scorecardresearch
Sunday, August 17, 2025
TopicThe Conversation

Topic: The Conversation

How the humble fruit fly transformed research on genes, tissue, disease & evolution

Most non-pest insects receive little scientific attention, but the fruit fly is a popular research organism. It is small, has a quick life cycle, and can produce hundreds of offspring.

What Christmas looked like in the Middle Ages—carols, charity, chess

Turkey wasn’t on the menu yet, but a goose, swan, or a boar’s head might form a suitable centrepiece. Ale and wine would accompany beef, pork, herring, eel, pies, puddings, and cakes.

Brat, Manifest, Demure, Brain Rot—social media is shaping what becomes word of the year

The dictionaries have arrived at a consensus: The tech giants are shaping our lives and our language, for better or for worse.

Dyslexia isn’t just a learning disorder. It can also make you a better researcher

There’s growing evidence that dyslexic minds bring something crucial to academic spaces. They offer a different way of thinking that sometimes gives them a competitive advantage.

The famed 27 Club is only real because people believe it. It shows how myths shape society

The notion that some of the world’s brightest stars burn out at the age of 27 is as seductive as it is tragic. Members of the 27 Club include Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse.

Mexico has a word for the anxiety that comes with US elections—Zozobra

The word zozobra is a Spanish term for ‘anxiety’ but with connotations that call to mind the wobbling of a ship about to capsize.

Why did so many Latino and Hispanic voters help return Donald Trump to power?

Donald Trump increased his share of the Latino vote to 45% nationwide. The shift is an outstanding political feat, especially considering Trump’s uneasy relationship with the community.

Moo Deng: the celebrated hippo’s real home has disappeared. Will world restore it?

West African forests have lost over 80% of their original area, which confines wild pygmy hippos to small spots in Gola National Forest and Sapo National Park.

Diet and exercise alone aren’t enough for your weight loss journey

The study suggested that some of us have a natural talent when it comes to burning fat and losing weight through exercise.

Africa was a central player in trade & culture. Ancient farming society tells the story

Although the Maghreb is widely recognised for Middle Stone Age and Iron Age developments, its role in the period from 4,000 BCE to 1,000 BCE has remained an enigma. Until now.

On Camera

SC’s stray dog order lit a match in Delhi. Are they a menace or companions?

The last time this matter flared up was when Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, in a very similar directive in April, called for the relocation of stray dogs in the capital.

Modi’s ‘Diwali bonanza’ for the common man—next-gen GST reforms, lower tax on daily-use items soon

Finance ministry says the proposed revamp will focus on structural reforms, rate rationalisation & ease of living, & will be deliberated upon in the coming weeks.

What is Project Sudarshan Chakra, announced by Modi from ramparts of Red Fort

The project is meant to be a ‘protective shield that will keep expanding’, the PM said. It is on the lines of the ‘Golden Dome’ announced by Trump, it is learnt.

War of IAF, PAF doctrines: As Pakistan obsesses over numbers, India embraces risk, wins

Now that both IAF and PAF have made formal claims of having shot down the other’s aircraft in the 87-hour war in May, we can ask a larger question: do such numbers really matter?