Why traditional antivenom therapy is inadequate in treating this neglected tropical disease Humans have always been fascinated by snakes. In some cultures, snakes are considered divine because they are indispensable to humans in controlling rodent pests that can otherwise cause enormous damage to food crops. But snakes can also be deadly to humans, and have […]
IISc’s neighbourhood has a long and rich history In the late 1890s, JN Tata was hunting for a suitable location for what eventually came to be known as the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). By the early 1900s, Bangalore had become the frontrunner to host the research institute, not least because of the wholehearted support […]
“Do people in highly competitive spaces lack empathy?” That was a question a student had for a panel of mental health professionals at an event on 9 November 2019 called Shades of Blue: Understanding Depression. With increased concerns about students’ mental health on campus (two students took their lives this year), this was a student-organised […]
11 December 2019 marks the 137th birth anniversary of Max Born, who came to IISc on CV Raman’s invitation The Mysterious Number 137 was the title of a lecture that Max Born delivered to the South Indian Science Association in Bangalore on 7 November 1935. Called the fine structure constant α, 137 is a dimensionless […]
The evolutionary biologist recounts his love for the campus of IISc which has also served as a laboratory for his research The year was 1963, and it was my first week in Bangalore. As a 10-year-old boy, I was travelling with my parents and my two siblings, in the Bangalore Transport Service (BTS) bus no. […]
A workshop on Hindustānī music inspired by the monsoon by a vocalist who also wears a biologist’s hat I define myself as a musician with an academic approach. I have been a student of Hindustānī music since my childhood. Besides what I learned from my gurus, the well-known vocalist Geetha Hegde and Ojesh Pratap Singh, […]
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 […]
A scientist and his small team of volunteers have steered the cause of plants by creating a unique database, an important first step in the battle for species conservation and habitat restoration On the third floor of IISc’s Biological Sciences building is a room which, at first glance, may seem like a computer science lab. […]
B Chagun Basha is a Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Fellow at IISc’s Centre for Policy Research established by the Department of Science and Technology (DST-CPR). While organising an event at IISc, he and his colleagues realised that they hadn’t paid much thought to gender inclusivity until it was explicitly pointed out to them that […]
A faculty member reflects on an unusual course offered to undergraduate students This year, I am teaching the sixth edition of the undergraduate humanities course “Mapping India with the Folk Arts”. In this course, we delve into indigenous knowledge, or common people’s knowledge, focusing on a different form of Indian folk art every year. By […]
