Category Archives: Science

Darwin Day

Posted on February 13, 2023 by rgeeta

Happy Birthday, Darwin! Charles Darwin’s name is tightly linked to the idea that evolution, or descent with change, which is brought about by the process of natural selection. Another biologist, Alfred Wallace, also formulated similar ideas at the same time. … Continue reading →

Posted in Dilli o Dilli, Namma Chennai, Science, Science literacy, Society | 2 Comments

COVID-19 Treatment

Posted on May 18, 2021 by rgeeta

In general, there are no known effective anti-viral drugs — not for the common cold, not for influenza, not for HIV, and not for COVID-19. Antibiotics do not work. For mild disease in the case of COVID-19, symptoms are treated … Continue reading →

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COVID-19 Vaccination: A Paean to the Public Health System

Posted on March 10, 2021 by rgeeta

The first dose After cogitating about vaccines – which vaccine, where vaccine, when vaccine, what time vaccine, free/paid vaccine, what-about Cowin: whether register, whether schedule – for some days after vaccination was opened up on March 1, 2021 to the general public … Continue reading →

Posted in Life is like that only, Science, Society | 2 Comments

COVAXIN information

Posted on January 17, 2021 by rgeeta

Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR, New Delhi) Information on the vaccine (Bharat Biotech) Trials Pre-clinical (1) Immunogenecity and protective efficiency in hamsters iScience proof (pdf) (2) Immunogenecity and protective efficiency in rhesus macaques (preprint pdf)m (3) Safety immunogenecity (preprint bioRxiv 2020 Sep; … Continue reading →

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Dengue and Nilavembu kudineer (incl. Andrographis)

Posted on October 12, 2019 by rgeeta

A Siddha medication, nilavembu kudineer, is being distributed by the Tamil Nadu government to control dengue in the state. What is it, and what is the scientific support for the practice? Nilvembu kudineer is a concoction of nilavembu நிலவேம்பு, Andrographis paniculata,  the chief … Continue reading →

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Primers – PepsiCo, potatoes, Indian IPR

Posted on May 17, 2019 by rgeeta

Cottage Industry of write-ups and videos on the topic The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights (PPV&FR) Act, 2001, in context 2019 25 April PepsiCo and potato farmers case  2019 07 May What is seed sovereignty? PepsiCo case 2019 16 May  … Continue reading →

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GM Brinjal, Haryana

Posted on May 14, 2019 by rgeeta

What we do know:  Where? Sirsa and Fatehabad Districts, Haryana What we do not know: What? – GM brinjal – not Bt brinjal?? Whose? – Mahyco? TNAU Coimbatore? UAS Dharwar? Bangladesh? Other? 2019 05 18 Illegal GM brinjal was second crop, officials destroy … Continue reading →

Posted in Bt Cotton et al., Food, Plants and People, Science, Society | Leave a comment

PPV&FRA – Extant variety (VCK); Farmers’ rights

Posted on May 3, 2019 by rgeeta

THE PROTECTION OF PLANT VARIETIES AND FARMERS’ RIGHTS ACT, 2001 (pdf) Extant Varieties Chapter I – 2j “Extant variety” means a variety available in India which is— (i) notified under section 5 of the Seeds Act, 1966 (54 of 1966); or … Continue reading →

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Potatoes, Pepsico, PPV&FR

Posted on May 3, 2019 by rgeeta

Some background on the Gujarat farmer-Pepsico war What is this hot potato, anyway? Potato cultivar FL2027 patent holder is Frito Lay North America Inc. This is the same name under which it was registered (2016) under the PPV&FRA, 2001, India … Continue reading →

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Kerala Rains Flood

Posted on August 26, 2018 by rgeeta

News updates: Times of India  CAG Report on Schemes for Flood Control and Flood Forecasting, Link to complete document NIDM Lecture Series: Reservoir operations in the context of flood risk management (Himanshu Thakkar, IITB). Also see SANDRP site for written account.     Like Dislike

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