Shows
The Interview With Karan ThaparISRO’s Rocket Failure a Major Setback & It’s Chairman is Adding to the ProblemThe Science Editor of The Hindu says that Monday’s failure of ISRO’s PSLV rocket is a major setback and a very big blow to the organization. He agrees that it raises worrying questions about the reliability of the PSLV rocket which is ISRO’s workhorse. In an interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire, Vasudevan Mukunth raised questions about the functioning of ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan and ISRO’s lack of transparency during his tenure. He made this point in connection with the fact that this is the second successive back-to-back PSLV rocket failure. The earlier one was in M...
2026-01-1424 min
In Focus by The HinduBehind the scenes: How the data and science teams measured heat stressThe podcast episode features interviews with the four journalists behind Taking on the Heat, a data-driven story on heat stress in Chennai. The story follows the daily experiences of four working-class individuals with varying levels of exposure to direct sunlight. Each participant was equipped with a device that recorded temperature and humidity data throughout their workday.
The analysis sheds light not only on their exposure to heat but also on how they manage it—and what kind of support the State could offer to ease their burden.
Guests: Vasudevan Mukunth, Nitika Francis, Srinivasan Ramani, and Aree...
2025-07-3033 min
Symmetry BreakingBoron nitride, tougher than it looksThis episode is also available as a blog post: https://nonorientable.net/2021/07/19/boron-nitride-tougher-than-it-looks/
2021-07-1907 minSymmetry BreakingPseudoscientific materials and thermoeconomicsThis episode is also available as a blog post: https://nonorientable.net/2021/07/06/pseudoscientific-materials-and-thermoeconomics/
2021-07-0609 minSymmetry BreakingScicommers as knowledge producersThis episode is also available as a blog post: https://nonorientable.net/2021/07/05/scicommers-as-knowledge-producers/
2021-07-0503 minSymmetry BreakingLooking for spinons in a spin liquidThis episode is also available as a blog post: https://nonorientable.net/2021/06/30/looking-for-spinons-in-a-spin-liquid/
2021-06-3006 minSymmetry BreakingHomo medicatisThis episode is also available as a blog post: https://nonorientable.net/2021/06/16/homo-medicatis/
2021-06-1603 minSymmetry BreakingBharat Biotech gets 1/10 for tweetThis episode is also available as a blog post: https://nonorientable.net/2021/06/15/bharat-biotech-gets-1-10-for-tweet/
2021-06-1505 minSymmetry BreakingBroken clocks during the pandemicThis episode is also available as a blog post: https://nonorientable.net/2021/06/02/broken-clocks-during-the-pandemic/
2021-06-0206 minSymmetry BreakingThe political theatre of Vardhan v. RamdevThis episode is also available as a blog post: https://deltacrv.com/2021/05/24/the-political-theatre-of-vardhan-v-ramdev/
2021-05-2403 minSymmetry BreakingMelinda, Bill and Jeffrey (Epstein)This episode is also available as a blog post: https://rootprivileges.net/2021/05/18/melinda-bill-and-jeffrey-epstein/
2021-05-2105 minSymmetry BreakingReview: ‘Love Death + Robots’ 2 (2021)This episode is also available as a blog post: https://rootprivileges.net/2021/05/18/review-love-death-robots-2-2021/
2021-05-2103 minSymmetry BreakingOn the International Day of Light, remembering darknessThis episode is also available as a blog post: https://rootprivileges.net/2021/05/16/on-the-international-day-of-light-remembering-darkness/
2021-05-1607 minSymmetry BreakingBeing apolitical doesn’t mean politics doesn’t existThis episode is also available as a blog post: https://rootprivileges.net/2021/05/01/being-apolitical-doesnt-mean-politics-doesnt-exist/
2021-05-0207 minSymmetry BreakingCOVID-19, AMR and IndiaThis episode is also available as a blog post: https://rootprivileges.net/2021/04/22/covid-19-amr-and-india/
2021-04-2201 minSymmetry BreakingThe constructionist hypothesis and expertise during the pandemicThis episode is also available as a blog post: https://rootprivileges.net/2021/04/22/the-constructionist-hypothesis-and-expertise-during-the-pandemic/
2021-04-2204 minSymmetry BreakingThe Government ProjectThis episode is also available as a blog post: https://rootprivileges.net/2021/04/21/the-government-project/
2021-04-2103 minSymmetry BreakingUS experiments find hint of a break in the laws of physicsThis episode is also available as a blog post: https://symmetrybreaking.net/2021/04/09/us-experiments-find-hint-of-a-break-in-the-laws-of-physics/
2021-04-0910 minSymmetry BreakingLord of the Rings DayThis episode is also available as a blog post: https://symmetrybreaking.net/2021/03/25/lord-of-the-rings-day-4/
2021-03-2502 minSymmetry BreakingDefending philosophy of scienceThis episode is also available as a blog post: https://symmetrybreaking.net/2021/03/23/defending-philosophy-of-science/
2021-03-2502 minSymmetry BreakingA tale of vortices, skyrmions, paths and shapesThis episode is also available as a blog post: https://symmetrybreaking.net/2021/03/19/a-tale-of-vortices-skyrmions-paths-and-shapes/
2021-03-2013 minSymmetry BreakingReimagining science, reduxThis episode is also available as a blog post: https://symmetrybreaking.net/2021/03/18/reimagining-science-redux/
2021-03-2008 min
Symmetry BreakingPhysicists produce video of time crystal in action 😱This episode is also available as a blog post: https://symmetrybreaking.net/2021/03/09/physicists-produce-video-of-time-crystal-in-action-%f0%9f%98%b1/
2021-03-0910 min
NewSpace IndiaChallenges of dealing with ISRO as a science communicatorVasudevan Mukunth is the Science editor at The Wire. He is a science communicator in Bengaluru, India who writes about astronomy, high-energy physics, statistics, scientific publishing and the digital media. Want to keep in touch with the NewSpace India community? Do join us on Discord https://discord.gg/WRJ8Yagb8TFor comments/suggestions, write to curator@newspaceindia.com
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2020-01-1745 min
The Pragati PodcastEp. 89: Science Journalism in IndiaGreat science needs great journalism, and that's in short supply in India. Nandita Jayaraj and Vasudevan Mukunth talk about science journalism on Episode 89 of The Pragati Podcast. The Pragati Podcast is a weekly talkshow on public policy, economics and international relations, hosted by Pavan Srinath. Nandita Jayaraj is the co-founder of www.thelifeofscience.com, an independent collective and a media platform focusing on women scientists in India. This includes articles, interviews and a podcast. Vasudevan Mukunth is the Science Editor for The Wire, who built the science section of The Wire from the ground up. ...
2019-03-2100 min