by Nikitha Hadya Source: Reef and Rainforest The River The Kabini River, also known as the Kapila River, is a river in southern India that originates from the Wayanad district of Kerala where the Panaraman and the Mananthavady Rivers converge. The river then flows eastward into Karnataka where it joins the Kaveri River in TirumakudaluContinue reading "The Mighty Kabini River"

” The illusion of unlimited power, nourished by astonishing scientific and technological achievements, has produced the concurrent illusion of having solved the problem of production.” -E.F Schumacher “As I await my blissful fate in the dark and empty garbage truck, I look back on my fruitful life with joy. Manufacturers had crafted my paper bodyContinue reading "Maybe going in circles is actually better"

In the heart of the bustling city of Chennai lies an unsung hero, a silent observer of history, and a forgotten conduit of life - the Buckingham Canal. Located amidst chaos and urban sprawl, this waterway weaves its way through the city, telling stories of the past, reflecting the present, and offering a glimpse intoContinue reading "Buckingham Canal: Chennai’s Liquid Lifeline"

The Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR), located in the Tamil Nadu districts of Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari, is one of the protected places with rich flora and fauna. It is part of the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve and is the second-largest protected area in Tamil Nadu. On the highest sections of the reserve, the vegetation changes fromContinue reading "The Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve"

An engineering wonder of the past that connects rivers and helps impound water Somewhere around the year 1270 King Kalingarayan visits the neighboring kingdom to discuss a possible matrimonial alliance for his son the price. In the kingdom, the head chef who is present there asks his companions what type of rice should he serveContinue reading "The Story of the Kalingarayan Anicut"

With irrigation as its sole primary objective, the Kodiveri dam in the Erode district of Tamil Nadu has played its part throughout many generations. It is the main source of water for agriculture in the peripheral areas of the district. Surprisingly it has not been through any major modifications since it was first built. TheContinue reading "The Kodiveri Dam Story"

For a few decades now the so-called urban cities of modern times have been a hub for diseases originating from abiotic factors, caused primarily through anthropogenic disturbances. To find a solution to this problem caused by pollution and other similar factors, many kinds of research are going on. A few suggested initiatives are also beingContinue reading "The Lifeline of Urban Cities"

Hello Friends, I am Maduranthakam Aeri but no worries you can call me Madhu. Today I will tell you about myself and how I came into existence. Let us go back to the tenth century. This was the time when King Uttama Chola of the Chola Dynasty also known as Madhuranthakar, Don’t we sound theContinue reading "Help me, I want to live… The Story of a Lake"

A heat wave phenomenon is currently on the rise, in both frequency and lethality, in India and many other countries around the world. Heat waves are caused by high atmospheric pressure systems that compress and heat up the air while decreasing cloud cover simultaneously. Without clouds above, sunlight directly strikes the ground below, removing moistureContinue reading "The Heat Waves in India"

The once magnificent lakes belonging to the district of Nilgiris are now one of the most polluted water bodies in the country, owing to the pollution caused by the locals and the tourists collectively. Though there is a Sewage treatment plant (STP) present in the district its inefficiency in handling the entirety of waste producedContinue reading "Lake of Scenic Beauty Turning Into A Harbour For Plastic"

Over the last few years, huge metropolitan cities worldwide are seeing an increase in urbanization and development programs. In India, close to 35.39% of our population lives in urban areas. Before discussing peri-urban we have to establish the meaning behind the word “urban.” Different countries have different measures to classify an area as “urban” orContinue reading "Two lakes, One mission"

by Jainam S Jain Poecilotheria is derived from the Greek words "poikilos" (spotted) and "therion" (wild beast). Regalis means "royal". They are members of the Arachnida class and the Araneae order. These spiders can be found in the southern regions of the Eastern and Western Ghats in the states of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, andContinue reading "Poecilotheria Regalis – Indian Ornamental Tree Spider"

Located in the Erode district of Tamil Nadu this hospitable sanctuary is home to about 150 migratory and nonmigratory species of birds. With tons of water and agricultural land nearby thousands of native and migratory birds visit this wetland every year. Though the total land area within the sanctuary is very little the flora presentContinue reading "Vellode Bird Sanctuary – A Safe Heaven for All Birds"

When most think of Pondicherry, they usually think of the picturesque French colonies and resorts, the clean-looking beaches, and the Auroville township. But known only to locals, it is a very interesting species of reptile. Described first by Edward Blyth in 1853, the reptile according to his lens, had “a long slender body, an elongatedContinue reading "Pondicherry’s Unique Reptile Story"

Often at times, when people hear of Kerala, they think of, naturally, bananas, coconuts, lush plantations, and of course, the infamous houseboats. When you look up pictures of Kerala and see the beautifully crafted houseboats floating through a clear body of water, it is likely that you are looking at the Vembanad Lake, the largestContinue reading "India’s Largest Lake is Struggling to Breathe – The Major Issues Plaguing Vembanad"

Renewable energy sources have been all the buzz over the past decade. They refer to those sources which are replenished at a faster rate than they are consumed. Solar energy, sourced from sun rays, hydro energy, sourced from moving water, and wind power, sourced from winds are the most common forms of renewable energy seenContinue reading "The Paradox of Renewable Energy in India"

The term "cradle of speciation" describes an area where several new species have evolved over the years. High levels of biodiversity and a wide variety of ecosystems, such as mountains, islands, and rainforests, are frequent characteristics of these areas. India is known for its remarkable biodiversity, making it a cradle of speciation. The country hasContinue reading "The Cradle of Speciation"

When we think of Indian deserts, we only think of the Thar. The Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan and Rajasthan both contain portions of the Thar or Great Indian Desert. The majority of us might not be familiar with the small desert found in Tamil Nadu called Theri. It only exists in the  Tiruchendur,Continue reading "Theri Kaadu – The Red Desert in Tamil Nadu"

by Rajshri Ravichandran India is one of the world's 12 major biodiversity countries. Ten biogeographic regions make up the nation. Diverse physical characteristics and climatic conditions have created biological habitats such as forests, grasslands, marshes, coastal and marine ecosystems, and desert ecosystems, which house and support enormous biodiversity. Additionally, this nation is one of theContinue reading "India, a Megadiverse Country"

by Rajshri Ravichandran Trees, from the massive redwoods to the delicate dogwoods, cannot exist without their microbial companions. A large, linked network of organisms called fungi and bacteria, numbering in the millions, exchange nourishment between soil and tree roots throughout the forest. Currently, using data of much more than 28,000 species of trees found inContinue reading "Wood Wide Web"

എന്നെ നിങ്ങൾക്ക് നന്നായി അറിയാമായിരിക്കും, ഞാൻ മീനച്ചിലാർ സഹ്യനിൽ നിന്നും ഒഴുകിയെത്തുന്ന പാലായുടെ സ്വന്തം മീനച്ചിലാർ. ഒഴുകിയെത്തുമ്പോൾ പല പേരുകൾ കേൾക്കുമെങ്കിലും മീനച്ചില്ലെന്ന് കേൾക്കാനാ എനിക്ക് ഇഷ്ടം. വരുന്ന വഴിയെല്ലാം ചാടിക്കളിച്ചും, ചെറിയ കുറുമ്പുകൾ കാട്ടിയും ഞാൻ ഇങ്ങനെ ഒഴുകികൊണ്ടേ ഇരിക്കുന്നു. ജനിച്ചപ്പോൾ എന്റെ ഏക ജോലി സഹ്യനിലേ മഴവെള്ളം അങ്ങ് വേമ്പനാട് കായലിൽ കൊണ്ടേൽപ്പിക്കുന്നതായിരുന്നു. പക്ഷേ ഞാനിന്ന് ഒരു വലിയ സമൂഹത്തിനെ ഭാഗമാണ്. Image Source: The Hindu ഇക്കണ്ട മനുഷ്യർക്കും സസ്യ ജന്തു ജീവജാലങ്ങൾക്കുമെല്ലാംContinue reading "മീനച്ചിലാർ മനസ് തുറന്നപ്പോൾ"

Luni River is the only saline river in India. The word "Luni" is taken from the Sanskrit word "lavanavari," which signifies salt water. The high salinity of the river is the reason behind its name. For the initial hundred kilometres, the freshwater in Luni is fresh, but as it gets closer to Balotra in Barmer,Continue reading "Luni River"

by Rajshri Ravichandran Source: Teahub A substantial portion of India's floral and faunal richness can be found in sacred groves, which are lengths of forest or other natural habitats of varied sizes that are typically safeguarded by the local populations. They are regarded as sacred and are frequently connected to temples, monks, or shrines. SinceContinue reading "Sacred Groves Across India"

by Rajshri Ravichandran Ramsar Sites constitute wetlands of worldwide significance that have been recognised according to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands for their significance in preserving biodiversity or for possessing important, uncommon, or unusual wetland varieties. Source: UPSC Colorfull notes The total of Ramsar sites across India has now increased to a total of 75Continue reading "India’s Latest RAMSAR Sites You Need to Keep An Eye Out For"

by Rajshri Ravichandran Trade winds sweep west along the equator in the Pacific Ocean under typical conditions, carrying hot water from Latin America towards Asia. Upwelling is the process by which cool water flows from the deep to substitute that warm water. These typical conditions are disrupted by the opposing climate patterns known as LaContinue reading "La Nina and El Nino Effect in India"

by Shanmugam Ganesan and Byeongchan Kang, American International School Chennai (AISC) Abstract This study aims to identify and discover water bodies of high nitrate levels across Chennai. Doing so is important because in excess, nitrate has been shown to be toxic to aquatic organisms and humans. Using an Arduino Uno Wifi Rev 2 connected toContinue reading "Study on Nitrate Pollution in Freshwater of Chennai"

This piece narrates the story of a transient fishing community and their vast knowledge base in dry fish production. However, when the state intervenes, these fisherfolk are subjected to loss of livelihoods. Jambudwip is an uninhabited fishing island in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. The island is located at the southwestern tipContinue reading "Community Conservancy: Case Study on the Island of Jambudwip, Sundarbans"