Between land and water lies a quintessential zone of wetlands. Acting as sponges during surging monsoons and blissful oasis during scorching summers, these marshlands are integral to our climate and our Earth. An abode of exotic plants, birds and animals, they thrive and flourish with biodiversity. Our greed is throttling these water bodies. Across the country, there are numerous stories of urban wetlands disappearing because of encroachment, environmental degradation and climate change. As summers hit their peak and the usual scramble for water begins in many parts of the country, join Susmita Sengupta on an exploratory tour. …

Trees are indispensable for our survival. We rely on them for fuel, fodder, medicine, and innumerable other necessities. They make our planet conducive for life. According to a research published by Nature Climate Change, the world’s forests sequestered about twice as much carbon dioxide as they emitted between 2001 and 2019, thus playing a critical role in mitigating climate change. Therefore, keeping in mind the saying, van se vayu, vayu se aayu (air from forests, life from air), planting saplings is very important for conserving our environment...

“Such a beautiful place, to be with friends”. Fans of the Harry Potter film series will remember this line, uttered in one of the most heart-breaking scenes of the saga by arguably the most beloved character of them all, Dobby the house-elf. As the adorable elf breathes his last in the arms of his friend and hero, Harry Potter, he inadvertently invites viewers to marvel at the vast, expansive beach that then becomes his gravesite. Twelve years after...

Learn why cheetahs became extinct in India and all about their re-introduction

Hunting animals used to be central to the survival of most human communities over most of human history, whether it be for food or medicines or to use their fur and skin as clothes and rugs. Communities had developed ways to hunt animals without overexploiting them, such that the animals and humans could survive together. While we try to inculcate the values of sustainability in people today through classes and lectures, such values used to be a matter of common sense. If you kill all the animals this year, what are you going to hunt next year?...

Mushrooms have always enthralled our imagination. Let’s step onto a captivating trail to understand them and the world they inhabit.

Commemorating the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav with a brief tale of our peoples and environment from c. 1872–2022, spanning about 75 years before and after our tryst with destiny. ************************* 'Why was India lost?’ asked Mahatma Gandhi in his famous little book of philosophies, the Hind Swaraj, in 1909. Without any pun intended, he answered some lines later: ‘The English have not taken India; we have given it to them.’...

From privileges for a few to rights for all There was a time, not so long ago, when the so-called ‘civilised’ world was divided into free humans and slaves. Free humans were those who had the right to own property while the slaves were those who were considered as property. Free humans had the privilege to make decisions not only for themselves but also for their slaves. As we learnt from others who we thought were less civilised than us...

Well, Christmas is not much of a fairytail for the future, as it is faced with the consequences of climate change. ********************************** This summer, I got a chance to visit Santa Claus--the real one—in the Arctic Circle. Growing up we’ve all heard stories about the spirit and wonders of Christmas, either in school or home, or through movies and TV.