study found that the Aravalli Biodiversity Park helps retain...
Features

The Milky Way in Collision: Past and Future of Our Galaxy

No matter the time or vantage point, from a pre-Neolithic cave to a post-lockdown London high-rise, the predictability...
Features

Burnt ‘recycled’ plastics overseas emit pollution linked to health problems

Picture a pile of trash the size of Manhattan and taller than one and a half Empire State...
Features

Yoga can break stress-hormone cycle in PMOS, say experts

Yoga and breathing exercises can play a crucial role in managing polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, previously also known...
Features

Does OZiva for hair treatment work?

I have noticed that no matter whom you talk to, everyone says that their hair quality has deteriorated....
Features

Dangerous Dam‑building threatens South Asia’s shared rivers

Bangladesh has just approved one of the largest river engineering projects its history: the Padma Barrage, a vast...
Features

How the food industry shapes children’s fussy eating

Your toddler demands a Bluey-themed yoghurt and has a tantrum when offered something else. If it’s not a...
Features

Young blood cells help malaria parasites evade drugs: Study

Scientists at the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (BRIC-RGCB) here have identified a new mechanism that allows malaria...
Features

Honey bees fly personal flight with stunning precision

Researchers tracked honey bees in the wild using a drone-based system and found that each bee follows its...
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Women’s health, digital inclusion witness improvement in India

National Family Health Survey (NFHS)‑6 results released by the Health Ministry in May showed significant gains in women’s...
Features

Faster skin firmness loss in Delhi linked to pollution & hard water, reveals study

Delhi residents have the highest levels of skin firmness loss in the country, with pollution, hard water and...
Features

Sonic booms from meteors can release energy of hundreds of tons of TNT

As humans, we live out our lives on a planet that is constantly sweeping through a cosmic ocean...
Features

Here’s why imbalance in Earth’s energy matters

Heatwaves across Europe and south Asia have dominated the news recently. But these events are really a surface...
Features

A dying star can create a new universe instead of a black hole, says study

A new theoretical study suggests that when a massive star collapses, it might not form a singularity hidden...
Features

Regaining lost weight won’t break your metabolism

When it comes to losing weight, the fear of “ruining your metabolism” is widespread. Indeed, many people who...
Features

Socioeconomic disparities may be predictors of antimicrobial resistance

A new study has found that the major predictors of antimicrobial resistance could be socioeconomic inequality and living...
Features

How butter versus margarine chemistry changes your bakes

My mother loves butter. It is the primary fat I ate growing up. She smeared it on any...
Features

How parents unknowingly teach kids to bully

Do what I say, or you’re not invited to my birthday party!" "I’m not going to be your...
Features

How ‘repressed memories’ is making a comeback

Have you heard someone say online or in casual conversation, when responding to someone’s struggles, “well, the body...
Features

Premature menopause risk higher in South Asian women

Women in low and middle-income countries are at a higher risk of premature menopause, and south Asian women...
Features

From ‘temples of modern India’ to centres of innovation: New book documents history and global impact of IITs

From the founding of IIT-Kharagpur on the site of a British-era detention camp to the emergence of IIT-led...
Features

Researchers mimic effects of sleep in awake mice

Researchers have been able to trigger neural connections in awake mice that normally occur only during sleep, offsetting...
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Brain cells acting as ‘disappointment meter’ can help design new class of drugs: Study

A study has found that a group of brain cells might act as a “disappointment meter”, activating when...
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Humidity in India’s monsoon may extend summer heat stress as climate warms

Hot and humid conditions prevailing during India’s monsoon season could extend the duration of uncompensable heat stress of...
Features

Here’s why AI Chatbot teddies are risky for kids

ChattyBear, a soft, brown-furred teddy bear, begins every conversation with a jubilant, “Hello, my buddy!” No longer the...
Features

Study shows osteoarthritis rising among people in their 30s

Osteoarthritis (OA), long considered a wear-and-tear disease of old age, is increasingly being diagnosed in patients as young...
Features

Can we get rid of kerbside parking?

It may seem like it’s impossible to find a car park on the street. As a recent Grattan Institute...
Features

Octopuses can use mirrors to locate food, says study

Researchers at Dartmouth found that octopuses can learn to use mirrors to locate food hidden behind them, a...
Features

AI may double electricity use by 2030, deplete water level

Contrary to popular beliefs, artificial intelligence could double its electricity consumption by 2030 to about 3 per cent...
Features

What happens when countries start to lose their sense of identity?

You need only glance at the headlines these days to know that the current state of international relations...
Climate Change

Bridging policy to implementation: The twin tracks of climate action

  -By Dr Partha Jyoti Das The official theme of the World Environment Day (WED) this year is "Inspired by...
Features

How stroke of paint transformed basketball, athletes who play it

When basketball was invented by medical doctor James Naismith in 1891, to keep American football players active during...
Features

Researchers decipher Feynman’s notes on solution to ‘optimal stopping problem’

Researchers have deciphered theoretical physicist Richard Feynman’s handwritten notes on a solution to the ‘optimal stopping problem’-such as...
Features

How to encourage a child to try scary things without traumatising them

If your child has ever dug their heels in on the morning of the school athletics or cross...
Features

Reddit posts reveal striking shift in how we talk about mental health

More people are relying on social media - such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Reddit- to learn about...
Features

Emissions from herbal cigarettes can be more damaging than those from tobacco

Herbal cigarettes, widely sold in India and abroad as natural, tobacco-free, and therapeutic alternatives to conventional cigarettes, are...
Features

Deep‑sea sponges survive in complete darkness in ways we didn’t know before

When we think of marine life, we usually picture colourful coral reefs or dense seaweed forests filled with...
Features

Why do we get so tired while driving?

Whether you’re commuting to work or roadtripping up the coast, driving can be tiring. That’s because driving is a...
Features

Why do I wake up so tired after vivid dreams?

Some mornings when you wake up, your head is fuzzy, your body is heavy, and you don’t feel...
Features

Survey finds 92% women want sanitary pads in public washrooms

More than 92 per cent of Indian women want sanitary pads to be made available as an essential...
Features

Climate change likely to worsen summer air quality in future

Across the world, air pollution is associated with more early deaths than any other environmental exposure, raising risks...
Features

Study reveals duration of depression may impact severity of brain changes

The duration for which one remains depressed may impact how severely the mental disorder makes changes in the...
Features

How do I know if my electric blanket or heated throw is safe?

As temperatures drop across Australia, many households are pulling electric blankets and heated throws out of storage. For...
Features

Dating apps are betting they can help you find ‘the one’

In the relatively short time they’ve been around, online dating apps have transformed how we hook up, date...
Features

Role of rice in fueling climate change is growing: Study

Rice feeds more than half the world. From terraced paddies in Southeast Asia to irrigated fields in China...
Features

Why early medieval Ireland had laws for beekeeping

Who owns a swarm of bees? And what happens when they stray onto a neighbour’s land? In early...
Features

Here’s why brain health is urgent priority for G7 member countries

Housed within a bony skull, the human brain remains, in large part, a mystery to all of us...
Features

Research reveals how stress impacts brain’s cognition

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur are studying alpha waves in the brain- typically active...
Features

Hidden sugar patterns on human cells can help in early cancer detection

Scientists have uncovered a hidden “sugar code” on the surface of human cells that could transform how diseases...
Features

Ancient tooth proteins suggest homo erectus may have left genetic legacy in modern-day humans

For most of the 20th century, the model of human origins was viewed as a tree: with the...
Features

Scientists uncover surprising health benefits of watermelon

Studies suggest watermelon could be a hidden powerhouse for better health. Researchers found that people who eat watermelon...
Features

Mood improves with movement and vice versa: Study

An international study that analysed data from 67 research groups worldwide, involving over three lakh real-time mood reports,...
Features

Do we need to take vitamin D now there’s less sun, or for bone health?

It can be easy to think you get plenty of vitamin D when you live in a country...
Features

Scientists reverse memory loss by recharging brain’s tiny engines

Researchers have shown for the first time that malfunctioning mitochondria, the cell’s energy generators, may directly cause cognitive...
Features

Stardust trapped in Antarctic ice reveal years of Solar System’s past

When you think of outer space, you’re likely picturing stars, planets and moons. But much of space is...
Features

This daily habit can lower dementia risk by 35 pc

A huge long-term study found that drinking two to three cups of coffee a day was linked to...
Features

Scientists find hidden molecular switch that strengthen bones

Scientists at McGill University have uncovered a hidden molecular “switch” that turns on a powerful calorie-burning system in...
Features

Here’s why the race to save penguins became more urgent

The hoiho, also known as takaraka or yellow-eyed penguin, holds a special place in Aotearoa New Zealand’s natural...
Features

Decoding ‘digital detox’: Can it make one healthier?

Are you surrounded by screens? Today, we rely on technology to do everything from sending emails to ordering...
Features

Study analyses birds of prey in South Africa are in trouble

Birds of prey and vultures (raptors) play a vital role in ecosystems, both as top predators and key...
Features

Study finds new way to prevent gum disease without killing good bacteria

Scientists have uncovered a surprising way to influence the bacteria living in our mouths - not by killing...
Features

What jet fuel crisis mean for your summer flights, travel plans

For many residents in the Northern Hemisphere, the advent of the summer season has always signalled travel. Travel with...
Features

Evolutionary biologist reveals AI may be conscious, doesn’t know it yet

In recent days, evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins wrote an op-ed suggesting AI chatbot Claude may be conscious. Dawkins did...
Features

Transcribing speech is never neutral. It shapes power & bias

Earlier this year I gave a talk about my research at Oxford’s All Souls College, and worked with...
Features

Newer weight loss drugs can alter brain’s reward circuit

Newer oral weight loss drugs could be doing more than only suppressing appetite - they may also be...
Features

Red or blue button? What a viral question tells us about game theory and state of the world

Everyone on earth takes a private vote by pressing a red or blue button. If more than 50%...
Features

Sramcbled wrods: Real reason you can still read jumbled text

You’ve probably seen it on social media before: a paragraph of scrambled text that looks like nonsense at...
Features

Scientists concern as dangerous amoebas spread globally

Free-living amoebae are emerging as a global health concern, fueled by warming temperatures and outdated water systems. While...
Features

What alternatives do Gulf states have to Strait of Hormuz?

Two months into the Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz is still mostly shut. Vessel traffic is...
Features

Extra terrestrial life sound exciting, but confirmation can take years

Astronomers can use telescopes to find specific molecules in the atmospheres of neighbouring planets, in nebulae – clouds...
Features

Why is water wet?

Spring is often a rainy season. If you get caught in a downpour without an umbrella, you will...
Features

New ‘optical tornado’ technology can transform quantum communication

Scientists have created tiny “optical tornadoes” - swirling beams of light that twist like miniature whirlwinds using a...
Features

One-third of animal habitats may experience extreme events by 2085 under continued warming: Study

Under continued global warming, over one-third of animal habitats on land could face climate-driven extreme events, such as...
Features

Meta, Microsoft join tech layoff tsunami- is AI to blame?

Meta and Microsoft are the latest software companies to announce big cuts to their global workforce. Both companies...
Features

How scientists changed their view of insomnia

Insomnia may have been torturing humanity since ancient times, but over the last 20 years, scientists have made...
Features

How Antarctica warmed by 28°C in depths of winter

In the middle of the Antarctic winter, during months of darkness when temperatures often dip below 30°C, the...
Features

Scientists reveal where airborne microplastics come from

Microplastics are floating through the atmosphere and spreading across the globe, but their true origins have been misunderstood. New...
Features

Constant pumping blood may be reason why heart cancer is rare

The mechanical load from the constant beating of the heart could be helping in consistently suppressing the growth...
Features

Why feeding less doesn’t always help your overweight pet

Overweight and obesity are among the most common conditions veterinarians see in both dogs and cats. Yet weight-loss plans...
Features

Five health conditions mothers can develop after giving birth

During pregnancy, a mother’s body undergoes vast structural and functional changes. But what many might not know is...
Features

Late-night snacking bad for gut health

Chronic stress can disrupt bowel functions and now, a new report on Thursday suggested that eating late at...
Features

Coral reefs are secretly connected across vast ocean

Lord Howe Island lies in the middle of the ocean, about 700 km northeast of Sydney. It’s covered...
Features

More diverse gut bacteria linked with higher hormonal, stress reactivity: Study

A higher diversity of the gut bacteria could be associated with a greater hormonal and stress reactivity, a...
Features

‘Our Power, Our Planet’: Small but consistent community-based effort can achieve big objectives

By Dr. Partha J Das Today is the Earth Day (ED), a day celebrated worldwide on April 22 to...
Features

Fake disease that fooled internet; what it says about all of us

Until a few years ago, no one had heard of bixonimania. Then, in 2024, a group of scientists...
Features

What is ‘muscle memory’ and can I improve mine?

Whether it’s riding a bike or knitting a sweater, there are some tasks you do without thinking. These are...
Features

Preserved orchids show pollination has fallen 60 per cent since 1970s

With their dazzling blooms, orchids are among the most famous and collected flowering plants on Earth. But orchids are...
Features

Experts link consumption of heavy energy drinks to liver damage among Indian youths

Leading specialists on Sunday warned that excessive consumption of energy drinks is emerging as a leading cause of...
Features

Hydrogel-based technology promises simplification of colon tumour surgery

In a landmark achievement, the IIT Gandhinagar has developed a hydrogel-based technology with potential of spurring further innovations-...
Features

How teens use AI companions

In 2022, the founders of chatbot startup Character.AI launched a platform where anyone could create interactive characters powered...
Features

Musk’s SpaceX shapes up as biggest IPO on record, also bending rules to do so

Elon Musk’s space exploration company SpaceX has filed confidential papers ahead of a planned public company listing on...
Features

Children exclusively breastfed show distinct DNA changes

An analysis of blood samples has found that children who were exclusively breastfed for at least the first...
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