In India, libraries and archives don’t focus too much on the preservation and restoration of old manuscripts. Within this callous environment, Anand Akolkar wages a somewhat lonely war from his humble home in Mumbai, against the harsh elements of nature and an uncaring bureaucracy, in a bid to preserve and restore dying manuscripts. Even though … Continue reading Anand Akolkar—Opening Windows to History
Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, a harbinger of individualism widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher, said long ago that the crowd is untruth. And, while that may be so most of the time, a crowd can also come together to discover the truth through endeavours that fall in the realm of citizen science. nature … Continue reading Citizen Science
Fifth Avenue is laid in gold, every mansion a citadel of money and power. Yet here you stand, a giant, starved and fettered . . . You too will have to learn that you have a right to share your neighbours’ bread . . . Well, then, demonstrate before the palaces of the rich; demand … Continue reading PAO POLITICS
If we are to trust Elon Musk, and if humans actually become interplanetary imperialists, we’re not too sure that they will survive for too long. But, one thing we can be sure about is that their bacteria will endure. From some perspectives, humans can be seen as carriers that bacteria are using to expand their … Continue reading Bacteria vs. Human—Round 12
No matter how many great and wonderful things there are in life, the best thing ever is bread and jaggery – Sukumar Ray, writer and poet Do you think candy is American? Think again. Originally called khand, candy actually originated in the Indian subcontinent. It seems as though ‘Indian’ palates have had a long history … Continue reading The Sweetener of Gods
Can you imagine a beauty contest in which the participants did not put on any make up, did not have a swimsuit round and did not give answers to the judges’ questions? Well, then you probably haven’t heard about Beauty.AI, which was a beauty contest judged by ROBOTS. Yes, robots are now judging people according … Continue reading What Happens When Robots Judge Your Beauty?
If you live in a city (which you probably do if you are reading this), you might have noticed the bakeries that are popping up everywhere like pimples on a teenager’s face. They are taking over the streets with a vengeance. Gone are the days of the mithaiwalas who used to sit in the front … Continue reading Let Them Eat Cake
Over half a century ago, in 1959, a couple of physicists at Cornell University speculated that if aliens exist, they would be aware of physics and chemistry and would try to contact us through the frequency 1420 MHz. 1420 MHz is a frequency that is silent on world radio because this frequency is not allotted … Continue reading The Signal That ‘Wowed’ Us 39 Years Ago
A study conducted by the Government of India states that around 20% of what we buy in urban India ends up being thrown away, and an astounding 40% of the food produced in India is wasted. A UN report explains that the wastage of rice in particular has serious ramifications for the environment as decaying … Continue reading A Grain of Rice to Remember
Parle G — the name is enough to bring back childhood memories of fragrant biscuits dunked in hot milk. And the struggle to eat the soaked, soggy biscuit quickly before it crumbles back into the milk is a very real one. Almost every child has had Parle G since they were little, and some still … Continue reading Parle G Tales
