Author: Bhavana Das

Fennel seeds are small and oval spices. The scientific name of the plant of these seeds is Foeniculum vulgare, a culinary herb with some medicinal value. The fennel plant features are green and white, with feathery leaves and yellow flowers. The fennel seeds have a sweet flavor, like licorice. Fennel seeds are widely used in Western culture and are traditionally used in Italian cuisine. In India, fennel seeds are known as Saunf and have been used as a post-meal digestive aid. India is one of the largest exporters of fennel seeds. These seeds have numerous health benefits, such as promoting…

UNEP’s Food Waste Index Report 2024 says that globally, around 1.05 billion tonnes of food is wasted in 2022, nearly one-fifth of all the food available to its consumers. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and WRAP, a non-profit organization in the US, published this report on Wednesday. The report stated that while 1.05 billion tons of food waste was generated in 2022, around 783 million people worldwide were affected by hunger and food insecurity, affecting the global economy, fuelling climate change, nature loss, and pollution. UNEP’s alarming findings about food waste The report’s main findings were released on March…

A recent study published in the journal Current Biology reveals that Beethoven, one of the greatest music composers in history, was not that exceptional. The DNA tests reveal that Beethoven had a poor musical predisposition. Predisposition generally refers to the genetic susceptibility or likelihood of developing a certain disease. However, a team of researchers from the Max Plank Institute for Empirical Aesthetics (MPIEA) in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and for Psycholinguistics (MPI-PL) in Nijmegen, Netherlands, performed DNA analysis of Beethoven’s DNA to investigate his genetic “musical” predisposition. Who is Beethoven? Ludwig van Beethoven, born in 1770 in Bonn, Germany, was…

A new study published in Nature Communications reveals that planting trees in the wrong locations can lead to global warming. With the increase in restoration efforts to increase the tree cover and alleviate global warming, the study shows how tree planting in certain areas outweighs the cooling effect and leads to more heating. This results from albedo, i.e., the fraction of solar light reflected back to space by Earth.  The study by researchers at Clark University in the U.S. analyses the locations on Earth where restoration efforts to plant trees are more effective for cooling the global climate system.  How…

On March 26, people worldwide celebrate World Purple Day, also called Epilepsy Awareness Day, to increase awareness about epilepsy, a neurological disorder that causes recurring seizures. Epilepsy, despite being a common neurological disorder, there is a significant prevalence of misconceptions surrounding it. World Purple Day is a global effort to raise awareness about epilepsy, demystifying it to improve the lives of those millions of people affected by it.  All about Epilepsy According to WHO, around 50 million people worldwide are affected by epilepsy, making it one of the most common neurological disorders globally. Epilepsy is a non-communicable neurological disorder of…

On Sunday, Bharat Biotech announced that it has started the Tuberculosis (TB) vaccine MTBVAC trials in India. This is the Phase-3 trial for the first human source-derived TB vaccine, developed by a Spanish Biopharmaceutical company, Biofabri, in collaboration with Bharat Biotech International Ltd. The trials aim to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of MTBVAC.  MTBVAC TB Vaccine Tuberculosis, also known as TB, is an infectious air-borne disease caused by bacteria that mainly affects the lungs. It is a preventable disease and can be treated.  According to WHO, around 25% of the world’s population has contracted TB bacteria. However, only in…

This Thursday, a genetically modified pig kidney transplant was successfully performed on a 62-year-old patient in the US. The Massachusetts-based patient named Richard (Rick) Slayman underwent a four-hour surgery on March 16, is currently recovering well, and is expected to be discharged soon. Rick has previously received a human kidney transplant that showed signs of failure after five years. Xenotransplantation, the process of transplanting organs from animals to humans, is a brimming hope to tackle the shortage of donated organs worldwide. However, specific essential measures are taken to ensure a successful transplantation of animal organs into humans. The procedures are…

A recent study published in the journal Geology suggests the Atlantic Ocean’s looming fate that it could be swallowed by the expanding subduction zone known as the ‘Ring of Fire.’ The research by the University of Lisbon focuses on the subduction zone beneath the Gibraltar Strait, also known as the Gibraltar arc, which stretches between Portugal and Morocco. This subduction zone can expand westward into the Atlantic Ocean and swallow it.  Understanding the Gibraltar subduction zone In geological terms, the Gibraltar subduction zone’s shift is expected to happen soon, likely in about 20 million years. Tectonic plates are constantly moving…

The Global E-waste Monitor (GEM) report alerts that the global electronic waste (e-waste) generation is increasing five times faster than recycling. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) published a report on Wednesday. The report stated that in 2022, the amount of electronic waste produced was 62 million tonnes, equivalent to filling around 1.55 million 40-tonne trucks. If you line up these trucks, they would encircle the equator. E-waste generation skyrockets The report shows that metals like copper, gold, and iron make up 50% of the total 62 million tonnes worth around…

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) issued a “red alert” on global warming, reflecting on its climate change report. It highlights a significant increase in greenhouse gases, land and water temperatures, and glaciers and sea ice last year. The UN’s weather agency, WMO, has confirmed that 2023 was the warmest year on record. The average near-surface temperature was 1.45 ± 0.12°C above the pre-industrial level. Moreover, this period is the highest in the past ten years. The WMO predictions say there is a ‘high probability’ that 2024 will likely be another record-hot year. WMO’s report on climate change The report reflects…