Hailstorms are common in India during the pre-monsoon season but a rise in their frequency is worrisome.

The forest, capable of meeting our basic needs of food, shelter and fuel, can act as a model of sustainable living for all of us.

While there is no escape from washing hands regularly, we can definitely be more mindful of the way we use water and avoid its wastage. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on hygiene practices, the simple act of hand washing using a soap and water, is one of the most effective tools to protect us from getting infected by the coronavirus. Practices such as washing hands before and after eating or using the toilet, maintaining one-arm distance when around others and...

Bacteria provide food to the plants by breaking complex organic compounds into simpler forms. This decomposition, part of a larger process called carbon cycle, is crucial for maintaining a stable climate on Earth. A tiny-sized organism has recently been identified as a major warrior against environmental pollution and global warming. This warrior is a new species of soil bacteria called the Paraburkholderia madseniana and has been discovered by the researchers from the Cornell University of US. But how do they exactly help us in our fight? Let us find out.

In 1883, Anak Krakatau volcano erupted and spewed large amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. This brought down the global average temperature by 1.2°C. Anak Krakatau, which in the Indonesian language means the “Child of Krakatau”, in the Lampung province is one of the world’s most famous volcanoes. On April 11, 2020, it erupted. The first eruption, which lasted for one minute and 12 seconds, took place at 9:58 pm, according to the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation’s (PVMBG) magma volcanic activity report.It spewed out ash and smoke that went up to 200 metres. …

Can a sanitiser kill 99.99 per cent of germs? Read to find out.

Salem is one of the largest cities in Tamil Nadu, India. More than 1 million people live here. Piyush Manush is the convener of the Salem Citizen's Forum (SCF). SCF is an informal group, involved in protecting Salem's environment. The lake was built by the British for irrigating nearby farmlands. The lake is spread across 58 acres and used to be a major water body of the city. But gradually it became a dumpsite for Salem's municipal solid waste. In 2010 SCF took over the work of cleaning the lake. But first, they had to get rid of the garbage and then desilt the waterbody.

West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh were among the six states that received rainfall exceeding their long-term averages between March 1 and March 12, 2020. Holi, famously known as the festival of colours, is celebrated in the month of March every year. Typically the day involves playing with dry and wet colours to mark the beginning of the spring season. In 2020, however, things were different. Instead of a bright, sunny day that we are used to during Holi, we woke up to a morning that was cold and breezy. In some parts of the country, there was even fog! Winter had not ended.  

Delhi made bus rides free for women in October 2019 and it has been a mixed experience so far. Since the initiative was launched, women ridership has gone up from 30 per cent to 45 per cent but it has also left the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) worried about its mounting losses. The cash-strapped bus operator feels the losses will translate into poor bus service. This is worrying since 15 per cent of bus trips get cancelled every day due to poor maintenance. While the Delhi government plans to extend free bus services to students and senior citizens, many are wondering if the city can afford to make public transport free.

The cultivation of rice has occupied the pride of place in Kerala’s agriculture. Unending lush green paddy fields are a sight for sore eyes. But Paddy cultivation is declining in Kerala at an alarming rate. In the past 30 years, the state lost more than 70 per cent of its paddy fields. Rice producing districts like Wayanad once had 160 varieties of paddy. 55 of these varieties are now extinct. But there are people in the state who are trying to preserve this paddy biodiversity.