urban farming

This summer, the hottest mango trend is knowing the farm it came from

Ancient cities, long hidden by dense jungles, are now being revealed thanks to advanced LiDAR technology. This airborne scanning method pierces through forest canopies, uncovering intricate city grids, terraces, and structures. These discoveries are reshaping our understanding of past civilizations, revealing more extensive and organized urban landscapes than previously imagined, prompting a re-evaluation of their societal planning and scale.

Uttarakhand faces a growing 'ghost village' crisis as over 1,700 villages become uninhabited. Livelihood scarcity, climate change, and fading traditions drive migration, leaving behind elderly residents and silent fields. Experts emphasize the need for imaginative solutions beyond infrastructure to revive rural life and make villages aspirational again.

Bees are vital pollinators, crucial for global food security and ecosystems, yet face severe threats from climate change, pesticides, and habitat loss. Their declining populations, particularly in India, signal a critical ecological crisis. Urgent action is needed from farmers and citizens to protect these essential insects.

Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy established Tech Bulls, Andhra Pradesh's first rural IT company, in Ongole, empowering hundreds of poor women from remote villages. This initiative brought technology-driven jobs to rural areas, enabling women to achieve financial independence and support their families without migrating. The company's success has expanded internationally, with a continued focus on social empowerment and promoting advanced technology education.

Villages in Hazaribag's Chauparan block reveal a vast, 3,200-year-old settlement with layered historical periods. Surface finds and scientific surveys point to significant archaeological discoveries, including ancient wells and potential Buddhist stupas. Experts urge immediate ASI intervention to protect this invaluable heritage site from unregulated development and potential theft.

A four-acre hibiscus farm near Chengalpet is gaining popularity for its organically grown flowers, now transformed into "Idhazh" herbal tea sold across Tamil Nadu. This government-run model farm showcases sustainable agriculture, offering hybrid hibiscus varieties, fruit saplings, and vegetable seedlings. It also serves as an agri-tourism hub, educating visitors on eco-friendly practices.

A farmer's accidental jade discovery in China in 1929 unearthed the Sanxingdui Ruins, a Bronze Age city of a sophisticated, previously unknown culture. This find challenged historical beliefs about Chinese civilization's origins, revealing a powerful, independent kingdom with advanced casting technology. The site's unique artifacts, like giant bronze masks, offer a glimpse into an extinct civilization's rituals and artistry.

Kannada film and television dialogue writer T. G. Nandish, known as "Teerthahalli Nandish," passed away at 37 due to a cardiac arrest. His sudden demise has deeply shocked his family, friends, and colleagues. Nandish, who had recently moved back to his hometown, was admired for his literary passion and peaceful life amidst nature.

Despite urban interest in millets, Tamil Nadu farmers are abandoning the grain due to uncertain markets and fluctuating prices, unlike rice and maize with guaranteed buyers. Lack of processing units and institutional support discourages cultivation, though initiatives like the Pudukottai FPO show promise with guaranteed procurement and value-added products.