NCDRC awards ₹2 cr to family after woman’s healthy kidney removed in botched surgeryNCDRC awards ₹2 cr to family after woman’s healthy kidney removed in botched surgery Published on: May 21, 2026 5:09 PM IST PTI Share via Copy link New Delhi
An Australian judge fined X Corp. 650,000 Australian dollars (U.S. $465,000) on Thursday (May 21, 2026) for failing to provide information to an online safety watchdog in 2023 about how it tackled child sexual exploitation content. Federal Court Justice Michael Wheelahan also ordered the
parent on Thursday reported a 4X jump in its March quarter consolidated net profit at Rs 79 crore, compared with Rs 19 crore in the year-ago period.The Nykaa operator’s revenue from operations stood at Rs 2,648 crore in Q4 FY26, up 28% from Rs 2
Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te said on Thursday (May 21, 2026) that he would be "happy" to talk to U.S. President Donald Trump, a conversation that would break more than four decades of diplomatic protocol and risk angering China. Mr. Trump told reporters on Wednesday (May 20
Dileep Raj dies after cardiac arrest: Experts warn why relying completely on smartwatches for diagnosis is not safeKannada actor Dileep Raj’s death on May 13 has sparked concerns about over-reliance on wearable health devices. Published on: May 21
Mother documents how strangers in France reacted to her fancy Indian looks: 'I am your Devdas, you are my Paro'Pavitra Kaur's video shows her outfits and the enthusiastic reactions of strangers in France – compliments range from movie references to heartfelt exchanges. Published on: May 21
Parents’ wholesome reaction to son's Google job announcement wins hearts. WatchThe video resonated with many social media users, who flooded the comments section with congratulatory messages and emotional reactions. Updated on: May 21, 2026 4:47 PM IST By Bhavya Sukheja Share via Copy link A
Calcutta HC grants Abhishek Banerjee relief in inciting speech case till July 31The Calcutta high court on Thursday granted protection from coercive police action to Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee until July 31 in the inciting speech case Published on: May 21
The Curious Zoo...: A comic uses science to cast bugs and spiders as superstars
Ant-Man may be fictional, but the insect world is full of superheroes, of a kind.
There's a spider with a lethal high-speed trap. Worms that can knot and unknot themselves. An acrobatic six-legged bug.
These super-creatures are starring in their own comic books too.
For five years, Saad Bhamla, 38, has been editor of The Curious Zoo of Extraordinary Organisms. Each edition holds illustrated tales told through a series of panels, usually across two pages. The accounts feature key highlights from research at the Bhamla Lab of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta.
Bhamla, after all, isn't an artist or a storyteller; he is an associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, working with other biophysicists and bioengineers to answer the questions: What can we learn from organisms that are already capable of what, in our world, seems like a kind of magic? What devices could we aim to create; what barriers might fall? (The helicopter was inspired, after all, by the hovering-in-place hummingbird, as well as certain insects).
The team at Bhamla Lab has been working on these themes for eight years, conducting research that sits at the intersection of biology, physics, mathematics and robotics. As part of their mission, they study worms, spiders, bugs and birds. Or, as Bhamla likes to remind readers, “nature's super-engineers”.
The comics represent some of their findings. Free to download, they are aimed at the next generation of researchers.
“No young person is going to read scientific papers. Adults and even scientists rarely do. But there's so much to discover about these magnificent creatures and the science behind how they do what they do. With comics grounded in scientific research, everyone can feel like science is their treasure,” Bhamla says.
Each story is translated into at least one more language, so some have versions in Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Telugu, Bangla, Hindi, Spanish or Thai.
STING OPERATIONS
It all started for Bhamla in the Amazon Rainforest, seven years ago.
It was there, in Peru, that he came upon a slingshot spider at work. These arachnids trap their prey by making catapults of a sort, from their webs, slowly stretching the silky strands into a cone-like structure, then quickly snapping it around a nearby insect.
Talking to local communities later on that trip, he found, as he always did, that the children in particular were curious. The researchers, after all, were looking at their world with fresh eyes, much as they were. The youngsters seemed to enjoy slideshows and videos.
“Parents were always so grateful for the sessions. And yet, they would all leave empty-handed. It struck me: Why should all our science be, in a sense, limited to the digital world, and to English,” Bhamla says.
So, in 2020, the comics were born. The first edition focused on the slingshot spider. There have been 15 editions in all, so far.
In The Fan-cy Footwork of Rapid Ripple Bugs, readers are invited to row alongside the tiny aquatic insect and observe the fan-like appendages on its legs that help it glide through water without tiring.
In Unbelievable Untangling Worms, tiny California blackworms retain humidity in arid landscapes and survive high temperatures, by tangling themselves into a giant messy knot; one that can be untangled in an instant, if threatened, for instance, in something like a magician's trick (because each worm had instinctively coiled itself in just the right way). Could these slippery creatures one day inspire just the right kind of robotic swarm, the comic asks.
CREATURE FEATURE
Each story is crafted by a team of science communicators and illustrators, who work with Bhamla and his team to condense pages of research into engaging, playful narratives.
Physical copies of the comics are distributed free to community centres, libraries, schools and colleges, and during field visits. The stories have thus travelled across the US, and to Peru, Afghanistan, India and Syria, among other countries.
“A student from Afghanistan wrote to us to say they chanced upon the series in Arabic, and dreams of someday being part of such research too,” Bhamla says. Illustrator Jordan Collver, who works on the comics, adds that he is himself discovering the “amazing elegance of the natural world”.
Two years ago, the comics won Bhamla the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Award for Excellence in Science Communication, handed out by the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Perhaps his greatest validation, though, comes from his elder son, Bhamla says.
“At some point, my boys (one aged six; the other 15 months old) will want to know what their dad really does, and I hope they read my papers, but they are so technical,” he adds. “So my biggest joy is when we print a new story and I get to come home to my wife and sons, get into bed and read these comics to them.”
Source: HindustanTimes
Related Posts: Trump hosts White House Halloween bash with superheroes Ant-Man Outlasts Wemby In Gritty Win Gary Lineker ends Ant and Dec's 23-year winning streak at TV awards From Ant Supercolonies To Beaver Cities Australian PM Albanese announces bravery award for heroes of Bondi anti-Semitic attack Ant and Dec take legal action over 'secret profits' in Banksy deals Musk expects Tesla's Full Self-Driving software to win full China approval in early 2026 Pune man goes from factory worker to full-stack developer in 18 months Bengaluru man sells dosa batter before full-time job to educate daughter
The Secrets Revealed in SpaceX’s IPO FilingDocuments related to SpaceX’s initial public offering show the company is unprofitable and CEO Elon Musk controls 85% of the vote. Updated on: May 21, 2026 2:56 PM IST WSJ Share via Copy link SpaceX’s IPO filing sheds light on the finances and
5 hours ago
Google has launched Gemini Omni, a multimodal AI model focused on cinematic video generation and conversational editing. The platform can create videos using text, images, audio and video prompts with improved realism and context awareness. Google is positioning Omni as its next big push in
5 hours ago
Bengaluru techie builds ‘I GOT FIRED’ button amid AI layoff fears: ‘One click makes company codebase public’The images showed several labelled buttons, including “Gaslight Them,” “Decode Corporate BS,” and a red-highlighted option reading “I GOT FIRED.” Updated on: May 21
5 hours ago
A controversial video allegedly filmed near Kedarnath Temple has gone viral on social media, triggering outrage among devotees and netizens over the behaviour of some pilgrims during the sacred Char Dham Yatra. The viral clip shows a group of men sitting and relaxing inside a tented accommodation
5 hours ago
What your Dog’s birthdate says about their personality, according to a tarot expertJust like humans carry energetic blueprints, animals also have unique vibrations. In tarot, every birthdate can be connected to a Major Arcana energy. Read on. Updated on: May 21
5 hours ago
Veteran actor Rakesh Bedi recently had a fun encounter with popular Punjabi singer Sukhbir in Goa. Taking to his social media account, Rakesh Bedi shared his surprise meet with the legendary Punjabi singer on his social media account, and reflected on their fun camaraderie
5 hours ago
Textbooks for students have been printed in time for the reopening of schools in Kerala on June 1, Director of General Education N.S.K. Umesh said. Mr. Umesh was responding to fresh reports of delays in printing and binding of textbooks in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday (May 19, 2026)
5 hours ago
The recently amended National Anti-Doping Act is set to be modified again to criminalise the trafficking and distribution of prohibited substances to athletes, with suppliers facing jail terms of up to five years. The proposed changes also target medical practitioners who knowingly prescribe banned
5 hours ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.Building a smarter home? Start with these reliable smart door locks with fingerprint, Wi-Fi, and camera featuresStill carrying spare keys or checking your door twice before leaving?
5 hours ago
The World Cup expands with more teams and games. This raises questions about quality and player fatigue. FIFA believes this growth makes the sport global. New teams debut, offering dream opportunities. Concerns exist about player health and the value of scarcity
5 hours ago
The Longest Internet Blackout in History Is Crippling Iran’s EconomyThe government’s shutdown has been in place for nearly three months, threatening millions of jobs. Published on: May 21, 2026 5:05 PM IST WSJ Share via Copy link Iranians are enduring the longest and most intense internet
5 hours ago
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa was held to a draw by Romanian Deac Bogdan-Daniel, while France’s Alireza Firouzja decided to finally call it quits in the sixth round of the Super Chess Classic, part of the Grand Chess Tour. Firouzja, who played two games despite an ankle injury
5 hours ago
Pelé was 17 when Brazil found their World Cup soul; 12 years later they owned The Jules Rimet trophy foreverAs the 2026 World Cup approaches, memories of Pelé's impact on Brazil's football loom large. His stunning debut in 1958 to securing Jules Rimet Trophy in 1970. Updated on: May 21
5 hours ago
Thomas Tuchel has already started contacting the England hopefuls who have not made the cut. It's the call any player dreads - because even in today's club-centric landscape, representing your country at a World Cup remains the pinnacle. Tuchel's squad will be made public on Friday
5 hours ago
Luxury today looks very different from what it did a decade ago. For millennials and Gen Z, aspirational living is no longer centred around accumulation or ownership. Instead, it is increasingly shaped by experiences that feel immersive, emotionally rewarding and culturally meaningful
5 hours ago
Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli has brought the spotlight on a deeply personal psychological experience that affects millions: imposter syndrome. In a candid revelation at a summit in Bengaluru, the RCB star admitted, “You constantly feel like you’re never good enough – that imposter
5 hours ago
Hindustan Unilever said it has permitted partial work-from-home arrangements and accelerated electric vehicle adoption as part of broader efforts aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for austerity and fuel conservation, NDTV Profit learnt exclusively
5 hours ago
Mumbaikars are set to get a peek into the world of TV show FriendsThe FRIENDS Experience, an immersive museum dedicated to the 1990s sitcom, is debuting in Mumbai on June 12-13 Published on: May 21, 2026 4:39 PM IST By HT Correspondent Share via Copy link Fans of the hit 1990s sitcom Friends in
5 hours ago
Indian rupee recovered 61 paise on Thursday to open at 96.25 against the US dollar. On Wednesday, the rupee fell to a record low at 96.95, before recovering slightly to settle at 96.86 by the day’s end. In a major structural intervention to stabilise domestic financial markets
5 hours ago
As India swelters under an intense heat, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued repeated warnings of heat wave to severe heat wave conditions across large parts of northwest, central, and eastern India. Temperatures have soared above 45°C in several regions, with Delhi, Rajasthan
5 hours ago
Are you feeling lonely? Know what prolonged isolation does to your brain and bodyAlways spacing out or feeling disconnected, even in a room full of people? Find out the ramifications loneliness can have on your health. Updated on: May 21, 2026 2:10 PM IST By Adrija Dey Share via Copy link The
8 hours ago
Who is Abhijeet Dipke, the Boston-educated founder of Cockroach Janata Party?Abhijeet Dipke is a 30-year-old Indian political communication strategist and founder of the Cockroach Janata Party. Updated on: May 21, 2026 12:26 PM IST By Sanya Jain Share via Copy link There’s a new political outfit
8 hours ago
Chip giant Nvidia on Wednesday (May 20, 2026) posted record quarterly revenue of $81.6 billion, blowing past Wall Street forecasts as insatiable demand for its artificial intelligence hardware powered another blockbuster quarter. The results for the first quarter of fiscal 2027, ending April 26
8 hours ago
Manifesting a BMW at 26 to buying it: Bengaluru techie's viral video captures parents' pure joyThe Bengaluru techie posted a video which captures what his parents thought about him buying a BMW. Updated on: May 21, 2026 12:16 PM IST By Trisha Sengupta Share via Copy link A heartwarming video of a
8 hours ago
“Mexican authorities arrested the municipal president of Atlatlahucan and five other political figures in an investigation into corruption and organised crime in central Morelos state,” special prosecutor Ulises Lara said in a video message late on Wednesday
8 hours ago
Rajnath Singh, South Korean minister inaugurate Indian war memorial in SeoulMore than 2.5 million people were killed in the war between North and South Korea, backed by their respective allies. Published on: May 21, 2026 1:49 PM IST By Rahul Singh
8 hours ago
U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity as soon as Thursday (May 21, 2026), two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, as pressure grows from parts of his political base to increase oversight of new AI models
8 hours ago
