ZSI discovers new species of skink in Eastern Ghats
The species is characterised by a slender body, semi-transparent eyelids and distinct longitudinal dorsal stripes. It is currently known only from two localities, highlighting the rich but under-explored herpetofaunal diversity of the Eastern Ghats.
Riopa deccanensis becomes the ninth recognised species in its genus and the sixth known from India. This is the first such species described from the country in over 84 years, marking an addition to Indian reptilian biodiversity.
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News18
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ZSI scientists discover new wolf spider species in Sunderbans
Kolkata, Jul 25 (PTI) Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) researchers have announced the discovery of a new spider species on Sagar Island in the Sundarbans, highlighting the region's remarkable yet underexplored biodiversity. This finding marks the first recorded instance of the genus Piratula in India, a group of wolf spiders predominantly found across Asia, with limited distribution in Europe and North America, a ZSI statement said on Friday. 'The newly identified species, Piratula acuminata, belongs to the family Lycosidae, commonly known as wolf spiders," the statement added. 'Unlike web-building spiders, these agile predators are ground-dwelling and ambush their prey," Souvik Sen, lead researcher from ZSI, said. He described the species as a medium-sized spider, approximately 8-10 millimeters in length, characterised by its pale creamy white coloration interspersed with brown, chalk-white spots on its abdomen, and a pair of light brown stripes towards the rear. The distinctive structural intricacies of its genitalia were key to its identification as a novel species. 'The unique morphological features of this spider immediately indicated it was an undocumented species," Sen added. 'We conducted extensive morphological analysis over several weeks to confirm our findings," he added. The research team, comprising Souvik Sen and Sudhin PP from ZSI, Kolkata, along with Pradeep M. Sankaran from Sacred Heart College, Cochin, has published their detailed scientific account in the latest issue of Zootaxa, a peer-reviewed scientific journal. This discovery on Sagar Island, the largest island within the Sundarbans deltaic complex, reinforces the ecological richness of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sen said. The island's unique ecosystems, shaped by alluvial deposits from the Ganga River, include vital mudflats and estuarine waters supporting a diverse array of flora and fauna. 'Every new species we discover is a testament to the incredible natural heritage of this region," ZSI director Dhriti Banerjee said. 'It also serves as a stark reminder of how much we stand to lose if we don't expedite our efforts to protect these habitats."she added. PTI SUS MNB view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
How robotics can help bridge the digital divide in tribal India
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India has the potential to be a global lab for scalable longevity solutions: Accel's Prashanth Prakash
Bengaluru-based wellness startup Biopeak had raised $3.5 million recently in a funding round led by Prashanth Prakash, founding partner of Accel Partners, that also saw participation from Manipal Group's Ranjan Pai through his investment vehicle Claypond Capital and Zerodha's Nikhil Kamath and Nithin Kamath. In this exclusive interview, Prakash talks about longevity as a concept and its importance in future. Excerpts: Hello Prashanth, what was the thought process behind this investment decision? The timing of this investment is deeply intentional. We are at a unique intersection in human health where diagnostics, artificial intelligence, and longevity science are converging with extraordinary speed. Biopeak is building an integrated, precision health system grounded in global science but tailored to the unique biological, environmental, and lifestyle factors of the Indian population. This is not just a business bet—it's a belief that India will lead the world in next-generation healthcare. The thought process was simple: medicine is shifting from reactive to predictive and preventive, and Biopeak is among the few platforms architecting that future in a scalable, scientifically grounded way. It will enable us to plot with unprecedented detail personalised health trajectories for a specific individual using multi-dimensional data collection, integration, and prediction. The focus on deeply personalised healthcare is going to be huge in the future. Right? The transition from universal averages to personalised insights will represent a revolution in how we detect, predict, prevent adverse events and build resilience reserves. This new model of Biology and AI-led medicine is an exciting paradigm for the future of healthcare in our country that investors are excited to back. What's your definition of longevity? Longevity, for us, is not merely about extending the lifespan but expanding the healthspan. Ensuring more years that are healthy, vital, and productive is more crucial. In the Indian context, this requires a unique balance: respect for traditional knowledge systems, alignment with evolving regulatory frameworks, and deep reliance on evidence-based science. We're combining cutting-edge diagnostics—from microbiome and metabolomics to imaging and functional genomics—with culturally compatible interventions and a powerful AI layer. Longevity for us in India means democratising access to health optimisation—life partnerships between human intelligence and machine precision, rooted in science, ethics, and scale. In ancient civilizations including India, people were said to have lived for a much longer span of time. How do you relate that to the work Biopeak is doing and the results it is hoping to achieve? While environmental and societal contexts have changed drastically, ancient systems often emphasised internal balance, rhythm with nature, and preventative health —all are core principles in today's longevity science. At Biopeak, we're not romanticising the past—we're modelling it. Using symbolic and generative AI frameworks, we're integrating timeless health principles with modern biological data to predict individual responses to pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and lifestyle interventions. It's not about replicating ancient lifespans—it's about reclaiming biological potential by harmonising past wisdom with today's precision tools. Do you think longevity as a concept can be realistically spread to all sections of society? Or will it remain only an aspiration of the well-heeled? Longevity must not become a luxury. With AI at the core of Biopeak's platform, we can rapidly model and scale health solutions based on outcomes from higher-touch cases to broader population needs. What starts with the few can be democratised for the many through intelligent design, efficient diagnostics, and continuous learning from diverse cohorts. India has the potential to be a global lab for scalable longevity solutions—not by diluting science but by deploying it with cultural and economic sensitivity. Through our own longitudinal data leveraging interdisciplinary collaboration (Longevity India, an initiative of the Indian Institute of Science), we aim to identify markers of organ system malfunction before pathology sets in so that we can implement a health management program which will extend healthspan and improve the quality of life for the ageing population across all sections of society. At the core of Biopeak's offering, I believe, is a diagnostic system that includes tests like organic acid profiling, microbiome mapping, salivary cortisol rhythms, and whole-exome functional genomics. These are paired with imaging tools such as MRI, CT, and ECHO, as well as tissue-level screenings that examine markers like mineral levels, toxin load, and oxidative stress. Does this make Biopeak a unique company in the world? Yes, Biopeak is unique both in its scientific architecture and its population focus. It combines multiple high-resolution diagnostic modalities—molecular, functional, and structural—into a unified health intelligence platform. Each individual is paired with a biologist and clinician, and guided through a dynamic health roadmap. What further sets it apart is its South Asia-centric design, which considers the genetic, dietary, cultural, and environmental nuances of this region. Supported by research from institutions like IISc and informed by global best practices, Biopeak is not just another health company—it's a systems-level rethink of what human health can be in the 21st century. What's Medicine 4.0? What does it look to solve? What are its basic principles? Medicine 4.0 is the natural evolution of healthcare in the age of AI and high-resolution biology. It's defined by its longitudinal view of health, multisystem diagnostics, real-time feedback loops, and personalised intervention frameworks. It's not about treating symptoms—it's about continuously adapting to the evolving biology of the individual. This approach integrates international technologies, leverages big data with small, precise insights, and focuses on outcomes over time rather than episodic care. In short, it's predictive, participatory, personalised, and preventive. What do you think are the key pillars of the Medicine 4.0 framework as far as BioPeak is concerned? Biopeak leverages data from modern genomics, metabolomics, lipidomics, and metagenomics analytics to provide a molecular view of an individual's unique biology. This integration identifies systemic equilibrium for identifying subtle imbalances and hidden dysfunctions long before symptoms arise. From DXA scans for bone density to functional MRIs and real-time metabolic imaging, Biopeak employs cutting-edge tools that visualise internal systems and structural health markers. Using a hybrid AI approach, combining symbolic AI (for precise, rule-based interpretations) and generative AI (for pattern recognition and predictive modelling), Biopeak can detect complex biological interrelations and generate personalised health insights. What do you think are the limitations of the current health systems worldwide and in India? Globally and in India, health systems remain largely reactive, fragmented, and oriented around acute interventions rather than long-term prevention. There's a heavy focus on managing disease rather than predicting and reversing the conditions that lead to it. What's missing is a systems view—an integration of diagnostics, therapeutics, and lifestyle within a cohesive, continuously updating framework. People are treated as conditions, not as dynamic ecosystems. Long-term biological consequences of current choices are rarely factored into care. The foundation of Medicine 2.0 was built on population averages, with protocols and interventions developed based on data from extensive observational and interventional studies. While this approach helped standardise treatments, it does not account for individual variability. Each person's genetic framework, metabolism, lifestyle, and environment interactions are unique, making the n=1 (individual-first) model essential for true health optimisation. Biopeak is solving for precisely this: unifying the fragmented landscape into an intelligent, longitudinal system centred around the individual.
