Lakshmi Chandrasekaran


Lakshmi Chandrasekaran has a PhD degree from New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers, NJ in Mathematics. Lakshmi has worked as a postdoc fellow working on mathematical modeling applied to biological problems. She is currently based in the USA where she works as a freelance science journalist. You can follow her in Twitter at @science_eye.
Role: General Editor, Science
No. of articles: 89
Email: Please use the contact form to contact Lakshmi Chandrasekaran.

Flu virus becomes more virulent in pregnant women

When a woman is pregnant, her immune system is dampened to protect the unborn foetus. This is because the baby is...

Future smart devices might provide you with a feel for virtual textures and shapes

Imagine you are browsing the just-released iPhone that you would like to purchase on your tablet. Normally, what would...

The Alternative Treatment for Lower Back Pain - Yoga Myth Debunked

Chronic lower back pain is costing the United States more than $200 billion every year. As the leading cause of disability...

You have proteins on your mind

Food cravings are something we are all familiar with but scientists have only just begun to understand the science behind...

Genes not solely to blame for different types of autism

Scientists have revealed a new cause of autism spectrum disorders that has nothing to do with your DNA. These disorders...

How interfering with your vision can shatter your recall of the way things look

How do we recall our stored knowledge of the physical properties of objects? Do we "see" things all over again when asked...

Welcome to the neighborhood, Proxima b!

Scientists of the European Southern Observatory (ESO, headquartered right here in Munich!) discovered a planet orbiting...

The dancing cells make the embryo

A powerful study in embryology by a team from European Molecular Biology Labs (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany and Institut...

Touching a cause of autism

When Arjun (name altered to maintain patient confidentiality) was about eight years old, one of his teachers decided to...

Gluten free diet- is it worth the hype?

We've all seen the gluten-free labels in supermarkets and cafes or know someone who is "gluten-free" at the moment for the...

Predicting the tipping point of complex systems

While preparing soup, have you ever wondered at what point does a pot of boiling water start evaporating? Now, we know...

How forgetting helps us learn

Our brain is a complicated part of our body. We knew that...but that knowledge does not stop us from being taken aback...

Burning sugars to light up brown fat

Do you recognize that warmth when you wake up on a cold morning snuggled under a blanket? A recent study reveals that you...

When the sea comes marching in

Take the year 2100- although many of us in our 20s and 30s today may not live that long, yet our own children and...

Life happens, coffee helps..

Consider your morning; your alarm goes off, you get up and get dressed, probably yawn and then pour yourself a nice mug of...

A marker for migratory breast cancer spreading to brain

Recent study finds a protein that could predict the risk of breast cancer migrating to the brain
Genetically speaking, breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease. Primary tumors are classified in types and subtypes...

Your brain has room for optimism

Optimism is a personality trait that has been defined by psychologists as the tendency to hold overall favorable...

Converting classrooms into "smart" rooms

Integrating smartphone technology within the conventional classroom setting in universities maybe the next paradigm shift, given the ubiquitous nature of smartphones. But how do we implement this?
Imagine a classroom setting in a university, where students have their heads bent down - not taking notes as you imagine...

Say Hello to your pocket psychiatrist!

Don't think you can trick your smart phone with a fake smile as it can figure out if you are depressed! Much as it sounds...

Can we influence the evolution of an idea...

Read part 1 of this series at: http://www.themunicheye.com/news/The-yin-and-yang-of-social-interaction-3211 Can you...

Hot and attractive: magnetism can control heat transmission

The device used in the experiments. Heat traveled slower through this tuning fork when subjected to a magnetic field.
From power plants to car engines, from houses to laptops, pretty much everything we do and use disperses a lot of energy...

Editorial: In the grand scheme of things....

Editorial: For May
The key to leading a happy fulfilling life is to keep it stress-free. However, it's a well-known fact that in this day and...

Unsustainable rise in cancer drug prices

Can cancer patients avail affordable treatment in the United States?
The increasing cost of health care in the USA is an ongoing concern with unpaid medical bills listed as the No.1 cause of...

Editorial: From the macro to the micro

Editorial: For March/April
Science is an offshoot of human curiosity that knows no bounds. We try and cover stories in Science and Health sections...

Life is just a game: a perfect strategy to solve real-life problems

A new computer algorithm is capable of making intelligent decisions.
"Real life consists of bluffing, of little tactics of deception, of asking yourself what is the other man going to think I...

Submarine drones carry out ice algal census

Underwater Drones Make the Quest to Map Ice Algae Easier
The metallic underwater drone starkly contrasted Antarctica's blue sky and blue ice. Stretching 2.5 meters long, its sleek...

Sugar craving in kids may indicate obesity

Obese children are caught in sugar-trap
Obesity is a significant problem worldwide. It is a burden on medical treatment and care, as it counts for 44% of the...

Poisonous Mushrooms to the rescue

Poisonous mushrooms could be used to create new medicines.
You don't have to be a mycologist, or fungi scientist, to know some mushrooms are deadly. But mycologists are finding that...

Identifying our inner compass

A 3-dimensional compass has been identified in the brain of the Egyptian fruit bat.
Some of our senses like sight, smell and sensation are so ingrained that we often forget how complex they can be at a...

Running on Mathematics

Mathematics helps predict optimal running strategy
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of sports and mathematics? Most likely, chalk and cheese,...

High-salt diet linked to dementia in mice

Scientists have discovered that a diet which is high in salt, can have major effects on the brain and in mice, can lead...

A green way of coloring denims blue

A new research study led by the University of California, Berkeley engineering Professor John Dueber has shown that indigo...

Breastfeeding rates increased by financial incentives

Breastfeeding rates increase when new mothers are offered financial incentives. Research from the University of Sheffield...

Body clock research wins the 2017 Nobel prize in physiology

On 2nd October 2017, the Nobel Prize in medicine and physiology was awarded to three American scientists Jeffrey C. Hall,...

New method can tell how long bacteria takes to wait out antibiotics

The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a major health concern in treating infectious diseases. Scientists at the...

Planting trees no longer an option to mop up our increasing CO2 emissions

Nations around the globe are stepping up, determined to uphold the 2015 Paris climate agreement of limiting the global...

Seven "Earth-ish" planets herald a new season in the search for alien life

Astronomers found seven approximately Earth-sized, rocky planets about 40 light years (235 trillion miles) from us. They...

Swarms of robots go with the flow to reveal the mysteries of the ocean

About 70% of Earth's surface is covered by oceans. Yet, they remain mysterious: we have more detailed maps of the surface...

Revolutionizing clean energy by recycling not-quite-so-rare earths

Steel was the material of progress during the industrial revolution, while the twentieth century was the age of Mylar,...

Are we there yet- The long journey to Mars

How close are we to the giant leap to Mars? Recently the partial success of the European Space Agency's (ESA) ExoMars...

Mars welcomes its latest orbiter ExoMars

On 19th October 2016 the European-Russian mission ExoMars arrived at its destination. It delivered the Trace Gas Orbiter,...

Looking through 'Smart' Windows

Have you ever wanted a window that you could control how much light and heat it let in? Thanks to scientists at the...

Turning a new leaf in the search for lower emissions

Carbon dioxide (or CO2) is probably the most notorious atmospheric public enemy. Being a potent greenhouse gas, it...

The same hormone could be responsible for love and aggression

In our day-to-day lives we are called upon to make instantaneous "engage or avoid", snap judgments when encountering new...

Clean your workplace to sharpen your brain

Ever felt bogged down right at the start of the day as you approach your cluttered desk? A recent study finds a link...

Stretching quantum cats could make for better computers

A team of physicists at Yale demonstrated that the inherent quantum weirdness can be harnessed to make quantum computers,...

Bending proteins to make breast cancer drugs more effective

Imagine you are trying to prevent a water leak, so you plug the hole from where the water is escaping. Except after a...

Breakthrough for Preeclampsia

A team of scientists have created the first ever 3D printed placenta in order to study preeclampsia more effectively....

Gut bacteria help brain cell growth

Antibiotics have been shown to have a profound effect on the growth of new brain cells and memory retention in mice. A...

"Happy little accident" opens new avenues for amazing future batteries

Who wouldn't want a slim phone that stays charged for days and holds its capacity for years? Beyond consumer electronics,...

Networking: Nature or Nurture?

Interview with expert science communicator Alaina Levine who is the author of 'Networking for Nerds'. Could you tell us...

Eating away at efforts to alleviate climate change

A couple of the greatest challenges we face are climate change and how it impacts the way we feed the world's growing...

Even Chimps Trust Friends

Trust plays an important part in any friendship. We trust that our friends will be there for us in a time of need, even if...

A 300-year old mystery solved!

Professor Andrew Wiles (pictured above), faculty at the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford has won the most...
A small track for a rover

A bright window into our past, present and future

Look up at a clear night sky and you won't miss it, shining bright like nothing else---the Moon. Its romantic, unique...

Gut microbiome protects against malaria

The WHO estimates that 214 million cases of malaria were reported worldwide in 2015, mostly in Africa (88%), South-East...

Climate change may not alter Southeast Asian Monsoons

Climate change is a looming threat of the 21st century, and seems to be the talk of the town. One way that the human...
Munich police issue terror alert

Police Issue Terror Alert for Munich

Munich: Bavarian Police have issued a terror alert, warning people to stay away from crowded spots on New Year eve. As...

Sperm carries memories of dad's eating habits

At some point in our lifetimes, we have all inherited family heirlooms passed on from generation to generation. Our...

Religiosity as a predictor of a child's kindness

A recent study on the influence of religion on altruistic behavior among children was conducted by Dr. Jean Decety, at the...
Study shows new potential way for predicting Alzheimer's disease using spatial navigation network in the brain of young adults

When the young lose their way

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is currently the 6th leading cause of death in the United States with only 45% of people knowing...

No more exercise, just pop a pill...

The concept of an exercise pill- a drug that you could take which mimics the beneficial effects of physical exercise, is...
The recent Volkswagen emissions scandal has affected up to 11 million vehicles worldwide.

How basic research helped expose VW's dirty secret!

German auto giant Volkswagen's (VW) recent fall from grace is a result of the same greed that brought down Toyota nearly...
A slope with dark streaks caused by water seepage in Valles Marineris, photographed by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Flowing water found on Mars

In a press conference on September 28th, NASA scientists announced that they have solid evidence of liquid water on the...

New approach tries to clear the air over fossil fuels

With an ever-increasing energy demand, the use of fossil fuels is steadily on the rise. But so are air pollution and the...

Pluto's icy breath, young look and big heart: what we learnt from New Horizons so far

On July 14th, NASA's New Horizons probe completed its nine-year-long journey flying close to Pluto. "This mission has been...

The yin and yang of social interaction

At some point in our lives, all of us have found ourselves in a crowded bus stop or grocery store or a music concert. But...

So you think you can eat anything...

"So, you are a Foodie?" Does this feel like being teased or reproached for your gluttonous behavior? Fear not, for here's...
How marketing affects consumer's perception of products

Even cheap wine can taste great

"It's cheap wine so it will not taste great." Does this imply that the wine is really tasteless? Or is one so prejudiced...
A cartoon depicting that Philae is awake!

Rise and shine, Philae!

After going off the grid for seven months, Rosetta's lander Philae is back. On November 12 2014, it became the first...

Staying fit helps your brain age well

The importance of keeping healthy by increasing our physical activity has been a constant topic of discussion by medical...

How to train your swarms: multitudes of robots at the tip of your finger

How can a single person command a swarm of five, ten, or even hundreds of small robots to perform a coordinated task? ...
The blue halo around the four colliding galaxies is actually the distorted image of the one far behind them.

Galaxy collisions shed new light on dark matter

Dark matter has been mysterious ever since its discovery. According to Dr Holger Israel, a cosmologist at Durham...

How the brain hears sound- tick-tock, tick-tock!

New research published by Dr. Daniel Bendor, University College London discusses the concept of how our brain captures...

Coalition politics- Let's do the math

Einstein said it best, "Politics is for the present but an equation is for eternity". Can eternal math equations be used...
Ganymede in the foreground and Jupiter in the background

Seek and ye shall find (Water on Jupiter's Moon)

An international group of astronomers found an immense ocean buried under the icy surface of Ganymede, the largest of...
Haze on Mars creates haze in our minds

Extreme cloud spotting: what's that haze on Mars?

Have you ever looked at the clouds and spotted something really odd? British stargazer Damian Peach has a story that will...
Study finds new weapon in war against flu pandemics and pneumonia

Plugging leaks to prevent influenza deaths

Most of us dread cold and flu season and for an unfortunate few, pneumonia is a more serious complication. According to...
A game theory model explains social interactions between cancer cells.

Cancer: A game of clones

What comes to mind first when you think of game theory? Probably political science, economics, computer science, logic...
Far Horizons grow closer

Smile Pluto! For we are here to take your picture!

We know very little about Pluto. Mostly because it's very small (about a third of the Moon) and because its unusual orbit...
A new study reveals gender specific regimen to quit smoking

Want to quit smoking, ladies? Sync it with your period!

Female smokers crave cigarettes with greater intensity than men do. They are quicker to become dependent smokers, have...
Study shows link between Body Mass Index and heavy smoking

Why does smoking make you slim?

In developed countries, public health is threatened by unhealthy lifestyles: stress, little physical activity, smoking and...
Geo-Targeting Strategies Could Improve HIV Intervention in South Africa

Using maps to distribute HIV treatment?

The South African government could start distributing a promising HIV-preventive treatment, if clinical trials go...
Despite cognitive ageing older people are good at making financial decisions.

Does old wine fit in a new bottle?

Human longevity and improved healthcare makes ageing population a socio-economic challenge for all European...

Poisonous mushrooms to the rescue

You don't have to be a mycologist, or fungi scientist, to know some mushrooms are deadly. But mycologists are finding that...
Role of father is important in raising a stress resilient child.

Imprinting dad's love

We know that in humans, people who have faced adversity as children show an inclination towards anti-social behavior and...
A 3-dimensional compass has been identified in the brain of an Egyptian fruit bat.

Identifying our inner compass

Some of our senses like sight, smell and sensation are so ingrained that we often forget how complex they can be at a...
A new antimalarial target has been identified

Bursting the malaria bubble

Scientists have identified a new antimalarial target that could revolutionize the development of new therapies in the...
Banking industry culture promotes deception

Banking on lies

The world is still recovering from the devastating effects of the massive economic recession that occurred in 2008....