The making of an urban forest
Dedicated citizens in one Indian city have turned an abandoned mining site into a thriving green oasis.
My Work
Below is a selection of my published work, including features, essays, explainers, and longform stories across beats.
Study finds urbanisation is reshaping frog communities in the Western Ghats
A new study in Udupi found that urbanisation may be reshaping amphibian communities by filtering out species based on certain functional traits. Species with specialised traits were associated with less-urbanised habitats farther from the city centre, while generalist species with adaptable traits showed greater urban tolerance.
Researchers describe a new fanged frog species that builds mud nests on the forest floor
Scientists have described a new species of fanged frog, Limnonectes motijheel, from Namdapha Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh.
Scientists report plastic-rock formation from India’s western coast
Researchers have documented evidence of a plastic-rock hybrid from Maharashtra’s Diveagar beach. This finding highlights a critical transition where plastics are no longer merely pollutants, but are actively participating in sedimentary processes.
Secretive jungle cats need habitats outside protected areas: study
A new study’s finding that jungle cats use agricultural landscapes aligns with previous knowledge of the species. In and around farms, these cats keep rodent populations in check, thus ‘protecting’ crops. However, these landscapes lie outside protected areas and harbour several threats, including fragmented habitats and speeding vehicles.
Artificial Nesting Structures May Act as Ecological Traps for White-Bellied Sea Eagles
A new study finds that white-bellied sea eagles nesting on towers along Odisha’s coast produced fewer fledglings than those nesting on trees.
How Artisanal Cheese is Saving Traditional Herders
Efforts to connect pastoral communities to new markets paid off.
Psyched Up: Body Language Analysis Cannot Help You Decode Another Person
Despite what some body language experts say, there are no proven signs of deception. In 'Psyched Up', we find out what’s wrong with the pop psychology fads we love.
Loneliness Is Officially a Public Health Concern
The medical framework to loneliness may, however, individualize what is a complex part of the human condition.
Human Noise Is Now the Sound of Extinction
With environmental degradation, ecologists say natural sounds are going eerily silent -- the loudness of humans is taking over the planet.
Everyone's Sleepless, Exhausted. Why Did Rest Become So Scarce?
The choice to sacrifice sleep isn’t really a choice – it’s structurally built-in.
Psyched Up: We’re Probably Getting Attachment Styles All Wrong
Unlike what Instagram suggests, the attachment theory isn’t a way to diagnose potential – or failing – relationships. Or people. In 'Psyched Up', we find out what’s wrong with the pop psychology fads we love.
The Dark Legacy of Scientific Research Using Marginalized Bodies
Radioactive roti experiments reveal the troubling history of Black, Brown, and colonized women being experimented on.
You Own Your Data Even Less Now
India’s Data Protection Bill, explained
Ghostland
What is driving young Indians’ belief in the paranormal?
From Hearing Colors to Seeing Ultraviolet, Is Enhancement the Future of Human Senses?
Cyborgs among us are already employing tech to “unlock” new senses and alter their reality. In The Future Of, we unpack technology’s growing influence on our lives to answer the pressing question — What lies ahead?
From ‘Smart Graveyards’ to Griefbots, Is Digital Immortality the Future of Death?
Death tech’s pursuit of “digital immortality” is reshaping how we process loss. In The Future Of, we unpack technology’s growing influence on our lives to answer the pressing question — What lies ahead?
Virgins, Again
If virginity is a social construct, why are so many women covertly undergoing surgery to ‘restore’ it?
Artificial Wombs to Enhanced Babies, How Ethical is the Future of Birth?
Reproductive technologies could liberate women from the burden of pregnancy, but remain fraught with controversy. In The Future Of, we unpack technology’s growing influence on our lives to answer the pressing question — What lies ahead?
Memory Can be Enhanced, Manipulated, and Edited. Will the Future of Memory be Ethical?
Researchers are discovering it is possible to engineer memory, raising concerns about the ethics of tampering with human memories in the future. In The Future Of, we unpack technology’s growing influence on our lives to answer the pressing question — What lies ahead?
Robots, Virtual Intimacy and Sex in Space. Is This the Future of Sex?
With advanced sextech, virtual reality and artificial intelligence on the horizon, experts believe a sexual revolution is brewing. What do we stand to gain – or lose? In The Future Of, we unpack technology’s growing influence on our lives to answer the pressing question — What lies ahead?
Geologists May Soon Define ‘The Anthropocene’ as a New Age in Earth’s History
Geologists are in the process of choosing a site that best describes the Anthropocene, to formally recognize the widespread impacts of humans on the planet.
In Defense of Quiet Passion
The expectation that passion should be loud and visible distances us from the joy of self-discovery.
Only Four De‑Addiction Centers for Women Exist in India, Says Minister for Social Justice
Limited women-only rehabilitation centers and systemic issues restrict women’s access to treatment for substance abuse.
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