Science
Down To Earth
'ALL HAVE A RIGHT TO MARRIAGE'
Nearly five years after scrapping Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code that criminalised homosexuality, the Supreme Court in April 2023 began hearing petitions seeking legalisation of same-sex marriage, which would not just recognise unions within India's LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, transgender, queer-identifying and others) community, but also allow partners to open joint bank accounts, make medical decisions and be eligible for inheritance. As a five-judge bench of the Apex Court headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud heard arguments both for and against the petitions, debates arose on the institution of marriage, on whether marriage equality was an \"elitist concept\", and even on the biological definitions of a man and a woman. DOWN TO EARTH spoke to two experts on the fate of marriage equality in India.
3 min |
May 01, 2023
Down To Earth
When generics turn into Big Pharma
Top generics firms, some from India, are charged with price-fixing and sleazy deals; Sun Pharma has paid up to settle claims
4 min |
May 01, 2023
Down To Earth
Every count matters
India’s first census of waterbodies is a much awaited one but experts question the methodology
4 min |
May 01, 2023
Down To Earth
RISE OF THE FUNGUS
Fungal infections often go undiagnosed. Even when identified, they are among the most difficult diseases to manage. They are now quietly spreading across the globe, preying on people's weakened immune system and taking advantage of the high diabetes burden. Some are even showing resistance to the existing arsenal of drugs and are becoming virulent in a warming world.
10+ min |
May 01, 2023
Down To Earth
Deserted by state
Rural households in West Bengal are pushed into debt traps and forced migration after the Centre's decision to withhold funds to implement India's flagship public wage programme in the state
8 min |
May 01, 2023
Down To Earth
Mined To Destruction
Sand is the second most exploited resource after water and the most mined material globally, as per the UN Environment Programme. Its extraction from riverbeds is often done without regard to the adverse impact on natural river ecology. In India, sand mining grew as a large and, in many cases, illegal industry after the rapid urbanisation brought on by the economic liberalisation in the 1990s
3 min |
April 16, 2023
Down To Earth
Revival of a tradition
Rajasthan communities restore pastureland to ease impacts of fodder crisis in livestock farming
4 min |
April 16, 2023
Down To Earth
Fatal coincidence
Forest fire season in Uttarakhand coincides with flowering and breeding months of several vulnerable species, many of them native to Himalayas
4 min |
April 16, 2023
Down To Earth
A brave, flimsy take
BHEED IS A LOUD SOCIAL COMMENTARY THAT FALLS FLAT DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF TOO MANY HALF-COOKED STORIES AND CHARACTERS SEQUENCED INTO A LINEAR PLOT
4 min |
April 16, 2023
Down To Earth
PERENNIAL GUAVA
Used in street food, chutneys and perfumes, the climate-resistant fruit is a clear option for farmers
3 min |
April 16, 2023
Down To Earth
Bedaquiline patent win is a half victory
India's ability to eliminate its huge TB burden by 2025 will be a test of both its patent laws and healthcare policy
4 min |
April 16, 2023
Down To Earth
HEAVY SWAY
India developed the concept of farmer producer company (FPC) two decades ago to help small farmers own and run businesses and gain standing in the market by negotiating collectively. In 2019, the government set a target of creating 10,000 FPCs by 2024. It also introduced the concept of cluster-based business organisation (CBBO) to provide hand-holding support to farmers in forming FPCs. The move, however, has led to creation of FPCs that are controlled by the bigger companies that operate as CBBOs
10+ min |
April 16, 2023
Down To Earth
Fake determinants
A series of research papers and an open letter by 200 global figures hold industries accountable for the growing publichealth problems, call for urgent actions
6 min |
April 16, 2023
Down To Earth
Displaced by settlers
Tribal communities in Kerala's Attappady block are being alienated from their land despite laws in place to protect their rights
6 min |
April 16, 2023
Down To Earth
Familiar discourse
The world met to discuss the burgeoning water crisis after nearly half a century; but commitments on action were largely a reiteration of ongoing work
7 min |
April 16, 2023
Down To Earth
Disturbed frontier
Restoration of degraded forests is the only way to curb monkey menace in Karnataka and to tackle the outbreaks of monkey fever in humans
3 min |
April 01, 2023
Down To Earth
A DEBT TO OFFSET
Offering debt relief in lieu of climate action could allow rich countries to pay for their acts of historical injustice, while helping the poor ones manage mounting public borrowings and climate change challenges
6 min |
April 01, 2023
Down To Earth
Fading history of Novartis v Union of India
The 2013 landmark Supreme Court judgement offers critical lessons on the intent behind crucial aspects of India's key patent law
4 min |
April 01, 2023
Down To Earth
PHARMA DISRUPTOR
Pharma companies today deploy artificial intelligence with a potential to reduce the drug development cycle by half. But doubts remain about reliability of the technology
7 min |
April 01, 2023
Down To Earth
DEEP UNKNOWN
The Earth's core works as an engine to generate heat for natural processes and produce the planet's magnetism. But as this iron-rich layer gradually solidifies into a ball, what will happen to the planet's habitability? As the world drills into and analyses the Earth's interiors, certain clues about its evolution and state emerge.
10+ min |
April 01, 2023
Down To Earth
Sewage overload
Ganga remains polluted despite cleanliness drives
4 min |
April 01, 2023
Down To Earth
GRAIN SIZE: SEED TROUBLE
An increase in number of days with extreme temperatures or rain has caused a decline in quality and size of seeds across India
5 min |
April 01, 2023
Down To Earth
ROUGH WATERS AHEAD
Rapid intensification and unpredictable movement of tropical cyclones in recent years may form a template for future storm systems
2 min |
April 01, 2023
Down To Earth
'EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE'
This is the strategy required to fight climate change, said UN chief António Guterres while releasing IPCC's 'Synthesis Report' on March 20. Guterres describes the report as a \"guide to diffuse the climate bomb\". But the clock is ticking, with some climate impacts nearing irreversibility. Here's a look at a few concerns:
3 min |
April 01, 2023
Down To Earth
AGRARIAN REVOLUTIONARY
A tireless advocate for empowerment of rural communities, PV Satheesh will remain an inspiration
2 min |
April 01, 2023
Down To Earth
Carbon credit scheme triggers human crisis
THE NORTHERN Kenya Grassland Carbon Project, the world’s largest and first carbon credit programme using livestock grazing practices, might be doing more harm than good.
1 min |
April 01, 2023
Down To Earth
Banking on tradition
Odisha's Kondh tribe introduces a seed festival and bank to facilitate use of indigenous varieties and traditional farming to overcome crop loss
2 min |
April 01, 2023
Down To Earth
Climate's Clear Connect
Malawi is in the throes of its worst-ever cholera outbreak right after three cyclonic events hit the African country in 2022. Nigeria faces the same scourge after its heaviest floods in a decade last year. Kenya's most severe drought in four decades has also been followed by a cholera outbreak. Africa offers numerous cases that show how climate events trigger and exacerbate diseases.
10+ min |
March 16, 2023
Down To Earth
Science stagnated
A megafauna bias in India's carnivore research is hampering the country's conservations efforts
3 min |
March 16, 2023
Down To Earth
Foisting a GI tag on Mandu's baobab tree
Commerce ministry's drive to push up the Geographical Indications tally is a lazy exercise that does not benefit local communities
4 min |