Sunderarajan Padmanabhan
science journalist, secular, love music
Recent articles
Technology
Free Internet access must be considered as a human right
It is hard to imagine life without the internet. It’s true and has been for some time that the Internet is connecting...
Science
DNA is only one among millions of possible genetic molecules
Scientists computed a zoo of millions of alternate genetic polymer molecular structures, giving context for why biology encodes information how it does, and providing potential leads for new drugs and a guide to searches for extraterrestrial biology.
Lifestyle
Family relations matter more than love when it comes to health
Strained family relations may lead to the development or worsening of chronic health conditions.
Science
Scientists discover mood-altering brain receptor
Anxiety, pain, possible targets of new medications.
Science
Measuring gravity using floating atoms
New approach allows gravitational potentials to be measured by holding, rather than dropping, atoms.
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My articles
Science
New method to study insect muscles developed
Much like birds, insects exhibit remarkably variable and versatile flights. Fruit flies, for instance, achieve wing beat frequencies of approximately 200 Hertz. A subset of muscles in insect thoraces called `indirect flight muscles’ power beating...
Science
New biomaterial can address microbial infections on medical implants
Researchers at Hyderabad-based Indian Institute of Chemical Technology have identified a new biomaterial to prevent microbial infections on medical implants like urethral catheters.
Studies have shown that around 70–80% of hospital-acquired infections are due to the use of...
Science
Scientists find new dimension to dynamics of Indian Ocean
Indian scientists have discovered a hitherto unknown effect of the tropical weather phenomenon known as Madden-Julian Oscillation, which plays an important role in determining the fate of Indian summer monsoon.
The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) is an eastward moving...
Health
New study may help address drug resistant pneumococcal diseases
Indian researchers have identified three drug target sites in the genome of Streptococcus pneumoniae, paving the way for developing newer drugs to treat Pneumococcal diseases.
In recent years, Streptococcus pneumoniae has rapidly acquired resistance to several available drugs....
Invention
Correction pen is new tool to make cheap diagnostic kits
The humble correction pen used to mask typos in printed or written text is all set to assume a new avatar. It could soon become an important component in the fabrication of paper-based diagnostic kits.
Paper is becoming...
Invention
Scientists created a method to produce designer hydrogels
A team of scientists at the Bengaluru-based Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) has developed a new technique that promises to produce hydrogels that could be used for a variety of applications like cleaning of...
Environment
Researchers identify missing element in monsoon forecast model
A group of researchers has identified a missing element that is critical in the forecast of rainfall over central parts of India during the summer monsoon.
In recent years, a new category of monsoon models - Coupled General...
Science
New technology can help deploy neural networks on portable devices
A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad has developed a new technique that promises to help deploy high volume artificial neural networks (ANNs) on mobile phones and portable devices.
Artificial neural networks work the...