Scientists from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, Université libre de Bruxelles- Institute of Neuroscience, Belgium, Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research, Pune and Sophia College for Women, Mumbai are now a step closer to understanding how the development of neural and glial cells – the two primary cell types in our brains – is regulated in a developing brain.

Prof. Baldev Raj was born on 9th April 1947. He completed his Bachelor of Engineering from the Government Engineering College, Raipur under the Pandit Ravishankar Shukla University (currently National Institute of Technology, Raipur). After completing his BE, Prof. Raj moved to Bengaluru to join Indian Institute of Science to complete his PhD and then moved to Chennai to obtain a Doctor of Science degree from Sathyabama Deemed University.

In a first of its kind study in India, scientists from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) and National Institute of Solar Energy, New Delhi, conducted a detailed survey at 51 locations across India to check for the degradation in the performance of photovoltaic modules. This study, to establish reliability of the modules, could help India achieve the ambitious dream of 100 GW of solar energy by 2022.

Scientists at Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru have developed a new type of energy harvester that uses piezoelectric and electrodynamic mechanisms in a single device.

Energy harvesters are devices which converts ambient sources of energy like solar, wind, thermal or mechanical, into usable electricity. Unlike energy producers which consume fuel to produce energy, energy harvesters can only convert one type of energy into another usable form, usually electricity and often run on renewable energy sources.

Most studies on air pollution focus on intra-city roads. In India, highways constitute 40% of the traffic, making it important to effects of air pollution on and near highways. Scientists from IIT, Kharagpur explore this understudied phenomenon.

With swelling competition and reducing profits, staying environmentally responsible can be extremely challenging for any organization. There is therefore need to develop efficient systems that have minimum environmental impact, said Prof. Saptarshi Basu.

He was speaking at the 2nd International Conference on Sustainable Energy and Environmental Challenges (SEEC-2018) from 31st December 31 to January 3, 2018.

Researchers at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) have proposed a new approach towards restoration of the Edeyarhalli-Doddasampige Wildlife Corridor (ED corridor) near Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve by working in collaboration with the local communities.

Scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) –Madras have developed an efficient, safe and cost-effective treatment strategy for fighting fungal infections, by linking anti-fungal drugs with sugar polymers in order to create gel-like formulations called hydrogels.

The screening of humans and people is important to understand and mitigate the risk of a Zika virus epidemic. In their recent study scientists from the indian institute of Science, Bangalore, chalk out the details of how such a program should be carried out.  

Scientists from the Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research explore whether seasonal variation in abundance of food and water have any effects on the size of elephant groups. The researchers found that although group sizes were larger in the dry season compared to the wet season at the population level, that was not so at the clan level.