How the Data Team measured heat stress in Chennai
Welcome back, data enthusiasts!
Your experience of a 36°C day may not be the same as everyone's.
We at The Hindu Data Team have explored this concept in our latest interactive story titled: 'Taking on the heat.' The story covers the day-to-day experiences of four working class individuals across Chennai, with varying levels of exposure to direct sunlight. It details the respondents' heat management mechanisms and potential help they could receive for the same from the State.
Where our stories generally explore sociology, policy, and more via numbers, our approach for this story differed, as we combined originally sourced data, reportage, and interactive graphics.
The idea gained momentum when Dr. Srinivasan Ramani, deputy national editor at The Hindu, found inspiration in The New York Times' article 'Who Gets to Breathe Clean Air in New Delhi?' He noticed that they had taken recourse to a Raspberry-Pi Device along with air pollution monitors to build an interactive story, earlier in this decade, on differential impact of air pollution on two children from different class segments in New Delhi.
Knowing that Arduino-based devices cost much lower than a Raspberry-Pi mini-computer, Dr. Ramani along with hardware engineer Mr. Sanjeevi Maran procured and built this device for measuring heat stress in Chennai.
We scoured hobbyist/electronics sales' websites to buy the components for the device -- an Arduino Nano micro-controller, a DH22-temperature and humidity sensor, a data recorder/logger module, SD Card to store the data and batteries, all of which were to be fitted in a DIN case -- all of which cost us less than Rs 2,000 per device.
We asked our respondents to keep the devices on for 24 hours from 9 AM on June 9 to 9 AM on June 10. Once this data was collected, the Data team sifted through the datasets procured from the SD cards and calculated the respondents' heat index. The goal was to determine how much heat stress one is suffering, not just the air temperature.
Using this data, we gauged which parts of the day brought the most discomfort to our respondent. We spoke to them about their routines, which parts of the day were particularly unbearable and tried to understand the specificities of their experiences. Our photographers made sure to capture this visually. With the guidance of our Deputy Science Editor, Vasudevan Mukunth, we also consulted various experts on the subject of heat stress; its impact on the body, what amplifies it, how it can be reduced, and what is and is not being done about it.
Our principal correspondent, Vignesh Radhakrishnan, and our editorial coder, Areena Arora, concocted how to best put forth the subtle distinctions in their day-to-day lives.
We felt that loading the story with heat stress data on readers wouldn't have delivered the true impact of working in 60°C plus temperatures and we risked it reading like a scientific story. At the core of this project, while there is rich data collection and analysis, is a human, sociological aspect. Using intentional elements like a moving time counter, illustrated images and showing both real and heat index temperature really brought home the point - some professionals are exposed to dangerously high heat levels.
We collaborated with our National Design Editor, Kannan Sundar, for art direction and our Chief Illustrator, Soumyadip Sinha who brought our respondents' stories to life through his illustrations.
Click here to read the story.
What we published in the last two weeks
In the last three months, a string of dowry-related deaths have been reported from across India. We used numbers from the National Crime Records Bureau to understand how these cases are still prevalent in society and how their investigations are dealt with by the police.
Dowry deaths in India: Long investigations, rare convictions
Last Saturday, Animesh Kujur became India's fastest man by breaking the national record in the men's 100 metres, in under 10.20 seconds, clocking 10.18 at a meet in Greece. We looked at how this feat compares to past national records and how far India's sprinting benchmarks still are from global standards.
How fast is India's fastest man, Animesh Kujur? | Data
Custodial deaths continue across India, and especially in Tamil Nadu, without a single conviction between 2017–21. Despite hundreds of deaths and dozens of inquiries, zero custodial-death prosecutions succeeded in TN. We looked at the status of such cases in various States using data from the National Crime Records Bureau.
Custodial deaths: Police convictions remain zero in Tamil Nadu and beyond
Following the London-bound Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, we took a look at the high number of fatalities and incidents involving Boeing aircrafts, and more airlines are opting for Airbus, Boeing's rival aircraft manufacturer.
Boeing faces headwinds from crashes and competition
Here are some important News in Numbers this week:
5.8
Number of infections averted by global vaccine reserves since 2000
In millions. Global stockpiles of vaccines under programmes supported by 'Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance,' helped prevent more than 327,000 deaths from outbreaks in low and middle-income countries since 2000, according to a new study. The alliance, established in 2000, funds the roll-out and scale-up of new vaccines through routine healthcare systems and preventive campaigns.
Source: PTI
33,000
Number of private sector jobs lost in the US in June 2025
According to the ADP chief economist Nela Richardson, layoffs remained rare, a slowdown in hiring and reluctance to replace departing workers led to job losses, particularly in professional services, education, and healthcare. Annual pay growth held steady at 4.4% for job stayers, while wage hikes for job switchers eased slightly to 6.8%.
Source: AFP
1,628
Number of cases of illegal transfer of tribal land to be probed by MH
More than 1,600 cases of the illegal transfer of tribal lands to non-tribal people have been identified for investigation in Maharashtra and a report will be submitted, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule told the legislative assembly on Wednesday. He stated that agricultural land can only be transferred to tribals, while non-agricultural transfers for commercial, industrial or residential purposes are subject to strict scrutiny under 34 conditions and Supreme Court guidelines.
Source: PTI
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Indian Express
India's 1st private test facility for heavy water upgrade opens
In a small but significant step towards speeding up the operationalisation of nuclear power plants, India's nuclear establishment has, for the first time, roped in private players to carry out a key process that was so far handled entirely in-house. Mumbai-based TEMA India has been entrusted with testing the equipment required for upgrading of depleted heavy water, a crucial requirement at all Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors in India. Until now, the testing was done by the country's main nuclear research, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). TEMA India inaugurated its test facility two days ago at Achchad in Palghar district, about 100 km north of Mumbai, where it will manufacture equipment such as distillation columns and integrate and test them before sending them to reactor sites for installation. The Department of Atomic Energy said the facility was designed and built by TEMA India's nuclear vertical under technology transfer from BARC and a 'purchase order' from Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL). 'What we have built is a single-point solution for the upgrading of heavy water. Earlier, the distillation columns and modules used to be manufactured by other vendors, then assembled and tested by BARC. The entire process was perhaps taking seven to eight years. We will be able to reduce this time period by at least one to two years,' said Sunil Kubal, Executive Director-Nuclear at TEMA India. Heavy water (D2O) is a form of water (H2O) with deuterium, a heavier isotope of hydrogen, instead of regular hydrogen, and is used as a coolant as well as moderator for slowing down fast-moving neutrons during a chain reaction, essential for sustaining the nuclear fission process. D2O needs to be 99.9% pure for working efficiently. But with time, it gets contaminated with light or regular water, requiring the depleted D2O to be upgraded back to 99.9% using a distillation process. TEMA India will not only manufacture the components required for the distillation process, but will also test them to ensure they produce the right results. At the inauguration ceremony Saturday, TEMA India also dispatched the first batch of tested distillation column sections for deployment at Unit 8 of the Rawatbhata Nuclear Power Plant (RAPP-8) in Rajasthan, which is scheduled to go critical by December this year. The company will also manufacture and test distillation equipment for the upcoming four nuclear reactors at Gorakhpur in Haryana and two at Kaiga in Karnataka. 'We are hoping to get more orders in the future. The Indian nuclear industry is set to expand rapidly, and we hope to play an important role in its growth,' Kubal said. India has set its eyes at achieving 100 GW of installed nuclear energy capacity by 2047. There are 24 nuclear reactors operational in India, with an installed capacity of 8,780 MW. The government had approved construction of 10 more nuclear reactors in 2015, of which one has come onboard, while the rest — with a combined capacity of 13.6 GW — are under construction. The immediate target is to achieve 22.4 GW of installed capacity by 2032. The government has also launched a `20,000-crore Nuclear Energy Mission to develop Small Modular Reactors.
NDTV
17 hours ago
- NDTV
US Startup Claims To Have Found New Way To Make 5,000-Kg Of Gold Every Year
A US startup has claimed that it has found a novel way to turn mercury into gold, opening a new 'revenue stream for the future'. San Francisco-based Marathon Fusion stated that using the nuclear fusion process, the precious element can be developed. Using the radioactivity from neutron particles in a nuclear fusion reactor, the team from Marathon Fusion said mercury can be converted into mercury-197. Afterwards, this element decays into a stable form of gold: gold-197. "Fusion-driven transmutation of mercury into gold transforms fusion energy from a stand-alone power technology into a multi-product industrial platform, dramatically strengthening its economic and societal value proposition," the company highlighted in a yet-to-be-peer-reviewed paper. As per the estimates by the researchers, a fusion power plant could produce 5,000 kg of gold per gigawatt of thermal power in a single year of operation. Since one gigawatt is the average output of a large nuclear plant, it could lead to over $550 million worth of gold per year per GW of fusion energy. "With focused effort on the technology gaps identified, the approach described could accelerate the commercial deployment of fusion power and, in doing so, turn an ancient aspiration into a reality. The goal of classical alchemy is now achievable through practical engineered solutions." The researchers said the gold was the bonus byproduct of the fusion reactors, and it would not interfere with the plant's primary purpose of developing clean energy. However, one complication is that the presence of other types of mercury may result in the production of unstable gold isotopes alongside gold-197, meaning the metal could be partially radioactive. Marathon Fusion's chief technology officer, Adam Rutkowski told Financial Times that the gold would have to be stored for 14 to 18 years for it to be labelled radiation-safe. Gold from mercury -- dream or pipe dream? Scientists regard nuclear fusion as the holy grail of energy that could help in generating limitless, clean energy for the planet. It is what powers our Sun as atomic nuclei are merged to create massive amounts of energy, which is the opposite of the fission process used in atomic weapons and nuclear power plants, where the heavy atom is split into multiple smaller ones. In the last few years, Marathon Fusion has raised almost $6 million in investments and $4 million in government grants, as it focuses on developing efficient nuclear fusion power systems. However, until commercial fusion reactors are developed, the dream of making gold from mercury may remain a pipe dream.
Mint
20 hours ago
- Mint
Indian contract drug makers timed their IPOs right. But is the business worth the premium?
An anticipated shift in the global pharmaceutical supply chain away from China has investors excited about Indian contract research, development and manufacturing organisations (CRDMOs), companies that offer services from early-stage drug discovery to late-stage drug development. Export-focused CRDMOs including Anthem Biosciences, Sai Life Sciences and Divi's Laboratories are trading at expensive valuations, reflecting investor enthusiasm as innovator drug companies look at diversifying and derisking their operations. However, experts cautioned that while CRDMOs are expected to post high growth, their financial performances have yet to reflect it. Bengaluru-based Anthem Biosciences made a stellar debut on the stock exchanges on 21 July, listing on the National Stock Exchange at a premium of 27 percent over its initial public offering price of ₹ 570. The IPO, with an issue size of ₹ 3,395.79 crore, was subscribed 67.42 times. Anthem's stock traded at a price-to-earnings (PE) ratio of 93.24 on 25 July. 'The good news is that… China is a behemoth. So, we have that much headroom to grow,' Ajay Bhardwaj, managing director and chief executive officer, told Mint earlier. About 65% of India's imported bulk drugs and advanced drug intermediates worth $3.5 billion in FY25 came from China, according to the commerce ministry. The government wants to strengthen local manufacturing through an upgraded drugs production-linked incentive scheme as it pushes for self-sufficiency in bulk drugs that go into manufacturing medicines. The Indian CRDMO industry today is worth $3-3.5 billion, making up only 2-3% of the global CRDMO market, which is worth $145 billion. It grew at a compound annual growth rate of 15% from 2019-2024, according to a recent report by BCG and IPSO. The industry is at a tipping point, with strong fundamentals and massive headroom to grow, fueled by competitive advantage in small molecule capabilities, faster startup time, focus on quality and cost advantages, the report noted. Unlike CRDMOs, CDMOs (contract development and manufacturing organisations) are typically involved in manufacturing already commercialised drugs. Sai Life Sciences, which made its market debut in December 2024, traded at ₹ 837 on 25 July, close to its high of about ₹ 851, valuing the company at roughly 102 times trailing earnings and about 8.2 times book value. Divi's Laboratories and Syngene International also traded at premiums, at a PE ratio of 80.31 and 55.09, respectively. In comparison, generic pharmaceutical giants are valued relatively modestly: Sun Pharmaceutical Industries trades at a PE ratio of 37.37, Dr Reddy's Laboratories at 18.84, and Cipla at 23.53. Sai Life Sciences shares are up over 18% since listing on the NSE. Divi's Laboratories gained 35.56% from 30 July 2024 to 28 July 2025, Piramal Pharma rose 20.36%, while Syngene International's shares were down 12.72%. Syngene International, a unit of biopharmaceutical company Biocon, kicked off this fiscal's earnings season last week. It posted an 11% year-on-year rise in revenue from operations to ₹ 875 crore for Q1, a robust start compared to its FY25 performance (4% revenue growth YoY). The management maintained its expectation of revenue growth in the mid‑teens for FY26. Sai Life Sciences delivered 16% revenue growth to ₹ 1,695 crore in FY25. Divi's reported a 19% year-on-year rise in full-year revenue to ₹ 9,360 crore in FY25, while net profit surged 37% to ₹ 2,191 crore. Divi's is expected to post revenue growth of 18% year-on-year in Q1FY26, according to brokerage BNP Paribas. 'The Indian CDMO sub-sector presents a highly promising opportunity as investors view it as a direct beneficiary of the China+1 thematic,' Sunil Khaitan, managing director leading financing in India at Goldman Sachs, told Mint. 'We expect the capital markets activity in this space to further accelerate over the next 6-12 months.' The China-plus one theme – to diversify supply chains and reduce overdependence on China – is a key driver, but it's not just that. CRDMOs are on an aggressive capacity expansion track as they anticipate winning over more clients in the future and bank on technological niches to cater to biotech companies as demand for new technologies and drugs grows. Anthem has expertise in new chemical entities as well as biologics (drugs made from living organisms or their components) and capabilities to work on RNAi (a gene regulatory mechanism), antibody drug conjugates that target and kill cancer cells, peptides (short chains of amino acids), lipids, and oligonucleotides (synthesised nucleic acids). OneSource Specialty Pharma, a subsidiary of Strides Pharma, which listed in January, expects its focus on niche areas such as biologics, drug substances, injectables, and drug-device combinations to drive growth. Its offerings in drug-device combinations, particularly for GLP-1s (hormones that regulate blood sugar levels), which are often sold in pen-filled devices, is expected to be a major growth opportunity. 'We are currently executing a 5x expansion of our cartridge-filling capabilities to meet our customer demand and which will significantly boost future revenue,' CEO Neeraj Sharma told Mint in an emailed response. Anthem Biosciences and Sai Life Sciences did not respond to Mint's queries. Investors are looking at CRDMOs not just for potential growth driven by these tailwinds but also as diversification of their portfolios, experts said. Opportunities in traditional pharma companies with a focus on domestic formulations and US generics are drying up because of a slowdown in new approvals and regulatory issues. 'The investor would like to have exposure to companies and segments which have the potential for high growth and themes of shifting manufacturing from China to India,' Tausif Shaikh, healthcare and pharma analyst at BNP Paribas, told Mint. While CRDMOs have reported steady, mid-teen revenue growth, their performance has not been encouraging enough even as valuations remain expensive, Shaikh pointed out. Unlike sectors such as healthcare services, where one can gauge a company's performance based on metrics like hospital bed occupancy and average revenue per bed, for contract drug manufacturers, management commentary is the main indicator of the company's expected growth and performance, said Shaikh. Most companies report an uptick in interest from innovators to hire their services and have embarked on aggressive capacity expansion. Syngene plans to boost its biologics manufacturing footprint in FY26 through its newly acquired US facility for $36.5 million. Divi's Laboratories is undertaking a ₹ 650-700 crore capacity expansion at its existing facilities, while Sai Life Sciences has completed the second phase of its Bidar Unit IV capacity expansion for small-molecule active pharmaceutical ingredients and intermediates. On the back of this, the growth outlook remains strong. "Earnings are expected to be strong for export-oriented CDMOs for the next 2-3 years considering the capex projects and potential addition of new molecules,' Shrikant Akolkar, pharma equity research analyst at brokerage Nuvama, told Mint. However, the CDMO business is non-linear, Akolkar said, adding that one must pay attention to the annual performance and not a couple of quarters of number misses.
