After revelations by former French President Francois Hollande on the Rafale fighter deal, the Defence Ministry on Saturday said “unnecessary controversies” were being created on the statement, and reiterated that the government had “no role in the selection of Reliance Defence as the offset partner.” The French government and Dassault …

“A new study on sleep patterns suggests that a regular bedtime and wake time is as important for older adults as children.” —Scientific Reports Source : https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/healthline-ritesh-kumar/article25018334.ece

Virtual cure:Virtual reality (VR) therapy is now the buzzword and can help people overcome their greatest terrors. The technology is just now reaching the mainstream after 20 years of research. Equipment is lighter and more affordable, with technological advances spilling over from the gaming industry to help people fight disabling …

The world has witnessed a transformation in health care during the last century. Prescription drugs have helped wipe out diseases and revolutionise cures. The global bio-pharmaceutical industry has seen a steady growth of 3-4% annually over the past five years, with India enjoying an annual growth rate of 9-12%. India …

Blame it on the weather. Swine flu continues to hover over Maharashtra, with health authorities attributing 60 deaths to the lethal H1N1 virus since January this year. While this year has seen fewer casualties than last, say doctors and health officials, a less-dominant, non-lethal strain of the virus, called H3N2, …

Last week, a Jet Airways flight from Mumbai to Jaipur had to return within 45 minutes, after the pilots reportedly “forgot” to turn on the bleed air switch which helps in maintaining cabin pressure. This led to a sudden drop in air pressure inside the aircraft. The situation was scary: …

Have we always been this curious about others’ reading, or has this obsession to keep an eye out for random reading lists been fattened by the ease of sharing pictures and updates on social media? At one level, it’s a bit of stylised production, as people share their neat lists …

The belief that 40% of Indians may be infected with the bacterium is based on a ‘misunderstanding’ You have tested positive for tuberculosis (TB) but not shown any symptoms for two years. Are those germs likely to persist and make you sick years later? Most likely not, suggests a study …

Being teleported to a different time without my laptop, phone, or TV felt good The other day I ran into a perfect storm. The friend I’m staying with in London left for a long trip to India early that morning. Half awake, with the Uber growling outside, he grabbed my …

On August 2, 1914, Franz Kafka wrote in his diary, “Germany has declared war on Russia. Went swimming in the afternoon.” The war he referred to was World War 1, which went on to kill 15-16 million people over the next four years, precipitated the end of the Ottoman Empire …

The battery is made from lithium metal, carbon and an electrolyte that the researchers designed Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a new battery made partly from carbon dioxide captured from power plants. While still based on early-stage research and far from commercial deployment, this battery could …

Animal poop may seem inconsequential but it supplies scientists with precious information: from a tiger’s identity to elephant stress levels. Most recently, faeces of Royle’s pika – a small rabbit-like mammal found in India’s Himalaya – reveal that these animals survive almost entirely on specific plants that grow only in …

A study points out that corneal blindness may no longer be the leading cause A recent World Health Organisation (WHO) report has estimated that, across the world, 19 million children are visually impaired and 1.4 million among them are legally blind. According to the National Program for Control of Blindness, …

“Not the last station from the South, but the first station towards the North”, reads a signboard at the Unification Platform of Dorasan station, hardly 650 metres from the southern border of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Dorasan is on the Gyeongui Line that connects North Korea with the South. …

This column writer recently had a severe attack of very bad cold and cough, and no amount of swallowing antibiotics and vitamin C helped. His wife, Shakti, then recalled her mother’s traditional treatment, ground up a little jaggery and raw ginger, and asked him to have it three times a …