Are the risks to structures in the Himalayas and north-eastern states from earthquakes overestimated? Scientists, structural engineers, representatives from several government ministries are expected to deliberate and report back to the Cabinet Secretariat in the coming weeks. This follows a ‘withdrawal’ earlier this month by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) of a set of...
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March 20, 2026March 20, 2026Science & Tech
Animals that show intentional communication is not just human
All living beings communicate. In honeybees, communicative signals in the form of a wiggle dance transmit information on the location of flowers. Recipient bees decode this information and use it to guide their behaviour. Human language goes beyond broadcasting: it can be used to intentionally reshape what another person thinks or does by adjusting the...
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March 19, 2026March 19, 2026Science & Tech
Losing the way: On ISRO and issues with its NavIC constellation
ISRO’s NavIC constellation, for which it has launched 11 satellites since 2013, is in operational distress. Only three satellites remain capable of providing position, navigation, and timing (PNT) services, leaving the constellation unable to fulfil its purpose of replacing the U.S.’s GPS system over the Indian subcontinent. A PNT constellation requires at least four PNT-capable...
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March 19, 2026March 19, 2026Health, Science & Tech
Life-saving numbers: what the 2026 U.S. cholesterol guidelines mean for everyone
The call woke me from a dead sleep. The ER physician uttered the words STEMI, short for ST elevation myocardial infarction. She didn’t need to say more: I was out of bed as she narrated the rest. A STEMI occurs when a ruptured cholesterol plaque triggers a cascade of clot formations, sealing the artery shut....
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March 19, 2026March 19, 2026Science & Tech
Indore tragedy: why do EV batteries catch fire? | Explained
The story so far: A fire tore through a house in Indore on March 18, killing eight people including two children. An electric vehicle (EV) charging point outside the house appeared to have sparked the blaze. An investigation is underway. Are EV batteries safe? Nearly every EV on the road today runs on lithium-ion batteries,...
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March 19, 2026March 19, 2026Science & Tech
The Science Quiz | A quiz on science films at the Oscars through history
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March 19, 2026March 19, 2026Science & Tech
The last of the Mariners
Ever since Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet, the first planet of the solar system — Mercury — has also become its smallest. Mercury might be the smallest planet orbiting the sun, but studying it is no mean feat. In fact, it is quite the opposite, as studying Mercury is quite a challenge. Did...
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March 18, 2026March 18, 2026Science & Tech
As West Asia war threatens gas supply, remembering a gas grid India never built
The ongoing war in West Asia has plunged the world into a deep energy crisis. In India, the availability of domestic fuel, LPG, has been hit due by the disruption in supplies from the Persian Gulf. The global energy crisis is reminiscent of the Oil Shock of 1973 when members of the Organisation of Petroleum...
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March 18, 2026March 18, 2026Science & Tech
Where or what is the human mind?
Evidence points to the human mind not being a physical object you can touch but a process the brain creates. Scientists generally agree the mind arises from the complex activity of the physical brain. The foundation of the mind consists of approximately 86 billion nerve cells, a.k.a. neurons. These cells form a large and intricate...
