Study finds desert bacteria traveling to Himalayas, posing health risks

January 28, 2026 12:25 PM

Study finds desert bacteria traveling to Himalayas, posing health risks

A new scientific study has found that airborne pathogens embedded in desert dust plumes from western India are travelling hundreds of kilometres to the Eastern Himalayas, potentially contributing to respiratory, skin and gastrointestinal illnesses in high-altitude regions. Researchers from the Bose Institute, an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), monitored dust storms originating from arid regions of western India over a period of more than two years. The stud...

Pollution and pathogens: Double trouble for Delhi’s residents, says study

September 2, 2025 5:10 PM

Pollution and pathogens: Double trouble for Delhi’s residents, says study

Invisible microbes may be lurking in Delhi’s polluted air, silently increasing health risks for millions of residents. A new study by scientists from the Bose Institute, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has revealed that airborne pathogenic bacteria - responsible for respiratory, gastrointestinal, oral, and skin infections—are twice as abundant in densely populated parts of Delhi compared to less crowded regions. The research, published in the in...