Beneficial Biofuels: The Food, Energy and Environment Trilemma. Dr. Ashwani Kumar Professor of Botany (Emeritus) Former Hon Director, Life Sciences and Head Department of Botany, University of…

A recent article, "Cloned Cows: Less In, More Out" raised the question of food safety, since its sale was approved by the FDA last year. However, my concerns are much more fundamental.  The…

Gross generalizations about atheists remain in style. A letter in response to a Sunday New York Times article in the Week in Review section, by Nicholas Wade. Dear Mr. Wade, While I always enjoy -…

Nicholas Wade has a new article on the evolution of religion. Evolution of the God Gene http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/weekinreview/12wade.html?hpw He seems to be making the case for a…

wind energy and climate change During 11th plan Government of India has proposed 78,500 MW capacity development out of which renewable energy is to account for 14000 MW including 10,000 MW of wind…

PRODUCTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF HYDROCARBONS IN LATICIFER PLANTS V1A.66 A. Kumar, V.R. Kumar, S. Parveen, V.P.S. Shekhawat, A. Kotiya Department of Botany, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur – 302 004,…

In a review of Gladwell's new book: An eclectic essayist is necessarily a dilettante, which is not in itself a bad thing. But Gladwell frequently holds forth about statistics and psychology, and his…

As scientific research steps forward, the reasons for our choices, our decisions, our feelings are studied from all sides, to the point where there isn’t much left of our free-will. Why should it be…

  Soccer-Ball-Sized Submersible Robots Will Track Ocean Currents and Disasters at Sea The National Science Foundation has awarded almost $1 million to develop a swarm of underwater robotic…

AYURVEDIC MEDICINES: SOME POTENTIAL PLANTS FOR MEDICINE FROM INDIA. Ashwini Kumar Former Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, Insitut fur Pflanzenernaehrung der Justus Liebig Universitat, Giessen.…

Butea monosperma Roxb. ex Willd. Vernacular Names :- Assam : Polah ; Bengal : Kinka ; Bihar : Paras ; Bombay : Khakara ; Central provinces : Pharas ; English : Flame of the forest, Bastard teak ;…

Abrus precatorius Linn. Vernacular Names :- Assam : Latuwani ; Bengal : Chunhati ; Bombay : Ghungchi ; English : Indian liquorice ; Gujrat : Chanoti ; Hindi : Chirmiti, Rati ; Punjab : Labri Ratak…

I wish to report here the moves of a game of chess I played on the Internet Chess Club a moment ago, against a similarly rated opponent. This was a 5' game -all your moves have to be done in five…

The Berlusconi government is about to force a devastating law through the Italian bicameral system. And I am appalled by the absurdity of the situation and by the straight face these clowns who…

Slimeball… a derogative term to be sure, from the modern usage, but before it was ever dragged down to the world of insults and verbal nastiness we know it for today, the scum of which we speak and…

I'm at a conference. It's keeping me busy. Today my friend and fellow conspirator^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H grad student Julie gave an awesome talk about Humboldt squid in the California Current. Also, there…

Like most mountainous areas, Bowron makes its own weather system and it appears you get everything in a 24-hour period. In fact, whatever weather you are enjoying seems to change 40 minutes later;…

I recently attempted to write an article with the above title for a writing competition that I randomly decided to enter. I have to admit that I failed miserably. It’s a pretty hard topic to write…

Thousand ha of land is lying as wasteland between Ahamedabad to Bhavnagar but Prosopis juliflora , Salvadora  prominent. On inland wasteland areas CSMCRI has done very good Jatropha cultivation…

There was an interesting article "'Significant Amount' of Water Found on Moon" which was also followed by "Water on Moon Propaganda". While the former is interesting, the latter is quite entertaining…