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Varanasi: For over two decades, the Ganga has been more than a sacred river for professor Jitendra Pandey of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) it has been his laboratory. Now, his years of research on the river’s ecology and resilience to pollution have earned him international recognition. The American Geophysical Union (AGU) has invited Pandey to deliver the prestigious Sir Stephen Schneider Lecture this December, making him the first Asian and the first biological scientist to receive the honour. The annual lecture commemorates the legacy of American climatologist Stephen Schneider and is delivered each year by one distinguished scientist. Previous recipients include globally renowned climate researchers such as Peter Gleick, Michael Mann and Alan Robock. A lifetime with the Ganga ...

Gerukamukh, a quiet village on the Assam–Arunachal Pradesh border, is emerging as a key site in India’s energy transition. Here, on the banks of the Subansiri river, work is nearing completion on the Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (SLHEP) the country’s largest under-construction hydropower project with a capacity of 2,000 MW. Major milestone after years of delay Half of the project structures, including the main dam and water conductor systems, lie upstream in Arunachal Pradesh. The other half, including the power house where electricity will be generated, is located in Assam’s Gerukamukh. Four of the eight turbines, each capable of producing 250 MW, are expected to begin commercial operations between mid-November and the end of December. One unit is already undergoing tria...

Life on land didn't begin with great forests; it began with small, stress-tolerant partnerships. A new study, published in the journal Science Advances, provides compelling evidence that lichens were already widespread approximately 410 million years ago during the Devonian Period, long before complex, rooted plants took hold. The research identifies the long-enigmatic Devonian fossil, Spongiophyton, as a true lichen a symbiotic living partnership between a fungus and an alga. This discovery fundamentally repositions lichens as key pioneers in the transformation of Earth's surface from bare rock to a habitable landscape. Chemical Fingerprints Confirm Ancient Partnership The breakthrough came from a detailed analysis of a fossil from southern Brazil. Lead paleobiologist Bruno Becke...

India has begun installing a new generation of “solar trees,” metallic structures designed to resemble the shape of real trees while producing electricity and reducing carbon emissions. Each solar tree generates up to 53.6 kW of power and is estimated to offset around 12 tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions annually by replacing electricity that would otherwise come from fossil fuels. The technology has been developed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-CMERI) as part of efforts to expand renewable energy without requiring extensive land area. The compact, vertical design allows the panels to be arranged like branches, taking up significantly less ground space compared to conventional solar farms. A Solution...

Bengaluru—The Standing Committee of the State Wildlife Board (SBWL), chaired by Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre, convened on Wednesday and recommended a proposal to divert a small parcel of forest land from the Sharavathi Lion-tailed Macaque Wildlife Sanctuary for final approval by the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). The controversial proposal seeks the diversion of 0.976 hectares of forest land, following its submission to the State government via the Parivesh portal last September. Key Decisions on Wildlife and Development In addition to the Sharavathi Sanctuary land diversion, the committee addressed several infrastructure projects and conservation directives: The committee granted approval for various road construction and widening proposals linked to three key prot...

As winter sets in and post-monsoon haze thickens across North India, public attention once again turns to air pollution. The familiar cycle resumes: media focus intensifies, governments announce emergency measures, and residents express frustration. Yet, as soon as winds improve and visibility returns, the urgency fades often stalling long-term reform. This year, cloud seeding has emerged as the prominent proposed solution. The technique involves dispersing chemicals into clouds to induce rainfall, with the expectation that precipitation can temporarily wash pollutants from the air. It joins earlier high-visibility interventions such as smog towers, smog guns, “green crackers,” and wearable air purifiers. However, experts note that cloud seeding has limited effectiveness during North...

Sydney / Great Barrier Reef— Once a year, usually between spring and summer, the Great Barrier Reef undergoes a rare and spectacular event. In the nights following the full moon, when water temperatures are ideal, millions of coral polyps release eggs and sperm in a synchronised mass spawning. The tiny reproductive bundles drift upward like a glowing cloud, increasing the chances of fertilisation and the birth of new coral colonies. During this brief window, scientists from Sydney’s Taronga Zoo dive into the reef by torchlight to collect coral sperm and larvae. These samples are taken to the Taronga CryoDiversity Bank, where they are stored at extremely low temperatures. Over the past decade, the bank has become the largest coral cryopreservation facility in the world, safeguarding gene...

A new CityMetrics platform has been launched by the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, offering an interactive dashboard that allows users to explore key urban indicators from more than 60 cities across the world. The tool aims to support city leaders, planners and researchers in understanding environmental risks, development patterns and climate resilience challenges. What the Dashboard Offers The CityMetrics dashboard compiles a wide range of geospatial datasets linked to seven major themes that influence sustainability and resilience. These themes include flooding, heat, air quality, accessibility, land protection, biodiversity and climate change mitigation. Users can compare cities and observe how conditions have changed over time. Key Indicators Flooding indicators sh...

Researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have developed a new system of aerial robots that use artificial intelligence to detect, track and analyze wildfire smoke plumes. The technology is expected to help create more accurate computer models, which could improve predictions of air pollution levels during wildfires and prescribed burns. The findings were published recently in the journal Science of the Total Environment. The need for better smoke monitoring tools has grown in recent years. Between 2012 and 2021, 43 wildfires resulted from 50,000 prescribed burns, according to an Associated Press report from 2024. Understanding how smoke spreads is critical because smaller smoke particles can travel long distances and remain suspended for longer periods, affecting air quali...

A new study published in Nature Water has revealed that agricultural regions in 155 countries rely on atmospheric moisture generated by forests in other nations for up to 40 per cent of their annual rainfall. The research highlights how interconnected global food systems are, with forest ecosystems playing a crucial role in sustaining crop production far beyond national boundaries. The study found that about 18 per cent of rainfall in 105 countries is recycled from their own forests, while moisture from forests worldwide supports 18 per cent of global crop output and 30 per cent of crop exports. This means countries that grow and export food depend heavily on forest cover in upwind regions, creating a complex system of ecological interdependence. One of the strongest examples of this...