Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati have developed a genetically modified variety of cowpea resistant to Mungbean Yellow Mosaic India Virus. Since the legume grain is one of the major sources of protein for a section of the country’s population, this discovery is important to ensure that the yield of the crops is not affected.

Scientists from Sun Yat-sen University, China, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Delhi, Indian Institute of Rice Research and Agri Biotech Foundation have explored the microbiome or microbes associated with a major rice pest, Asian Rice Gall Midge.

The conversion of lush green forests into plantation for the profit of the East India Company still have lasting effects on the Indian wildlife today. Researchers from the Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore, study the conflict between leopards and humans due to this altered landscape. They find that from tea plantations to protected areas, leopard inflict non fatal attacks on humans, which are most likely the big cats attempt to defend itself.

An international team of scientists from Indian Institute of Technology –Indore, India, University of Witwatersrand,  South Africa, Raman Research Institute, India, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, India and Australia Telescope National Facility, Australia has, for the first time, calculated the power radiated by high-energy electrons in radio galaxies and galaxy clusters.

Scientists from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research at Mohali, study how a type of genetic material called messenger RNA (mRNA)and how it interacts with STAR proteins. The findings of the study shed light on protein folding and could also be used to design new types of drugs.

If ever the Beatles were to be formed again, they would definitely agree to rope in field crickets, the distant rockstar relatives of grasshoppers, into their influential band. The male members of the Gryllidae family are noted in the animal world for the music they make with their forewings. As the sun goes down and the dark is welcome, the musical concert of adult male field crickets goes live. Some sing continuous trills, the others produce periodic chirps to enchant the ladies of their own species for mating.

Researchers from the CSIR- Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh have discovered the presence of a novel cryptic virus tentatively called the Arhar cryptic virus-1 in Pigeonpea plants from pigeonpea field in Telangana state.

Scientists from Indian Institute of Technology- Dhanbad have been looking at the available technological options to turn waste to energy for an effective source of waste management and energy production.

A collaborative study by scientists from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, Indian Agricultural Research Institute and National Research Centre for Plant Biotechnology shows how genetically modified soil micro-organisms can help restore nutrients in the soil to increase crop yield.

In the study of evolutionary biology, a lot of importance is given to trade offs in the survival of organisms. Questions like when should a predator hunt or when should it conserve energy, when should a prey remain solitary and when should it be social, are often always answered by weighing in the tradeoffs. Another important aspect of an organism’s life is passing on its genes and hence, many tradeoffs come into play when studying different mating systems seen in nature.