James Fodor’s The Science of Everything on Spotify is like having a friendly science teacher right in your earbuds. Each episode delves into an array of captivating subjects spanning the realms of both natural and social sciences, from how our bodies work, the origins of life and exploring social phenomena like human behaviour and cultural evolution. Fodor breaks down complex topics into easy-to-understand explanations, making science fun and accessible for everyone. His passion for the subject shines through, keeping listeners engaged and eager to learn more. Whether you’re a science buff or just curious about the world around you, The Science of Everything is the perfect podcast to expand your knowledge and spark your curiosity.

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The United Nations General Assembly declared 11 February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science to help achieve equal access and participation in science for women and girls, and further achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. A significant gender gap has persisted throughout the years at all levels of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines all over the world. Even though women have made tremendous progress towards increasing their participation in higher education, they are still under-represented in these fields.

The number of women working, studying and researching in science fields needs to increase significantly over the next few years, as they have a huge role in pushing science forward. We need more girls and women in science and we can support this by encouraging young girls to choose careers in science and showing them female role models who made significant contributions to the world of science.

Let’s take a look at some women role models in science.

Marie Curie: Together with her husband, she was awarded half of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1903 for their study into spontaneous radiation.

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World Science Day for Peace and Development is celebrated every year on the 10 November. It is an important day to highlight and reflect on the important role that science plays in every aspect of our world today.

This day was declared as an international day by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and was celebrated for the first time on 10 November 2002. Science covers almost every facet of our lives and the thought behind this day was to have a day for citizens in our ever-changing world to hear of new and interesting discoveries, improvements and developments in science today. The key thought was to link or bring science closer to society while never losing focus on the sustainability angle which has a direct impact on every one of us.

The theme for World Science Day this year is ‘Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development’. Each annual theme works towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs). These SDGs were formulated and adopted by all U.N. member nations in 2015. The aim was to put clear goals in place and achieve a cleaner, healthier planet by the year 2030.

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Here’s a question: what did you do first today when you woke up? Did you brush your teeth using a toothpaste of your preferred brand? Would this also be one of your last actions before hitting the bed at night? But why, though? Well, of course, we learned in our formative years that brushing our teeth twice a day can potentially prevent the development of plaque formed from bacteria acting on residual food particles. We impress this basic oral hygiene habit upon every generation not only because of the lessons learned from experience, but also due to the science behind it.

Our day begins and ends with a little bit of science, doesn’t it? Every hour of every day, we perform actions that are closely associated with science. There is a scientific explanation that is sought and discovered for almost every crucial element of life. Time moves because of the Earth’s orbital motion. Our bodies transform due to chemical and biological phenomena inside and around us. We walk around so casually because of the concept of gravity. Science is the language in which the nature of life itself is explained.

In 1930, an Indian physicist by the name of Sir C. V. Raman became the first Asian to be awarded a Nobel Prize in any field of science through a spectacular discovery that when light travels through a transparent medium, there is a change in the wavelength and frequency of the deflected light. He also worked extensively on the analysis of Indian percussion instruments and famously reframed the explanation of why the sea appears blue. The Raman Effect was discovered on 28 February 1928; almost forty years before India won its independence. This shows that there was an abundance of brilliant minds that was never shackled by a lack of liberty.

Fast forward to the present, this day, 28 February is celebrated as National Science Day.

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According to the latest research, the number of admissions in the science stream post 10th grade/standard has increased, while admissions for engineering and medical fields have decreased. The same is the case with the clichéd fields in commerce and arts. Thus, the time for alternate career fields or hatke careers has arrived.

Here are a few alternate careers to the mainstream careers we are usually familiar with.

Engineering se hatke!

India has a total of 6,214 engineering and technology institutions in which around 2.9 million students are enrolled. Every year on an average 1.5 million students get their degree in engineering, but due to lack of skills required to perform technical jobs, less than 20 per cent get employment in their core domain. Admissions for the medical fields are decreasing as well. Hence, think of the following as alternates:

Microbiologist: 2020 broke all of us with the pandemic. It was quite scary to see a small virus wreck so many lives. However, it brought the whole world closer. Every major country, including India, banded together to look for a vaccine for this deadly virus. India itself came up with two vaccines. Ever wonder who these heroes are who worked hard to save the world? It was the microbiologists who worked hard to achieve this feat! You too can be like them. Just take a B.Sc. in Microbiology post the 12th grade followed by a Masters. You could work in a research lab anywhere in the world.

Pharmacist: Every tablet or syrup you find bitter is made by a pharmaceutical company. With pharmacy you could work in the frontline of making medicine and distributing medicine for a whole range of sicknesses. All you need to do is to take B. Pharm. post your 12th grade.

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National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) is held for admission to the undergraduate medical courses in all medical institutions. Since you’re interested in pure science courses, you’re not required to appear in NEET.

Pure sciences are usually classified into two categories — physical sciences and biological sciences.

Physical sciences deal with non-living things — from the tiny particles that make up an atom to the universe itself. Its subject areas include Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Mathematics and Physics. Study in this field can lead to careers like actuary, architect, computer programmer, engineer, horticulturist, merchant navy personnel, meteorologist, scientist, etc.

Biological sciences deal with the relationships between all living things, their environments, and the ways to maintain certain conditions to preserve life. Zoology, Botany and Microbiology come under this category. Graduates in these fields have found work as physiologists, physicians, physical therapists, medical illustrators, microbiologists, teachers, speech pathologists, pharmacologists, nurses, veterinarians, bioinformatics, horticulturists, etc.

Work in any of these fields requires a minimum of graduation in that stream. Most courses in physical sciences are open only to students with 10+2 in Mathematics and Science, but courses in biological sciences do not require Mathematics as a subject in 10+2. For some professionals like physicists, higher study is required.

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There was excitement in the air on 21 January 2020 as Mary Immaculate Girls’ High School, Kalina, Mumbai, proudly played host to the Zonal Science Exhibition with the theme ‘Science and Technology for Sustained Development’ with 121 winning schools from Bandra to Dahisar showcasing 126 projects (representing wards H E/W, P, R E/W and ward KP E/W), participated with enthusiasm and pride under the watchful eyes of their Science teachers.

The hosting school was transformed into one big exhibition centre giving the basketball court a festive look befitting the occasion. Greeting the guests was the photo gallery where one could picture oneself as any of the great scientists you dare to be. There was also a ‘Garden of Hope’ picturing a beautiful green tomorrow, and a ‘Wall of Peace’ where you could share your own message of peace. Food and games stalls with mouth-watering snacks covered one end.

The Principal, Sr Josita Abraham, along with her able band of teachers, non-teaching staff, support staff, members of the PTA, and an enthusiastic bunch of girl volunteers saw weeks of planning, preparation, sweat and toil culminate into the extravaganza of the coming three days. Not a stone was left unturned in a joint effort to make the occasion the thumping success it turned out to be. Each day started with all heads bowed in prayer asking God’s blessings on all.

As the school band struck the first notes heralding the arrival of the esteemed guests, emcees for the day, Ms. Sharon and Ms. Nikita, confidently and seamlessly took all through the programme of the day. The corridor was lined with little girls dressed in costumes representing every state of India. With their charming smiles, they welcomed all in the language of the state they represented, while the dignitaries were led in by the school band. After the hoisting of the Zonal flag, the Chief Guest, senior nuclear scientist, Dr A. P. Jayaraman, cut the ribbon inaugurating the exhibition. He, along with the other dignitaries then viewed the inaugural project, a moving model of Chandrayaan 2.

A packed school hall was soon treated to a beautiful song by the secondary school teachers, followed by an exquisite Indian dance by the girls of Mary Immaculate Girls’ High School. Their warm welcome was followed by a catchy song on science written and composed by the music master of the school, Mr Bonnie, and sung by the girls. The school vice-captain, Carol D’Mello, now entertained the audience with a song of her own.

Day 2 started off on a quieter note with the serious business of evaluating the exhibits presented. Each project presented was a piece of brilliance on its own. To add to that, each project had a very confident bunch of students presenting the same. The day rocked once again with entertainment when two of the ninth graders, Saamiya Husein and Rakshita Acharya, held all in awe with some amazing science facts. The melodious voice of Snehal filled the hall with her rendition of Love You Zindagi. Confident Ms. Mischel and Ms. Lillian were the comperes of the day.

Even as the third day came in, the exhibition lost none of its lustre as the presenters with their carefully created projects stood ready for the questions of the day. The corridors and classrooms were full of eager budding scientists with parents and grandparents in tow, viewing each project and asking a multitude of questions. Each question, patiently answered, the visitors moved on satisfied and happy to have learnt so much more towards sustainable development and a sustainable future. Not all was spent on the serious stuff as both children and adults excitedly hit the game stalls, vying with each other to win.

With a few last minute tweaks in their presentations, the gracious and ever-smiling Ms. Lavina and effervescent Ms. Shrutika were to be the faces for the day with their anecdotes accompanying every announcement. Science facts were shared once again by Gargi Dhulekar and Nadashri Prasad and some skilled boombox rap titled Sciencerap was performed by young artistes Saamiya Husein, Carol D’Mello and Rakshita Acharya.

Among the many accolades received from the dignitaries by the host school, Mary Immaculate Girls School, Kalina, was also awarded the Best Event Organizing School Certificate.

The three-day event came to a happy end with the Pasaydan performed by Ms. Nikita and Ms. Shrutika of MIGHS. “Take a bow, Mary Immaculate Girls’ High School, Sr. Josita, and the able team members of the PTA, down to the youngest volunteer. You have done a great job and put up an excellent show!”

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Students of Billabong High International School, Noida, participated in Junkyard Wars 2018, a one-of-its-kind programme where young minds came together to create working scientific models from junk. The event was hosted by Oakridge International School, Mohali, and had two rounds to the competition.

The rounds of the competition included ‘Presentation of Own Science Model’ in the first round and ‘Development Of A Crane’ with pulley model in round 2. BHIS Noida students from both the junior wing and senior wing competed but only the senior students made it to round 2. The junior students were grateful for the opportunity and took the defeat sportingly.

In round 2, the students were given an extensive workshop on how to make a crane with pulley model using the given material. Later on, students were given a fixed time of two hours to make a model. After completion of the model, the students had to test it in the arena, wherein they needed to pick up small boxes with the help of their crane. The model’s ability to pick up the box was the deciding factor in winning the competition.

The event helped the students gain insight into learning implementations and made them more curious about the subject. Additionally, they learnt teamwork and time management and how to organize work from beginning till showcase thus gaining confidence about completing tasks successfully. Billabong encourages their students to participate in such events so that they can learn about the practical aspects of every subject which helps build their interest.

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I am in Std. XII (PCB). I want to do my B.Sc. But I don’t like physics at all! But I like biotechnology. Which subjects should I take in B.Sc. for a better future? Is there any scope for biotechnology in Agra? Please give me the names of some good colleges in Agra as well.
Nandita Gupta

Biotechnology requires a firm background in science. After completing 10+2, you may go for B.Sc./B.Tech. in Biotechnology/5-year Integrated M.Tech. Since biotechnology is completely research-oriented, you need to go for higher studies. Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, conducts a Combined Biotech Entrance Examination (CEEB) for admission to M.Sc. in Biotechnology for 32 institutes. Check out the site http://www.jnu.ac.in/SBT/.

Some other institutes are Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Information and Biotechnology, Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune (bharatividyapeeth.edu); Christ University, Bangalore (christuniversity.in); IIT (Department of Biochemical Engineering & Biotechnology), Delhi (iitd.ac.in); Anna University, Centre for Biotechnology, Chennai (annauniv.edu/BiotechCentre/); Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, Kolkata (wbut.ac.in). Agra does not have any good institute for Biotechnology. Also my suggestion for you is to join a course in the best of institutes and don’t compromise with the limitation of locality.

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When one of my students asked me with big baffled eyes, “Music has theory?!”, that was the moment it struck me that I need to highlight the fact that music isn’t random harmonious sounds put together. And it definitely is not the case with Indian classical music. Indian classical music is based on profound theories and research conducted over thousands of years by a number of musicologists and artists. It has elements of physics, mathematics and logic. There is a reason why Indian classical music is called Shastriya Sangeet; Shastra means science and Sangeet is music (art). It is a beautiful amalgamation of the two.

Currently pursuing engineering, my pupil thought he had escaped formulas, theories and calculations and that learning music would be all fun and games. But to my student’s surprise (shock, to be precise) and my delight, he discovered that he has set out to imbibe the nuances and pursue an invaluable and gargantuan field of art that will not be all play and no work.

I don’t intend to scare or disinterest you with this piece of information but we have to acknowledge the fact that Indian classical music is a science as well as an art. Let’s understand in simple terms what we mean by art — it refers to skill sets that are unique to each individual, it is the creativity of our minds, it requires constant practise to be proficient, it is ruled by the individual’s enthusiasm, passion and inner drive. On the other hand, science is knowledge, the know-how, the technicalities, experiments and theories either based on assumptions or proof, work of the analytical half of the brain. A tick mark for each one of these with respect to ICM (Indian Classical Music). One cannot achieve excellence in ICM if he/she does not accept both these aspects. A singer or musician who can only present the technical aspects of ICM, will never be able to charm and make an audience fall in love with his/her music due to the lack of emotions and passion. Similarly, a singer or musician who only has a strong passion without any direction, discipline and understanding of the nitty-gritty, will have a very chaotic path of progress in music. Vidya and Kala go hand in hand.

In my previous article, I mentioned that ICM stimulates both sides of the brain. This statement is supported by the fact that it is both a science and an art. We use the analytical and emotional capacities of our brains while learning and performing Indian classical music.

I came across a very interesting picture about the union of these two fields, a Venn diagram of sorts, in which science and art merge to create wonder. And music is just that! It is a world of amazement and innovation, trial and error that leads to beautiful creations, the capacity to heal both mind and body, a meditative and blissful state of mind… in short, pure magic!

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