On a clear night, the sky above Valiamala offers a deceptively simple view of the Universe. Stars appear as tiny points of light, scattered across a dark expanse. But behind those points lie stellar nurseries, exploding stars, compact objects, planetary systems and galaxies containing billions of suns. Understanding that vast Universe requires more than telescopes. It requires people who can build instruments, design spacecraft, interpret astronomical signals, develop mathema

Science can set ambitious goals and justify public investment, but the most important discoveries are often the ones no research proposal could have predicted. Voyager 1 had a defined mission, but its journey ultimately took humanity farther than its original destination. Discovery, by definition, is about finding something we do not yet know. Yet scientists are often asked to say in advance what their research will produce. Proposals ask for outcomes, deliverables, milestone

We often ask whether a scientist has enough funding, equipment, students and laboratory space. We rarely ask whether the scientist has enough security, belonging, recognition, freedom and purpose. Yet the second set of needs may ultimately determine what the first set produces. After all, a scientist is also a human being. Behind every publication, patent and discovery is a person who needs health, rest, relationships, security, appreciation and meaning. Scientific passion do

India cannot become a scientific power by funding laboratories while burdening scientists with the very bureaucracy that prevents them from using them effectively. Indian science presents a curious paradox. We celebrate our scientists for achieving remarkably good results with limited resources. But how much more could they achieve if they did not also have to spend so much time and energy dealing with the system? This question came to my mind while reading NITI Aayog’s recen

It is not just about solving crimes; it is about restoring identity and dignity. AI generated image Imagine the heartache when someone you care about goes missing or is lost in a disaster. The uncertainty of their fate can be unbearable. In these moments, identifying a person is not just a scientific process; it's an act of dignity, compassion, and delivering justice. Interestingly, one of the most dependable tools for this task is found right inside our mouths: our teeth. Fo

AI generated image During the global semiconductor shortage, production of cars worth lakhs of rupees was disrupted because manufacturers could not obtain tiny chips costing a fraction of the vehicle's price. Factories slowed down, deliveries were delayed, and something smaller than a fingernail suddenly became a matter of national economic concern. There is a lesson here that goes far beyond semiconductors. A country may have the money to buy a technology and still discover

Mumbai: The AI Prompt Art 2026 Exhibition, organised by the Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai, in association with the National Centre for Science Communicators (NCSC) as part of National Space Week 2026, offers a fascinating and inspiring exploration of the intersection of science, technology, art and imagination. Held from August 16-23, the exhibition celebrates India’s remarkable journey in space science, exploration and discovery while presenting an innovative perspective on t

The space industry’s dependence on mined materials is becoming a geopolitical liability. Synthetic biology could provide a new route to orbital resilience. The modern space race is no longer fought solely on launchpads or in research laboratories; its outcome is increasingly dictated by the terrestrial geography of critical minerals. As mega-constellations expand, commercial space stations take shape, and the NASA Artemis program targets cislunar infrastructure, a quiet crisi

Forensic pathology transforms subtle signs of neck compression into scientific evidence that reveals whether a death was suicide, homicide, or an accident. A simple mark around the neck can become one of the most important clues in a criminal investigation. Hanging and strangulation may appear similar, but forensic experts can determine the difference between whether a death is suicide, an accident, or murder. Through scientific examination of the body, crime scene, and surro

Research communication must become as central to India’s scientific enterprise as research itself. Humanity has never produced more science. Ironically, it has never been easier for important discoveries to remain unnoticed. Every day, tens of thousands of scientific papers and patents are added to the world's growing repository of knowledge. The challenge is no longer merely to generate new discoveries, but to ensure that worthwhile discoveries are found, understood and put

AI generated image Every profession has its own measure of success. A lawyer wins a case. An entrepreneur builds a company. An athlete breaks a record. A scientist, however, succeeds in a rather unusual way. A scientist succeeds by becoming less certain. That may sound paradoxical. Yet the history of science is nothing but a history of changing minds. The Earth ceased to be the center of the universe. Diseases stopped being blamed on bad air. Ulcers were no longer attributed

In 1924, Satyendra Nath Bose sent his groundbreaking paper on quantum statistics directly to Albert Einstein. Recognising its significance, Einstein translated it into German and secured its publication, laying the foundation of Bose–Einstein statistics. In my previous article ‘Why Scientists Publish,’ I explained that scientists share their work not just to gain recognition, build their careers or secure promotions. The real reason is much deeper. Science advances only when

Science was not created to produce papers. Papers were created to advance science. AI generated image Scientific publishing occupies a central place in modern research. Publications influence careers, funding decisions, institutional rankings, and scientific reputations. Researchers devote enormous effort to writing papers, reviewing manuscripts, and responding to reviewers. Universities celebrate publication counts, while funding agencies use them as indicators of productivi

Road accidents in India are increasingly emerging as a silent national crisis, demanding far greater attention than they currently receive. As per data published by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the country records over 4.7 lakh road accidents annually. These accidents lead to approximately 1.75 to 1.80 lakh deaths every year, translating into an alarming average of nearly 500 fatalities every single day. Eve

India’s journey from a developing nation to a developed one will depend on building institutions that deliver reliability, precision and scale. AI generated image The title may sound unfair to a concept that Indians rightly admire. After all, jugaad has come to symbolize creativity, resourcefulness and the ability to solve problems under difficult circumstances. Yet the title captures an important truth. Jugaad demonstrates that something can work. Engineering ensures that it

Instead of getting trapped in binaries, Indian society must learn the neutrality that genuine scientific temper demands. AI generated image Article 51A(h) of the Indian Constitution, added through the 42nd Amendment in 1976, makes it the duty of every citizen to develop a scientific temper. The Indian education system places considerable emphasis on science and technology from an early age. Scholarships support deserving students pursuing scientific study and research. Severa

ANRF reconnects modern India with an ancient tradition which posits that the pursuit of knowledge is a responsibility shared by the entire nation. AI generated image The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) is often seen as a new experiment in science funding. In reality, it represents the return of a long Indian tradition in which governments, industry, philanthropy and society collectively supported the pursuit of knowledge. For most of India’s history, knowledge

PART II: India’s strategic autonomy in space depends on an ISRO equipped to serve both civilian and strategic needs in an increasingly unstable world. Recently, a certain segment within the Indian space ecosystem, motivated by vested interests and operating clandestinely, has begun to undermine ISRO’s future significance. This segment argues that the commercial sector will lead innovation and that the era of the publicly operated civilian agency ISRO has concluded. However, g

In the first of a two-part series, we examine why India’s space programme must evolve for an age of wars and global instability, where old civilian-military binaries no longer suffice. In the lead-up to the multi-state assembly elections scheduled for April 2026, and subsequently during his international visit in May 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi consistently emphasised the substantial challenges the global community is currently facing, including ongoing conflicts, supp

As geopolitical shocks expose India’s imported fuel dependence, the country’s vast thorium reserves may hold the key to long-term energy sovereignty. India’s energy future may ultimately depend less on imported oil, solar panels or even foreign uranium, and more on a mineral buried quietly in its coastal sands: thorium. For decades, thorium occupied a curious place in India’s energy discourse — celebrated in scientific circles, occasionally invoked in policy speeches, yet oft