The 'buzzy' bees are best at their pollination jobs but they are all set to face serious competition from other insects. According to a new study, insects like flies, wasps, butterflies, moths, ants, thrips and beetles are also effective pollinators of certain crops of global importance. These insects have an added advantage too—they are resistant and less sensitive to environmental changes, scientists say.

With her hair neatly oiled and braided, wearing her green-and-white school uniform, Selvi sat on the mat waiting for Amma to get her favourite tiffin of idlis and carrot sambar. But today, as she waited she couldn’t smell the usual aroma from the kitchen. 'Here you go, Selvi, finish your tiffin and go to school!' Amma placed a plate with idlis and coconut chutney. 'Before you ask me, let me tell you, no carrot sambar...

Have you ever tried trekking through treacherous terrian and tried to take short cuts to reduce the time and effort it takes to reach your destination? It turns out army ants are really good at mapping out the most efficient route for themselves. 

What is food wastage? Simply put, it means throwing away food which could have been eaten by oneself or by others. This could happen for various reasons – buying more than needed, or because it has been too long on the dining table. We are all guilty of pushing older food to the back the fridge or cupboard and placing fresh food in front.

They are known to have cradled civilisations, all over the world. They bathed, fed and helped carry humans. What are we talking about? Rivers, of course! With a twist to their modern profile, though, today they also serve as water suppliers for grand industries…

The inability to provide safe drinking water to communities features at the very top of our list of developmental failures, with the disastrous consequence of high mortality rates. In 1996, the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that each year, more than five million human beings died from illnesses linked to unsafe drinking water. It is further estimated that, by 2020, 135 million people will die from water-related diseases unless they are not only provided adequate water but access to clean drinking water.