Category: Science & Tech

One puff of a cigarette, within seconds, infuses the human bloodstream (via the lungs) with nicotine, the acutely addictive and carcinogenic chemical in tobacco. Nicotine binds to the brain’s cellular receptors, sparking the dopaminergic reward system to keep smokers hooked. And then there are additives in cigarettes, such as menthol, which gets nicotine to linger...

In a new study in Nature, scientists from IIT-Delhi and Germany have demonstrated a device to separate electrons based on their ‘handedness’ without powerful magnetic fields, taking a step towards chiral electronics, which could in future enable low-power devices. The human left hand is a mirror image of the right; the two can’t be perfectly...

The budget has brought some cheer to India’s research community, particularly for those involved in astronomy and space research, as it has earmarked ₹13,416.20 crore for the Department of Space for 2026-27. A large chunk of the allocation has been set aside for deep-space exploration and astrophysics, including to build two advanced telescope facilities: the...

Charles Darwin’s central insight wasn’t just that species evolve but that they can’t but adapt in the presence of selection pressures. In practical terms, organisms don’t choose to change: they respond to the environments in which they’re trying to live. This insight should trouble us when we consider antimicrobial resistance (AMR): because resistance isn’t an...

Drug-resistant pneumonia remains a serious complication in intensive care units, where treatment options are limited. Pseudomonas aeruginosa in particular causes about one in five hospital pneumonias and often resists multiple drugs. A research team at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, affiliated with Harvard Medical School, has reported that a gas already used in neonatal care...

The budget has brought some cheer to India’s research community, particularly for those involved in astronomy and space research, as it has earmarked ₹13,416.20 crore for the Department of Space for 2026-27. A large chunk of the allocation has been set aside for deep-space exploration and astrophysics, including to build two advanced telescope facilities: the...

A: Thwaites glacier is a large glacier in West Antarctica, about the size of a large country. Scientists have often called it the “Doomsday Glacier” in the media. It is one of the most important places on the earth for those trying to understand how sea levels will rise in future. The glacier sits on...