In December 1952, a thick fog settled over London. Fog wasn’t unusual. Londoners were used to winter smog. But this fog felt different, it was a silent death trap. . Thick, toxic fog — caused by coal burning, cold weather, and stagnant air — blanketed the city for five days. Visibility dropped to a few …
An Accidental Discovery That Saved Millions
Professor Alexander Fleming In 1928, a scientist returned to a messy laboratory after a few weeks gap. What he found would change the course of human history. Alexander Fleming, a Scottish physician-scientist, was studying bacteria in his lab at St. Mary's Hospital in London. He accidentally left several petri dishes containing bacterial cultures lying around …
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Taking the Wheel: Overcoming an Old Fear
Last August (2024), I was in Kolkata visiting my parents with my young one, who was 7 months old then. Being home with them gave me the perfect window to try something new, to learn a new skill, and I decided to learn to drive because, like Maths, driving scared me. So, I thought, it …
Summer Escapade To The Mountains
Summer holidays are a wonderful opportunity to explore, unlearn, and relearn. Even before summer fully arrived, the heat was already oppressive. So, I decided to take a brief escape from the monotony of daily life and the relentless heat before our schedule got too packed. We reached out to two of our friends, and after …
Part 21: Unveiling New Horizons
Houston, Texas, 1991 Kasturi had built a good life for herself in Houston. It hadn’t been easy—those early years were full of awkward introductions, strange food, mispronounced names, and the constant ache of being in-between worlds. But over time, she found her rhythm. "That’s not going to work, Matthew," Kasturi said firmly, her voice cutting …
Awakening to the Bigger Picture: A Spiritual Quest
I was preparing for the WBCS (West Bengal Civil Service) exam in 2014. The preparation itself ensured tremendous personal and intellectual growth but something that my mentor said actually shaped my future path. He encouraged his students to practice yoga and meditation to build physical and mental strength and develop inner calmness. He also introduced …
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Revisiting My School: A Journey Through Time
"Pinki, time’s up. Hand over the paper," my class teacher, Miss Sulagna’s voice filled the classroom as the bell echoed in the background. I looked at my answer sheet, and the numbers seemed to vanish, leaving it completely blank in a blink. “Miss, please, just five more minutes. I’ll fail!” I pleaded, my voice choked …
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Scars In Our Hearts
“Walked so far in life that the past has blurred, memories evanesced but feelings still so honest.” We’ve all journeyed far in life, each step etching itself in our hearts with the sharpness of love, pain, separation, heartbreak, the deafening silence of loneliness, the hollow void of loss, fleeting moments of joy, and a rare …
Why Celebrate the New Year?
I’ve never understood the fuss about New Year’s celebrations. For me, it always felt like just a change in the calendar—from December 31, 2024, to January 1, 2025. Everything else remains the same. You wake up, go to work (some of us don’t even get the day off), cook, eat, and carry on with the …
From Soil To Soul: A Heartfelt Encounter At The Nursery
How much does this plant cost? I asked Sujoy da, the local nursery owner fondly called as Raja, pointing towards the Tagar Chandni. The beautiful canopy of variegated leaves and delicate white flowers caught my eye. "I'm not sure. If I were to quote a price, it might be beyond your budget," he replied. His …
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Cerebration 