where history comes alive
The year is 1991. India, a nation of immense diversity and ancient traditions, stood at a precipice. Decades of socialist-inspired economic policies, often dubbed the ‘License Raj,’ had stifled innovation and growth. The economy was like a ship struggling against a gale, burdened by protectionism, state control, and a labyrinthine bureaucracy. Then, a crisis hit … Read more
The simple, almost mundane act of lighting a cigarette from a memorial, as might have happened recently, serves as a stark reminder of a profound human endeavor: commemoration. It’s a moment that, while potentially disrespectful to some, unlocks a vast, complex history of how societies grapple with memory, honor their past, and imbue objects with … Read more
Imagine a world teeming with vibrant life, where the ocean floor is a kaleidoscope of colors and textures. Dominating this underwater spectacle are the sea stars, those iconic five-armed (or more!) creatures, clinging to rocks, gracefully navigating kelp forests, and playing a crucial role in the marine ecosystem. For millennia, they have been a constant, … Read more
On August 6, 2025, a silent, red world buzzed with an unseen conversation. High above the ochre plains and ancient, eroded craters of Mars, NASA’s Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) was performing its celestial ballet. Below, on the dusty surface, the indefatigable Curiosity rover, a testament to humanity’s relentless drive for knowledge, was diligently carrying out … Read more
The sky above the battlefield has always been a coveted vantage point. For centuries, commanders peered through telescopes, dispatched cavalry scouts, or sent reconnaissance balloons aloft, all in a desperate bid to understand the enemy’s disposition. But imagine a scout that never tires, never feels the bite of fear, and can fly where no human … Read more
The story of the United States and India, two titans of democracy and diverse cultures, is not a tale of constant camaraderie, but rather a fascinating, often intricate dance of evolving relations and trade. For much of the early 20th century, as India fought for its independence from British rule, the United States watched from … Read more
The year is 1982. The air in Beirut is thick with the scent of dust, cordite, and a simmering desperation. Lebanon, once a jewel of the Levant, is fractured. Its delicate mosaic of communities is being torn apart by civil war, and the Israeli invasion has plunged the nation into a brutal new chapter. Amidst … Read more
Imagine a world not of steel and concrete, but of colossal ferns, steamy swamps, and skies tinted with hues we can only guess at. This was the Earth millions of years ago, a planet breathing a different air. But how can we possibly know what that air was like? The answer, surprisingly, lies not in … Read more
Imagine standing on a mountaintop, the inky blackness of night unfurling above, studded with an impossible number of stars. Now, zoom out. Far, far out. So far, in fact, that our sun becomes an infinitesimal speck, our familiar galaxy, the Milky Way, a mere swirl in a cosmic ocean. This is the humbling perspective offered … Read more
Imagine the colossal ice sheet of Greenland, a seemingly immutable monument of frozen history. Now, picture it groaning, cracking, and tearing apart from below. This isn’t a scene from a disaster movie; it’s a stark reality unfolding deep beneath the ice, a geological drama with the potential to rewrite our planet’s future. For centuries, Greenland … Read more