After centuries of sky-watching, we are yet to understand the complex nature of clouds It’s an early winter dawn. The lake seems to be steaming, but it is not. A cloud is being born. I am on a hilltop, watching a village in the valley sparkling in the early morning rays when a white sheet […]
What it takes to recycle sewage and rejuvenate the city’s lakes In 1993, when I first visited Bangalore, it felt like a different country to me. I was coming from dry and hot Nagpur, where the sky fades to almost white in summer, and the colour of the Gulmohar flowers is yellowish orange. Here, […]
The soil under our feet is teeming with life, and understanding and nurturing it has a positive impact on our lives A memory. My friend and I followed the ball as it bounced towards the pit in the backyard. Heat wafted up, and the air was saturated with a warm, earthy smell that wasn’t […]
The study of model organisms is the key to unlocking mysteries about life on earth When I first started working with the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster after my Master’s, many of my friends and family members were greatly amused. After 17 years of education, I had finally admitted that all I was doing was […]
The erstwhile ICE Department contributed to indigenous engine technology in the early years of India’s industrial development There once was a particularly popular department at IISc called the Department of Internal Combustion Engineering (ICE), and for close to a quarter of a century, the engineers there designed, constructed and tested a plethora of engines […]
A peek into the Central Animal Facility, which supports research in almost 70 labs Prashant and his three colleagues set out for work in the small hours of the morning. Gauribidanur, their hometown, is 80 km from Bangalore, and the train ride and the short walk after that to reach the Central Animal Facility […]
Lab techs and project assistants, toolmakers and maintenance crew make invaluable contributions to research projects Sandeep Eswarappa, an assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry in IISc, works with small, almost microscopic animals called tardigrades. As a young investigator setting up a new lab with an unfamiliar model system, he needed all the […]
From studying indigenous dyes to developing cancer therapies, a look at the changing priorities of IISc’s Department of Biochemistry The Department of Biochemistry at IISc turns 100 next year. It holds the distinction of being the first department dedicated to the studies of biological chemistry in India. In the century since it was established, […]
An undergraduate (UG) instructor reflects on her experience teaching IISc’s students My students often complain that I answer their questions with more questions. I am convinced that they know why I do it, and aren’t serious in their protests. Here are some examples: Scene 1: First year UG lab, Subject: Microbiology M was comparing growth […]
