Clean Reactions

The growth of Green Chemistry   A weathered, nearly half-century-old plaque hangs on the wall of Paul Anastas’ office at Yale University – an unusual keepsake for an academic. Its story dates back to the 1970s in Quincy, Massachusetts, where eight-year-old Paul watched his neighbourhood wetlands get taken over by glass-fronted insurance and bank buildings. […]

Home is where earth is

Learning from traditional architecture   Walking through the lanes of Majuli, the largest river island in the world, one cannot miss the characteristic houses, the Chang Ghar. Situated in Assam, at the heart of the river Brahmaputra and secluded from the rest of the world, Majuli has preserved much of its traditional heritage, including its […]

Charting a Course to Net Zero

Several researchers at IISc are working on technological solutions to tackle some of the causes of climate-induced disasters, and reduce carbon emissions   A sizzling heatwave across North India, prolonged power outages, and 20 million dead. Fortunately, this is a work of fiction, the setting in the first chapter of The Ministry for the Future, […]