SciencePoliticsMarginalityClimate

Has Lula’s victory saved the Amazon? What does it mean to the world?

After trailing in the first round, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva gained more than 10 million votes in just 20 days to win a fourth term as Brazil’s president. Under Lula, deforestation in the Amazon rainforest has fallen by 71%. Yet, with the right strengthening its hold on the legislature, concerns persist that the Amazon could still be pushed dangerously close to a critical ecological tipping point.

Atri Bhattacharya
7 min read
Has Lula’s victory saved the Amazon? What does it mean to the world?

Just two days before his 81st birthday, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was elected president of Brazil for a fourth term. He is the first person to serve four terms as president in Brazil and across Latin America. In his first reaction to the victory, standing before a cheering crowd, he declared, “This country is not anyone’s backyard.”

He then called on the people to sing Brazil’s national anthem, sending a message to the world that this land would not be subject to anyone else’s control. For many ...

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Atri Bhattacharya
Atri Bhattacharya
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Van Gogh's The Starry Night: What if an old theory was wrong?

Vincent Van Gogh, The Starry Night: For generations, the swirling stars and restless blue sky of a celebrated masterpiece have blurred the line between reality and imagination. Now, a study published in Scientific Reports challenges an established theory about the painting’s celestial inspiration. Researchers suggest that its five central stars resemble the Hyades cluster in Taurus, possibly reflecting the dawn sky of July 22, 1889.

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Super El Niño: Is the world ready for a ‘Godzilla’ climate crisis?

Super El Niño 2026: In October, sea-surface temperature anomalies in the Niño 3.4 region are forecast to exceed 3.8°C, surpassing the 2015–16 record. The WMO warns that its effects could continue into 2027. India faces a 13% monsoon rainfall deficit, drought across 39.8% of agricultural land and a potential 4% decline in crop production.

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COP17 in Armenia: Who will bridge the $1.317 trillion biodiversity financial gap?

COP17, 2026: The United Nations Biodiversity Conference, COP17 (Conference of the Parties), began on October 19 in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, and will continue until October 30. It is the highest decision-making forum of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), with 196 parties participating.

Atri BhattacharyaAtri Bhattacharya
Ashoke Sen: The Indian Physicist Wins 2026 Oskar Klein Medal for pioneering work on String Theory and Black Holes

Ashoke Sen, Oskar Klein Medal 2026: Indian physicist Ashoke Sen wins the 2026 Oskar Klein Medal, recognising decades of pioneering research into string theory, gravity and black holes.

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The Dimagi Naxal doctrine. Why the Right needs you to stop thinking

Dimagi Naxal is emerging as a political shorthand for delegitimising dissent, with its amorphous definition allowing ideological labelling to spill into campus intimidation, identity-based targeting and the policing of critical thought.

Pratyusha Pan
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UDAN 2.0 targets India’s next 120 destinations

India’s next UDAN phase is moving beyond adding small-town routes, giving states a bigger role in airport selection while extending funding and infrastructure support to make regional air connectivity viable beyond the subsidy cycle.

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India’s energy bill is rising even as oil imports fall

India imported 3% less crude in August, yet its oil import bill surged over 18% as prices climbed, exposing the deeper costs of India’s energy dependence.

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