Episodes

  • Preserving The Constitution Of India

    Preserving The Constitution Of India

     The Intersection Season 2, Episode 29
    Aug 19 2019
    Our constitution was under attack (from natural elements). Protecting this historic document from deterioration was critical. When two boxes hooked up to nitrogen and oxygen cylinders were delivered to the Indian parliament in 1995, it was significant moment in the preservation of the Indian constitution. Padmaparna and Samanth investigate the science that ensures the protection of the very foundation of this country.
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    12 mins
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  • Dinosaurs - A Geological Murder Mystery

    Dinosaurs - A Geological Murder Mystery

     The Intersection Season 2, Episode 28
    Aug 19 2019
    Dinosaurs are sexy beasts. They have colonised our imaginations in movies, books, cartoons and other popular media. The mystery around what happened to them and how they got blitzed off the face of the earth, is what keeps their story alive. A group of geologists is trying to pin down the Earth’s ancient history from millions of years ago, specifically the part that could tell us what happened to dinosaurs. In this episode, we look at how India sits in the middle of this murder mystery.
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    24 mins
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  • Our Plastic Addiction Is Destroying The Planet

    Our Plastic Addiction Is Destroying The Planet

     The Intersection Season 2, Episode 27
    Aug 19 2019
    Of the 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic produced till today, 6.3 billion metric tons has become plastic waste and ONLY nine percent of this has been recycled. After languishing in landfills or floating around as trash, nearly all of this ends up in our oceans. There is plastic in our fish, and even in our soil. Traditionally, India, because of its thrifty behaviour, has a history of reusing things. But that too is changing. And recycling alone is no longer the answer to our plastic addiction. Find out more about how plastic is causing serious damage to our eco-system and what we can do about it, in this episode of The Intersection.
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    26 mins
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  • A Mystery That Goes Back More Than 4,500 Years

    A Mystery That Goes Back More Than 4,500 Years

     The Intersection Season 2, Episode 26
    Aug 19 2019
    The Indus Valley Civilization was a Bronze Age civilisation spread across the northwestern regions of South Asia; it was one of three early centres of civilisations of the Old World, and the most widespread. In this episode we look at how the landscape evolved in the Western part of India during the Holocene. And how humans interacted with the changing environment. And what that can inform the current climate challenges we face.
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    15 mins
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  • Do You Speak Esperanto?

    Do You Speak Esperanto?

     The Intersection Season 2, Episode 25
    Aug 19 2019
    What if the world spoke one language? And we never needed Google Translate? One man dreamt of such a language a century ago -- Esperanto. In this episode, we explore the life of Lakshmiswar Sinha, the most famous Indian Esperantist of the 20th century -- a man who at one time was a much sought-after speaker of this utopian language.
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    15 mins
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  • What Insects Could Teach Humans (And Robots) About 3D Vision

    What Insects Could Teach Humans (And Robots) About 3D Vision

     The Intersection Season 2, Episode 24
    Aug 19 2019
    Humans take 3D vision for granted--we don't stop to gauge the distance of a cup of chai on the table before reaching out for it. It is a complicated process that requires highly-developed neural networks. Or does it? Scientists have found several animals, including insects, use 3D vision without brains as large as ours. Studying these creatures and their behaviour can help humans better design vision systems for our own kind and for the robots we build. On this episode, Padma and Samanth deep-dive into the fascinating phenomenon of 3D vision in the insect kingdom. Music: Josh Woodward
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    28 mins
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  • How A New Generation Of Stem Books Are Putting The Fun Back In Fundamentals

    How A New Generation Of Stem Books Are Putting The Fun Back In Fundamentals

     The Intersection Season 2, Episode 23
    Aug 19 2019
    For many children, especially in India, the thought of picking up a science or maths book inspires terror. There's no fun in a system that promotes rote learning over curiosity and understanding. Fortunately, things are changing. Books that explain STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) concepts in an interesting and engaging way are finding space on children's bookshelves and in school libraries and inspiring kids to embrace the subjects instead of running away from them. On this episode of The Intersection, Padma speaks to the folks at Pratham Books--an organization that publishes titles on things from friction, bio-luminescence and evolution to subtraction, spiders and blue whales--about the importance of introducing children to these concepts at an early age and making science and maths more fun for them. Music: Josh Woodward
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    15 mins
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  • Could Lab-Grown Meat Save The World?

    Could Lab-Grown Meat Save The World?

     The Intersection Season 2, Episode 22
    Aug 19 2019
    A recent study found that India's farmed chickens are dosed with the world's strongest antibiotics. This is done so that they're immune to diseases they could contract in the cramped, filthy quarters that they're kept in. All over the world, the meat industry treats animals cruelly, to meet our huge demands and this is contributing to our destruction of the planet. But a few scientists are working to change this. On this episode of The Intersection, Samanth and Padma break down the science of lab-grown meat and discover what it tastes like. Music: Josh Woodward
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    18 mins
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