Not so quiet flow the rivers
The Arippara falls near the origin of the Iruvazhinji river. | Photo Credit: K. RAGESH The rivers have been a lifeline for humans since the ancient days. They have been a source of life, beauty and inspiration, apart from water, food, fertile land, and a connection with others. Generations found their lives closer to the … Read more
Sustaining dignity in old age
Old-age homes should be viewed as spaces where the elderly can live peacefully, surrounded by peers, rather than as institutions for the abandoned. | Photo Credit: Getty Images Change is a constant social phenomenon, and this holds true for the evolving Indian family system. As Indian culture becomes more open to global influences, traditional family … Read more
The case for curiosity-driven science
National Science Day is observed on February 28 every year to commemorate the discovery of the Raman Effect by C.V. Raman. The Raman Effect describes the scattering of light by molecules, leading to a shift in wavelength. It was a major breakthrough in understanding the interaction between light and matter. This discovery earned Raman the … Read more
Labelling children – The Hindu
Every day, children surprise us with their new abilities. So it is impossible to judge and tag them based on the current picture. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto “My child is a kind girl.” “She is arrogant, he is patient but shy.” “He is bad at maths.” Parents often label children, but if the youngsters … Read more
It’s not yet control-alt-delete for civilisation
Our schools teach us nothing about avoiding asteroids. That part of our education is left to Hollywood. | Photo Credit: Getty Images It might sound like one of Elon Musk’s children (three of whom are named X, Techno Mechanicus and Exa Dark Sidereal), but 2024 YR4 might be more destructive. For it is an asteroid … Read more
AI infrastructure, the key to global AI supremacy
The United States has made a bold move in the global artificial intelligence (AI) race with its new federal AI infrastructure policy. What appears to be a domestic initiative to establish AI data centres across federal lands, is actually a well-thought-out strategy to maintain America’s technological supremacy in this field. Other countries have also developed … Read more
A high-stakes power play — Trump, Putin and the Ukraine war
United States President Donald Trump has never been one to shy away from grand declarations, but his latest pledge — to end the Russia-Ukraine war within 100 days if re-elected — ignited a firestorm of controversy. His dramatic clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyyy in the Oval Office at the White House has further escalated … Read more
The necessity of mainstreaming wetland conservation
The suo motu public interest litigation by the Meghalaya High Court very recently, to monitor the conservation of wetlands in the State brings the focus back on this important ecosystem. Since 1971, February 2 is observed every year as ‘World Wetland Day’ to mark the adoption of the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty for the … Read more
Turning point: On the BJP, JD(U) and politics in Bihar
The expansion of the Bihar Council of Ministers — seven new members, all from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have been inducted — is the clearest public statement that the party wants to rewrite its terms of engagement with its partner, the Janata Dal (United), or the JD(U). The BJP now has 21 of 36 … Read more