Imagine trying to filter sand from pebbles using a fishing net: it won’t work because the holes are too big and uneven. In chemistry, separating molecules that are almost the same size is just as difficult. However, a new study from IIT-Gandhinagar has offered a solution: a synthetic membrane capable of distinguishing between molecules with...
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February 1, 2026February 1, 2026Environment, Science & Tech
‘Gorillas are what we want to be’: conservation leader Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka
Uganda’s history with mountain gorillas is inseparable from its political turmoil. Mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) are restricted to Central Africa and number around a thousand individuals. They inhabit dense volcanic, bamboo, and montane forests at elevations of 2,200-4,300 m. Yet from Uganda’s independence in 1962 through Milton Obote’s centralisation, Idi Amin’s brutal dictatorship, and...
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February 1, 2026February 1, 2026Science & Tech
Union Budget 2026-27: space budget recovers but misses crucial private sector reforms
The Indian space program has moved out of its post-pandemic slump and is entering a phase of sustained, if also cautious, consolidation. Since 2012-2013, the national space budget has grown by 182%. This sounds massive but most of the growth actually happened in the last decade, especially between 2014 and 2019. Allocations have increased more...
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February 1, 2026February 1, 2026Science & Tech
Dedicated rare earth corridors in TN, Kerala, would promote mining: CII
Industry body CII on Sunday (February 1, 2026) welcomed the Union Budget proposal to establish dedicated rare earth corridors in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha stating it would help India’s leadership in rare earth magnets. The Union Budget 2026 proposal towards establishment of Rare Earth Corridors would help promote mining, processing, research and manufacturing...
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February 1, 2026February 1, 2026Science & Tech
Union Budget 2026: push for technology, planetary science in space programme
The total budget allocation for the Department of Space has seen a marginal increase compared to 2026-2027 but a double-digit jump compared to actual revised spending. Importantly, while the allocation of ₹13,705.63 crore represents a modest growth of 2.16% from 2025-2026, there is a more significant increase of 10.1% over the revised spending figure of...
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February 1, 2026February 1, 2026Environment, Science & Tech
What is waste-to-energy technology?
A: Waste-to-energy (WtE) is a technology to convert non-recyclable waste materials into usable fuel, typically heat or electricity. A common method is incineration in which trash is burned at a high temperature to boil the water off, creating steam that turns a turbine to generate power. Other methods include gasification, which uses a large quantity...
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February 1, 2026February 1, 2026Science & Tech
From field to screen: the changing landscape of ecology research
For centuries, ecology and biology have been built on muddy boots, mosquito bites and long days spent in forests, wetlands and oceans. Fieldwork was not just a method; it was an identity. To be an ecologist meant to be outdoors, immersed in nature, observing life in its raw, unpredictable complexity. But the age of artificial...
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February 1, 2026February 1, 2026Science & Tech
Budget 2026: Odisha, T.N., Andhra, Kerala to get dedicated rare earth corridors to promote research and mining
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed to support the mineral-rich states of Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu in establishing dedicated rare-earth corridors, to push to secure India’s supplies of rare earth magnets. Ms. Sitharaman was presenting her ninth consecutive Union Budget for the April 2026 to March 2027 in the Parliament on Sunday...
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February 1, 2026February 1, 2026Science & Tech
Budget 2026: Nirmala Sitharaman announces rare earth corridors in 4 States, including T.N., Kerala
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed to support the mineral-rich states of Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu in establishing dedicated rare-earth corridors, to push to secure India’s supplies of rare earth magnets. Ms. Sitharaman was presenting her ninth consecutive Union Budget for the April 2026 to March 2027 in the Parliament on Sunday...
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January 31, 2026January 31, 2026Science & Tech
What’s ailing India’s battery scheme for EVs? | Explained
The story so far: An ambitious ₹18,100 crore scheme to facilitate the manufacture of advanced chemistry cell batteries in India, particularly for Electric Vehicles (EVs), is floundering. The Advanced Chemistry Cell Production Linked Incentive (ACC PLI) had a target of making battery cells worth 50 gigawatt-hour (GWh) by 2025, but only 1.4 GWh has been...
