Author: Shubham Love
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A Tale of Two Cities: Delhi Air Pollution Visualized
This exploration of five years of air quality data suggests that atmospheric stagnation plays a crucial role in the National Capital’s winter air pollution crisis. “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times…” Charles Dickens may have been writing about London and Paris, but the opening line of A Tale of…
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Global Decarbonisation Potential of Agri-Residue-Derived Bioethanol
The transition to low-carbon energy systems necessitates the rapid decarbonisation of the transportation sector, which accounts for nearly one-fifth of global CO₂ emissions. Second-generation (2G) bioethanol, produced from agricultural residues such as rice straw, corn stover, and sugarcane bagasse, offers a promising, sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, with the added advantage of circumventing the food-versus-fuel…
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Nitrogen in a Carbon-Centric World: The Omnipresent yet Invisible Pollutant
When we think of climate change, carbon often takes centre stage. It is no surprise given its direct and visible impact on global warming. But what if I told you that another element, nitrogen, contributes to climate change and leads to environmental pollution, yet it remains largely overlooked? In the words of Mark Sutton, an…
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The Variation in Adoption of GM Crops across Different Countries: Featuring QnA with Prof. Kent J. Bradford, UC Davis
We find GMOs physically present in farmers’ fields, supermarkets and based on where you live, on the carts of vegetable vendors. Today, however, GMOs have made their way symbolically in addressing pressing global issues, and rhetorically in scientific and policy circles, public discourses and comment sections on social media platforms. Due to the intricate nature…
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Ensuring That No Woman Dies From Cervical Cancer
Cancer knows no borders, but its impact varies greatly depending on where you live. In developed countries, the threat of cervical cancer is relatively low, thanks to widespread screening programs and preventative measures. However, in developing nations like India, cervical cancer is a public health crisis of epic proportions. Shockingly, one-quarter of all global cases…
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Farming for the Future: How Innovation is Key to Achieving Food Security in India
As of early 2023, the Indian population is all set to become the largest in the world, clocking a whopping 1.41 billion. India has enjoyed steady economic growth in recent years and has been able to achieve self-sufficiency in grain production. Despite this, high levels of malnutrition, poverty and food insecurity continue to haunt the…
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India at 75: A Tryst with Fertility; the Green Revolution
The dreadful Bengal famine occurred amid World War II, only four years before independence. As India turns 75, the occasion calls for many celebrations, one of which is India’s journey from growing more food to smartly growing it. During the British Raj, India’s grain economy hinged on a unilateral exploitative relationship. As a result, the weakened…
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The Ukraine Crisis and a Century of Academic Boycotts
On the 24th day of February 2022, the world was taken by surprise. The orders came in from Moscow and a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine was underway. An invasion of such intensity was not anticipated by any other government elsewhere, reasoning that it would be logistically impossible to occupy the territory and that the local…
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The Sri Lankan Organic Farming Crisis: An Abandoned Nationwide Experiment
Sri Lanka is currently facing its worst economic crisis since the country gained independence in 1948. Huge piles of foreign debt, a series of lockdowns, soaring inflation, shortage in fuel supply, fall in foreign currency reserves and devaluation of the currency have adversely impacted the country’s economic growth. In the face of a worsening economic…
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Climate Change, Conflict and the Middle East’s Misery
Of all the regions of the world that will face severe devastation as a result of climate change, perhaps none seems as destined to suffer as the Middle East, already the planet’s hottest and driest. With temperatures expected to rise more than twice the global average by 2030, this region of highest water scarcity may…
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