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Panchatantra: Stories of Wisdom from Ancient India: The Fable of a Merchant and Two Bullocks
Panchatantra is a collection of fables from ancient India, written originally in Sanskrit. Each story is a gem of wisdom and life’s philosophy.
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The Cat Gods and Royal Cats of Japan
Japan is often referred to as the epicentre of cat culture. Japan’s divine and royal cats have a fascinating cultural history.
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A 3000 Year Old Cat Story from the Indian Epic, Mahabharata
A famous cat and mouse story from Mahabharata, the Indian epic.
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Cats and Witches: A Historical Friendship that Cost Both Dearly
Cats were linked with witchcraft in Europe’s cultural history. The stereotypical image of a witch was an elderly woman with a black cat and a steeple hat.
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The Curious Cat Laws of the Medieval King, Hywel the Good
Hywel Dda (Hywel the Good) was a medieval Welsh king who codified traditional Welsh law, including a set of laws protecting cats.
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Iberian Lynx: A Cat that Went to the Verge of Extinction and Came Back
The Iberian lynx is one of the rarest of 36 cat species worldwide. It was classified as endangered until June 2024. Now belongs to the vulnerable species list.
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Cats Often Climb Trees; Are They Playing or Fleeing a Threat?
Cats are good climbers but awkward climbing down. Why do they climb, after all?
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Will America Disentangle from Global Conflicts Under Donald Trump?
Whether America must act as the world police and continue to meddle in conflicts in which it has no direct stake is a question the country itself and the world have been asking for a long time. How will the Trump administration answer this question?
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Kings Who Were Especially Fond of Flowers and Gardens
Some of the world’s most beautiful gardens were set up by kings and emperors. Their love for flowers still benefits us. Here are a few such rulers who loved flowers and preserved them by building beautiful gardens for posterity.
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Kamala Harris and Donald Trump: How Their Childhood Shaped Them
When Kamala Harris and Donald Trump fight the US Presidential Elections, it is revealing to look into the childhood of both leaders.
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Oil and Gas in the Aftermath of Ukraine War
Politics always drives markets, and markets exercise a reverse impact, too. A recent instance is how the war in Ukraine is changing the contours of the oil and gas market.
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Beekeeping in Asia’s Rubber Plantations
Beekeeping is an additional income source for small farmers, a boon to biodiversity, and a valued part of sustainable agriculture in Asia. Asian rubber plantation smallholders have excelled in this vocation.
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The 2024 US Elections: Dates and Statistics
Here is a compilation of all relevant facts about the 2024 US presidential elections.
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What Doctors Will Not Often Tell You About a Heart Transplant
In a heart transplant, does an exchange occur between the recipient and the donor’s emotions and memories? Does a transplanted heart especially carry the donor’s memories along?
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Long Covid: Is Chronic Fatigue and Oversleeping, a Symptom?
The health issues of long Covid are more prevalent than we think they are. One such issue is insomnia and on the other side of it, fatigue-induced excessive sleep. There are workarounds possible for these problems.
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The Loveliest Gardens to Visit in India
Do not miss these gorgeous gardens if you are visiting India.
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What Difference Will It Make If Kamala Harris, a Woman, Becomes the US President?
A woman getting elected as the President of the country is viewed by many as a better option for the US. Why, and what difference will it make?
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What the $ 600 million Ambani Wedding Tells Us About Wealth and Poverty
In India, many netizens called the Ananth Ambani-Radhika Merchant wedding, with a cost tag of more than $ 300 million, ‘an ugly display of wealth’. This argument gets noticed because 272.3 million people in India are poor.
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The Story of Ageing: Chapter 3: How Old Age Pacifies Our Death Anxiety
All individuals have to face varied crises in their lives but the greatest fear of all is the fear of death. How we try to come to terms with our mortality as we grow old is a fascinating side of our humanity. Here is a deep take on ageing and the fear of death.
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Why Are There So Many Hollywood Movies About Animal Attacks?
If you look back to your film viewing history, you realise that you have watched so many Hollywood animal attack movies. Why is Hollywood obsessed with animal attack movies?
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St Thomas: Many Questions Remain Unanswered About His Journey to India
The arrival of St Thomas in India in the first century AD is almost a myth. Historians never agreed if it is true, yet it defines Indian Christianity. The arrival of St Thomas and the origin of the spread of Christianity in India remain history’s uncharted territory.
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A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding and Managing Dust Allergy
If your asthma gets worse by dust, the reason is that you have a dust allergy. There are microscopic insects called dust mites that cause these dust allergies. In that case, it is important to incorporate dust management into your daily life.
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Are You There? -A Letter to God
This is simply a letter to God, written in many minds over and over, in despair, now and again, throughout our lives, but at this moment in history more desperately, as we look at the world today and start losing hope for humanity.
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Mithun, The Semi-Wild Cow of the Himalayas: Cattle, Lifestyle, and Politics
Mithun, also known as Gayal, is a magnificent semi-domesticated cattle whose habitat is the Himalayan region of North East India, Myanmar, and some parts of China. These animals play an important role in the lives of the tribes of Tibet and North East India.
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The Search for the Face of Jesus Christ
What did Jesus look like? Are there authentic descriptions of his face and form in history? This is an account based on historical and verified sources.
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The Human Species Wages War for Many Reasons; Does Peace Have a Chance?
An unnecessary waste of human life, and an enormous cost to human societies, yet wars occur again and again. Why do we wage wars? Will it end someday?
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Were the Hamas Terrorists Who Attacked Israel Using the Drug, Captagon?
Some unconfirmed news reports are coming out suggesting that the Hamas terrorists, who attacked Israeli civilians were under the influence of an illegal and strong drug, Captagon. This drug is known to be used by ISIS terrorists and has already created a serious drug problem in the Middle East.
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Kamakhya Temple, Assam: A Temple of the Supreme Goddess and Abode of Tantric Worship
The Hindu religion is a confluence of thousands of deities, forms of worship, and diverse streams of spirituality. Among them, the Kamakhya temple in Assam stands out as one of the most revered and intriguing places, where Tantric rituals of Goddess worship are a genre apart.
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Friedrich Nietzsche’s Ideas About Good and Evil
What is good and what is bad? Before Nietzsche, no one seriously thought it necessary to question premises underlying our thoughts on morality.
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Mindfulness-Based Eating Can Change Your Life
This article is not about what to eat but it is all about how to eat. It tells you about the healthy art of mindfulness based eating.
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Hurricanes: History, Facts, and Survival Tips
Hurricanes and Typhoon are the other names of very strong tropical cyclones. All of us are familiar with the weather picture of a hurricane or a typhoon where the map shows a whirl of clouds with an eye at the centre over the ocean. This article tells the story of this ravaging yet mysterious wind
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The Unbelievable World of Interspecies Friendships
The food chain that ties us all together on this planet makes us both prey and predator yet some friendships emerge crossing these lines. There are many instances of such friendships recorded in history and happening around us all the time, questioning the mechanical predator-prey equations.
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The Himalayas: The Fascination of the Peaks
The Himalayas are the mountain ranges that separate the Tibetan plateau and the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the most iconic mountains on the planet and its peaks continue to inspire and challenge humanity.
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Some Interesting Thoughts and Facts about Tea
Tea is a beverage that has become an essential part of our lives. Here are some quite fascinating facts and thoughts about this everyday drink that brings us good cheer and energy.
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Why and How Much is Donald Trump Still Popular?
Why and how much is Donald Trump still popular? What does science, analysts, and surveys tell?
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Know Your Tibetan Mastiff Dog, The Gentle Giant of The Himalayas
Tibetan Mastiff is a dog that looks unbelievably beautiful and elegant, all the same, stirring thoughts deep inside us of something ancient and primal. This article helps you understand the dog better and think twice before you buy it.
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The Story of Ageing: Chapter 2: We Write, As We Age
This is the second part of the series of articles about ageing. Documentation is an urge that gets hold of people as they age. People start to tell stories of their past or write them down.
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Film Theory: Sculpting in Time: Andrei Tarkovsky
Andrei Arsenyevich Tarkovsky was a filmmaker who gave the world a different idea of time and space. His brilliance lies in giving the audience a rare peek into the real experience of existence that is made up of the past, present, reality, and dreams. .
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Backyard Composting by Grinding Waste
If you are living in a city or an apartment complex, with very little space to spare, composting your kitchen waste is a huge problem. Here is an easy and unique way you can do that.
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Learn the Buzzwords of Climate Change
Changing realities of a period change our language too. Here is a look at how climate change is bringing new words into our common vocabulary.
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Ukraine War: The Plight of Older People of Ukraine
Ukraine war has left all the vulnerable groups in the country, including the older people, in dire circumstances of death and displacement. How the older people fare in the Ukraine war is an inquiry that the world has to make.
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God Visions in Different Religions
In mythology and religious discourses, there exist many occasions when God appears before the prophets and even talks to them. Is there any commonality in these reported experiences of God?
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The Story of Ageing: Chapter 1
Ageing has something delightful about it, a process that effaces one’s undue self-importance yet anchors one in reality, in the very happening middle of the world where things become clearer and connections stabilised.
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This Mysterious Red Berry of the Tropics
This is a wild berry, we used to forage and eat as children in Kerala, India. I cannot identify this plant species though I searched across websites and books. I would love somebody to come up with its name.
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Is a Recession Coming?: Lessons for the Common Man
In 2009, the world experienced a severe recession. Economies are not completely recovered yet here we are, facing another global recession. What are the lessons that the common man can learn from the previous recession? Here is a review and suggestions.
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The History of the Marathon Run
Only a few of us know that Marathon is an Ancient Greek town. Even fewer people know the reason why a Marathon race is named so. Here is the story.
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The War Dogs: History of Dogs in War and Conflict
We all know that dogs are the best for companionship and security but we have forgotten that there were some violent ways in which we used dogs in history- in empire building and wars.
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Wild Edible Leaves of the Tropics
Many wild tropical edible leafy vegetables are rich in nutrition and easy to forage. Here is a compilation of them.
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The Trade Winds and Westerlies that Defined the World Order
The winds on our planet played a crucial role in making us what we are now. If you doubt this statement, or if you want to know more, read this article.
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Edelweiss: Hitler, Anti-Nazi Resistance & "The Sound of Music"
The edelweiss has captivated audiences worldwide since "The Sound of Music," but it is also the national flower of many Alpine countries, a symbol of purity, and has a history with Hitler and Nazism.
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History of Paper and Our Civilisation
It is quite surprising how paper rules our lives. Since it was first made in China in AD 105, the paper has earned a sacred place in the human mind and our civilisation.
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David Livingston: The First European to Set Foot in Central Africa and the Man Who Discovered the Victoria Falls
A legendary explorer of Africa, the man who discovered the majestic Victoria waterfalls, a Scottish missionary who took Christianity to the African tribes, and an adventurer who set out to find the origin of the river Nile, David Livingston lived many lives in one lifetime.
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In Praise of The Indian Pariah Dog
Indian Pye dog often called the Pariah dog is a breed indigenous to Asia, comprising the free-ranging dogs that roam in the streets and public spaces of South Asia.
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Pangolins and Covid 19: Some Emerging Facts
Rarely sighted, feared as a mythical creature, and eaten as a rare gastronomic treat, the only thing the Pangolins have for their protection from us is the full-armoured body and the ability to exist as a rolling stone. Covid 19 has brought this oblivious animal into the limelight.
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Stephen Crohn, the HIV Resistant Who Helped Develop a Miracle Drug
In any scenario where an infectious disease infects many, there happen to be a few humans who are resilient to the disease. Stephen Crohn was one such individual whose resilience to HIV helped the scientists develop the revolutionary anti-retroviral drug.
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Queen Elizabeth II: The Monarch Who Ruled 70 Years
Queen Elizabeth II has stayed on the throne for 70 years and is celebrating the platinum jubilee of her rule. She is 96 years old and the longest-reigning monarch the world has ever seen.
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Lotus Silk: The Expensive Spiritual Silk of Asia
Silk, as soft as a flower petal; if stories are to be believed, many princesses and kings dreamt of it. How many of us know that silk can be made from lotus flowers and that it belongs to a small yet thriving industry?
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How to Befriend a Stray Dog
Stray dogs are so obviously in need of some love as we often encounter the docile ones showering us with frantic tail-wagging gratitude at the first instance when we touch them or feed them.
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55 Recommendations for a Good Life
When I decided to write down these recommendations, it was for me as it is for others. I wanted to consolidate the idea of a good life that I have had scattered inside my mind for a long time. I also thought this would help at least a few.
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Domestication of Cats
Nine thousand years of association and still not viewed as a trusted friend? Yes, this is about cats who have never replaced dogs as the best friends of humans. Why?
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Goats: All You Need to Know
Goats are often hailed as the poor man’s cow. They are smaller than cows, easier to handle, easier to tame, and less expensive to feed and they reproduce more frequently, assuring the farmer a steady income from selling the progenies, meat and milk.
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Pythia: The Oracle of Delphi
Pythia was the oracle of Delphi, much revered even by those as great as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. The oracle of Delphi was a sisterhood of women who commanded awe and respect from an otherwise misogynistic society.
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Hypnagogia: A Window to Creative Dreaming
While reading a book, or watching a movie, everyone would have experienced a moment when one slips into a state of semi-sleep. This is the state of half wakefulness when one just starts having dreams- blurry images and illogical thought bits floating in one’s head.
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To Eat or Not to Eat, When We Are Sick
There is this old saying, ‘feed a cold, starve a fever.’ Is it really good advice?
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Sea Urchins: A Palatal Gift From the Ocean That Goes Into Uni Sushi
Uni Sushi is a treat to the taste buds and rare and expensive addition to the platter. Uni stands for the gonad of the sea urchin, eaten raw and tasting creamy, buttery and cheesy.
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Happiness Is Attainable; The Secret Is Simple
What percentage of the population on this planet will be thinking, “this is not the life I want to live?” Is it possible to know the secret of happiness?
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Wormholes, Blackholes, and Singularity
Wormholes are imaginary yet theoretically possible shortcuts in space and time. A black hole is what makes a wormhole theoretically possible. Science has proven black holes exist. How far humanity is from wormholes and time travel?
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All About Sweet Juliet Rose, the World's Most Expensive Flower
David Austin's Sweet Juliet rose is the most expensive flower in the world, wowing audiences back in 2006 when it debuted. Here is some information about the flower and how to cultivate it.
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A History of Ukraine and the Cultural Heritage Lost to the War
The Ukraine war has brought to the front a forgotten history, one that can only be truly told by the people of Ukraine. A history fraught with memories of invasions and power games across centuries and immense cultural loss.
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Frogs and Toads: Facts and Info
Frogs and toads were the first vertebrates to leave the aquatic habitat and set foot on land. Learn more about these amazing and adaptable species.
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Pandemic is Brewing More Violence
Unfazed by the grim realities of life catechized by the pandemic, the world is rushing to more violence. Why does this happen? In a moment when humanity more than ever needs to lean upon unity, why do conflict and apathy rule?
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Pandemic and Plastic: Life Saver and Polluter
In the grim era of the pandemic, the lives of millions, especially our frontline workers were saved by plastic, a substance that symbolises the ultimate inorganic. Yet, the cost that humanity had to pay for this emergency and the excess use of plastic is still to be fully assessed.
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Barbet Rescue: Hand-rearing a Fallen Chick
I am jotting down how I rescued a Barbet chick, hoping that this would be helpful to someone who gets into a similar situation. The bird was so small that at first, I was afraid even to hold it in my hands.
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The Fascinating Story of the Silk Road
The silk road was an ancient road that connected China with Europe, Africa, and Asia. This road network was used by traders for about 400 centuries.
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Rice: The Staple Diet of Half the World
From being the novel food of the Yangtze Valley civilization and a summer crop in the Harappan civilization to the staple diet of half the world, rice has traversed a long and eventful path in history. This article will take a look at the crop eaten more frequently around the world than any other.
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Stem Cell Meat: A Novel Science and a Social Need
Stem cell meat is the new buzzword in vegan circles. Animal lovers are also enraptured by the idea of it. For those who love to have meat on their menu, and still do not want to harm animals, stem cell meat is a guilt-free alternative.
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The Western Ghats: The Rain God of India and a Mega Biodiversity Hotspot
The Western Ghats is a mountain range that separates the southern stretch of India from the rest of the country. It is situated between the Deccan plateau and the coastline of the Indian peninsula. It is older than the Himalayas and houses more than 300 of the threatened species on the planet.
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Why Do Some Plants Have Coloured Leaves?
Ever wondered why some plant leaves have colors more exotic than flowers? How do the red, blue, and brown leaves of some plants prepare food as they seem to be devoid of chlorophyll?
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Pandemic, War, Climate Change
The philosophy of life is changing. There is a loss of optimism all around. Can we restore hope?
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The Story of a Life
I was working as a television journalist when I met this strange man. Vijaya Kumar. Most probably he was in his late 50-s. He was the ex-owner of a tile factory in the suburbs of Calicut, a coastal town in North Kerala. He was also drawing a monthly salary same as a worker of the factory.
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How and Why Plants Migrate
Plant migration is a significant part of human history. The migration of potatoes helped Europe fight a famine. Rubber trees became the livelihood source of millions by migrating from the Amazon rainforest. Plant migration is a vast study area gaining importance in the context of climate change.
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Some Mysteries of the Plant World and the Science Behind Them
Plants have a unique sense of their surroundings and a lot of intuition. Here are some plant facts that will leave you amazed.
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Ecosystem Services and Economic Values
Ecosystem services is a concept in ecology that helps us understand how ecologically important each specific ecosystem is. It re-imagines a familiar landscape like a neighboring pond from an ecological perspective for us, lists the services it provides and translates its value into monetary terms.
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The Tropical Rainforest
Rainforests are one of the oldest and most complex ecosystems on this planet. The weather mechanisms and ecosystem services that are linked with the rainforests are invaluable to the habitability of our precious abode, the earth. This is a biography and tribute to the tropical rainforest.
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Farmer Suicides in India
Farmer suicide is an issue India has faced in the last three decades. To be more precise, this social phenomenon started in the 1990s and is continuing. This article tells why.
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The Street Dogs of Kerala and My Dog Story
It was two years back that I rediscovered my love for dogs. In my childhood, they were around us, owned by us and by the community. They walked around, befriended all of us and were fed by all. Now they are part of a scary propaganda of misinformation and cruelty in our state, Kerala (India).
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Read an Interview With Felix Padel, Renowned Anthropologist and the Great-Great-Grandson of Charles Darwin
This interview was done in 2015, when I visited Felix Padel, famous anthropologist and great-great-grandson of Charles Darwin, in Odisha.
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Living With Nature
Today’s world nearly coerces one to live a major part of life in incessant communication with others. In others words, to go incommunicado feels like a crime. How much solitude is important to rejuvenate the mind and the brain?
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Death: The Ultimate Question of Life
Death is a reality we fear our whole life. The more we think about it, the stranger the complexities and meaning of life seem to us. Civilisations in different periods had different notions about death, and a few of these were as interesting as life itself.