3D Surgery, Marine Microalgae, Bird Housing Crisis, Flood Depth, Cancer Cells and more...
Weekly Newsletter | Issue #65 - 25 Mar 26
Greetings from Research Matters!
In this edition of the Research Matters newsletter, we feature research-based articles, new species discoveries, regional stories in Hindi and Marathi, STEM news from other Indian media outlets, and public events to attend. Don’t forget to participate in the India STEAM Quiz, the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math Quiz, with new topical questions every week. And check out Scidle - the science wordle, for a new science word every day.
Featured
World Water Day 2026: Understanding the liquid asset with Dr Veena Srinivasan | Research Matters
On the 22nd of March, World Water Day is observed to advocate sustainable management of water. Research Matters (RM) caught up with Dr Veena Srinivasan, Executive Director, WELL Labs, to get her views on water use and conservation.
Stories in this edition
The Geometry of Surgery: Turning Flat Images into 3D Pathways | IIT Bombay, IIT Goa
Researchers from the Indian Institutes of Technology have developed a computationally efficient method to track the three-dimensional movements of surgical instruments using only standard two-dimensional video feeds and geometric principles.
New study on marine macroalgal DNA barcoding in India shows a bias towards commercial varieties | CSIR-CSMCRI, AcSIR
Comprehensive analysis reveals that only 11% of India’s vast marine seaweed diversity currently has publicly available DNA barcode data, highlighting a massive gap in ocean conservation and aquaculture.
Urbanisation is reshaping bird communities across Northern India, shows study | Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, University of KwaZulu-Natal
A new study reveals that as small Indian cities expand, different bird species are carving out unique survival spaces among concrete and greenery, highlighting the urgent need for climate-smart urban planning.
FlDepth: A new tool that measures flood depths from space | NRSC-ISRO
Scientists at India’s NRSC have developed a rapid, satellite-driven tool that accurately maps the depth of floodwaters, promising faster and more effective disaster rescue operations.
Cancer cells can use oxygen starvation to outsmart death, shows new study | BRIC-RGCB
Scientists at India’s NRSC have developed a rapid, satellite-driven tool that accurately maps the depth of floodwaters, promising faster and more effective disaster rescue operations.
New Species
Mistaken identity leads to the discovery of a new crab species from the Goan mangroves
Four new species of ancient marine snails identified while sifting through fossils from Dwarka Basin
Regional
Hindi: २डी वीडियो से मिलेगी ३डी दृष्टि: शल्य चिकित्सा के क्षेत्र में एक अभिनव पद्धति
Marathi: लॅपरोस्कोपिक शस्त्रक्रियेत भूमितीची किमया: आयआयटी संशोधकांचे अभिनव तंत्रज्ञान
Science Games & Puzzles
India STEAM Quiz
Have you been keeping up with all the top STEAM news from India? Find out with the India STEAM Quiz, a weekly science, technology, engineering, arts and math quiz by Research Matters featuring questions from STEAM-related news from the past week.
And hope you have played (or are playing) the Science Wordle game - Scidle? We have a new word every day! Play and share your score with the world!
Research Beat | STEM-based news in other media
India’s frogs are finding allies from citizen science to sanctuaries - The Hindu
Research identifies new mechanisms to detect and weaken TB bacteria - The Hindu
The evolving diagnostic landscape for tuberculosis - The Hindu
The changemakers: Start-up founders and their hardwork - Hindustan Times
DNA barcoding helps Indian scientists confirm new cockroach species - Times of India
Science and the power of jan bhagidari can lead to a TB-free India - Indian Express
Can Science in India Be a Dream Job? | Dr Karishma S. Kaushik Explains - Frontline Magazine
Rhinos roamed all of north India 3,000 years ago. How did they get confined to Kaziranga - The Print
India’s reproductive cancer burden is complex. HPV vaccination drive alone isn’t enough - The Print
India has 129 pieces of space junk in orbit. What is Isro doing about it? - India Today
AMR genes India: Study finds common antibiotic resistance in cities - Deccan Herald
Events
Negotiations with the Past: Heritage Conservation in Bangalore - Archives at NCBS | NCBS, 27 March
Pancharatnam Lecture - Magnets in a Time-Varying Field: Hysteresis | RRI, 27 March
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