Six-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic says hes excited to be back after a long injury-enforced break, admitting he has missed the "fire and passion" of competitive tennis.

The Serbian former world number one has been out of action for six months, and while he enjoyed having his first real break since turning professional, he is ready to get back to business.

"Im just glad to be back playing tennis, having an opportunity to compete yet again in the big tournaments. Ive missed it," he said on Saturday at Melbourne Park.

Djokovic has been sidelined with an elbow injury that had been progressively getting worse over the past few years.

He said it got to the point where the pain on his serve was becoming unbearable, with a sustained period of rest the only cure.

"It hasnt healed 100 percent yet. But right now its at the level where I can compete, and every day is getting better," he said.

"Throughout the tournament, I dont know how its going to behave. Even if its 100 percent healed, after six months of no competition, you never know how youre going to react."

But despite slipping down the rankings and only seeded 14 at the opening Grand Slam of the year, his confidence is high and he warned he could still go far.

"I still know what Im capable of, and I believe in my own abilities to win against the best players in the world," he said ahead of his opening round clash against American Donald Young.

"I know that if I get myself to the desired level of performance -- mental and physical -- that I can actually have a good chance to go far in the tournament. "Now, whether my approach is different to this years Australian Open to other previous years, probably yes. Its different circumstances. But it is exciting. Honestly, its a good place to be."

The 12-time Grand Slam winner is taking inspiration from his old rival Roger Federer, who at 36 and after an injury absence in 2016 came back with all guns blazing last year, winning another two Grand Slams, including Australia.

Age no bar

"Roger and Rafas year last year has shown age is just a number, especially in Rogers case," said Djokovic, 30.

"I mean, hes (Federers) a great example of someone who manages to take care of himself, knows how to prepare well and peak at the right time.

"He won a couple more Grand Slams. Who would predict that after his six months of absence, so everything is possible really.

"I dont know how my bodys going to behave this year or any other year. Right now all I can think about and where I can sort of, say, direct my energy is in the present moment."

Djokovic suggested recently that he might still be playing at 40, and said anything was possible so long as he still enjoyed what he was doing.

"I love this sport, I really do. As I said, Ive been quite content with my body, mind and spirit so far throughout my career," he said. "The fire, passion, and love for the sport still burns inside. I have great support from my family and close ones and people around the world. I do feel young inside, you know."

The 2018 Australian Open is not the ultimate tennis reunion it could have been. Long-absent luminaries Serena Williams, Andy Murray, Victoria Azarenka and Kei Nishikori remain absent, and Murray will be out for at least several months more after hip surgery.

Other stars may join the list before getting the chance to play in Melbourne, or perhaps even after they start their opening-round matches, and discover their bodies are not truly ready for the grind.

Even one of the key ceremonial figures is expected to skip the tennis festivities: Margaret Court, long retired but still in the headlines, says she will go crab fishing instead this year as the debate continues about whether the Australian Opens third-biggest show court should continue to bear her name.

Tennis, a game played on intersecting lines, is at a crossroads and not just in terms of how it responds to its latest surge in injuries. There is the issue of its structure, which, with multiple governing bodies and no final arbiter, severely limits its ability to make calendar changes.

"In my opinion, its not about the crazy calendar," Rafael Nadal, back at No 1, said in a recent interview. "For me, its about how long the calendar is in terms of mandatory events for the top players. For me, thats more the issue."

With the Australian Open in January and the Paris Masters and World Tour Finals ending in November, it is a marathon for the elite - an ultramarathon if they play in the Davis Cup final, too.

Chris Kermode, executive chairman and president of the ATP Tour, says tour studies show there has not been a rise in injury rates overall but only among the highest ranked players, most of whom are now 30 or older and most of whom already have earned exemptions from some of their tour commitments. Still, the bottom line is that these are the athletes, with their collective drawing power, who need to be preserved to protect the economic model.

Are modern tennis demands simply too great?

"You see how physical it is on the court, and then you see the travelling and the challenge of our sport versus others in terms of time zone changes and the variables in conditions," said Justin Gimelstob, an ATP board member and former player and coach. "Tennis is full of variables every single week: temperature, humidity, racquet tension, balls, court surface, court speed, and then because the sport is so much more physical, you have to train harder. Youre not just breaking down the body during matches; youre breaking it down during training.

"Thats a huge factor that doesnt get addressed: the exponential effect of the physicality. And yet you have players playing longer and later into careers and as a byproduct, them taking more time off and not playing as consistently throughout the year. I think the reality of where were at is that the game is overdesigned."

Credibility

There is also the question of the sports ability to police itself credibly, which will soon be back in the spotlight with the lengthy and costly Independent Review of Integrity, created to investigate potential match-fixing and corruption, expected to recommend this year that the game combine its anti-doping and anti-corruption organisations into a single independent entity.

Then there is the more cyclical matter of whether a new ruling class is at last prepared to take power on the court. There were hints last year: 20-year-old Jelena Ostapenkos free-swinging, risk-embracing run to the French Open womens title; Garbiñe Muguruzas brilliant play down the stretch at Wimbledon; Grigor Dimitrovs bravura performance in London at the ATP World Tour Finals as he won his first big title.

But for now, no younger woman has demonstrated the ability to dominate in the absence of Williams and no younger man has demonstrated the ability to handle Grand Slam occasions anywhere near as well as Nadal, Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic. If healthy this season - a big if for Djokovic and Nadal as it begins - they still look like the stars around which others will orbit.

Federer, even at 36, is the rightful Australian Open favourite after appearing fresh and sharp in the Hopman Cup team event. The odds are particularly in his favour if the playing conditions in Melbourne are quick, as they were last year when he won the title by surprise after a six-month layoff.

He was 32-3 on outdoor hard courts in 2017, with his only losses coming against Evgeny Donskoy in the second round in Dubai, Alexander Zverev in the final in Montreal and Juan Martin del Potro in the quarterfinals of the US Open.

Nadal won that US Open to claim his first hardcourt singles title in nearly four years. But Nadal has never won a Grand Slam tournament without playing in an official event at least three weeks before it and has rarely won a Grand Slam tournament without winning a lead-in tournament.

This year, ongoing pain in his right knee forced him to withdraw from his planned warm-up tournament in Brisbane. Despite being No 1, Nadal is thus an outsider in Melbourne. So is Djokovic, a six-time Australian Open champion who has not played an official match since retiring at Wimbledon in July against Tomas Berdych because of a damaged right elbow that is still a concern and was encased in a sleeve during exhibition play Wednesday.

There is ample room for an ambush in the mens draw with a gifted, unpredictable outsider like Australias Nick Kyrgios in fine form and talents like Zverev, Del Potro, Dimitrov and David Goffin lurking. There is even more room on the womens side with the 2016 champion Angelique Kerber back on target and with a new coach, Wim Fissette, after slumping in 2017.

Unseeded women have won two of the last three majors: Ostapenko at the French Open and Sloane Stephens at the US Open. An extension of the trend is not out of the question with Maria Sharapova unseeded in Melbourne. But it seems more likely that the winner will come out of the Top 10, seven of whom have yet to win a major singles title: Simona Halep, Caroline Wozniacki, Elina Svitolina, Karolina Pliskova, Caroline Garcia, Johanna Konta and CoCo Vandeweghe.

For efficient hydrogen production

A joint research team, affiliated with Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, has introduced the Hybrid-Solid Electrolysis Cell (Hybrid-SOEC) system with highest reported electrochemical performance in hydrogen production.

The proposed system has attracted much attention as a new promising option for cost-effective and highly-efficient hydrogen production. A solid oxide electrolyser cell (SOEC) consists of two electrodes and an electrolyte that are all in solid state. They are strongly desired as candidates for the hydrogen production as there is no need to replenish lost electrolytes.

The research team reported their findings by exploring a SOEC base on a mixed-ion conductor that can transport both oxygen ion and proton at the same time, which is denoted as Hybrid-SOEC. In comparison to other SOECs, the proposed system demands less electricity for hydrogen production, while exhibiting good electrochemical performance with stability. Also, the Hybrid-SOEC exhibits no observable degradation in performance after continuous use.

Waters unusual properties

Using X-ray lasers, researchers at Stockholm University have been able to map out how water fluctuates between two different states when it is cooled. Many more properties such as compressibility and heat capacity become increasingly strange as water is cooled. Now, with the help of ultra-short X-ray pulses at X-ray lasers in Japan and South Korea, researchers have succeeded in determining that water reaches the peak of its strange behaviour at -44 °C.

Water is unique, as it can exist in two liquid states that have different ways of bonding the water molecules together. It is this ability to shift from one liquid state into another that gives water its unusual properties.

Novel antimicrobial peptides developed

Scientists from CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu and the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi have now synthesised hybrid protein sequences with antimicrobial properties, by using a mixture of natural and synthetic analogues of amino acids. Various multicellular organisms produce short sequences of proteins called antimicrobial peptides that are capable of acting as natural antibiotics against a host of pathogens.

Drawing inspiration from the antimicrobial peptides, scientists have been trying to come up with artificial varieties of such proteins in order to help develop new antibiotics against specific microbes. One such strategy employed is the use of beta- and gamma-amino acids. For the study, the researchers synthesised several hybrid antimicrobial peptides by using a mixture of alpha, beta and gamma amino acids.

The researchers then studied their properties further and found that a particular hybrid peptide made up of alpha and gamma amino acids was very effective against the pathogens like Pseudomonas aeruginosa. They also tested the peptides effect on human cells and found that it was one of the least harmful peptides among the hybrid peptides they had synthesised.

How hard can you bite?

Scientists from Indian Institute of Science have developed a novel device made of a fibre Bragg grating (FBG) to measure the force exerted with a bite. The force is a result of three components: muscle of mastication, the jaw and teeth. The measure of force is considered as a good indicator of the state of the masticatory system. To measure the force, the scientists made use of the FBG, a device which acts as an optical filter allowing certain wavelengths of lights to pass through, while blocking others. Sensors made of the FBG can be used to measure the differences in force. The novel Bite Force Measurement Device (BMFD) consists of a non-invasive intraoral device, which when bit into, can transfer the bite force into strain variations on a metal plate.

Neutrino: Measuring the Unexpected

The neutrinos are the core mysteries which have enticed and confounded physicists throughout time. How has the sun managed to burn and illuminate for so many millions of years? Early on, our universe was made up of equal parts of matter and antimatter, yet very little antimatter exists in our world today.

Why? The answers could lie in the study of the neutrino. In the documentary, Neutrino: Measuring the Unexpected, directed by Javier Diez, a trio of physicists take us on a guided tour through a series of experiments that uncover the true nature of the neutrino. To watch the documentary, visit www.bit.ly/2zBlGs3.

A pyramid is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge to a single point at the top and has a quadrilateral base. The most well known are the three pyramids in Giza, outside of Cairo. The two bigger ones are the Great Pyramid and the Pyramid of Khafre. They were constructed around 2500 BC. These pyramids also have several secret chambers, which were used to keep bodies of important people like the Pharaoh.

These large chambers were discovered in the 9th century AD and explored extensively by archaeologists in the 19th century. Speculations were rife for decades that the pyramids may have secret chambers built at that time but not known to the later generations.

The Alvarez experiment

Since the presence of such hidden secret chambers would be of interest to historians and archaeologists, the Egyptian government agreed to a proposal of an American particle physicist to look for these chambers. Luis Alvarez, a physicist, proposed to see whether there are secret chambers inside pyramids by looking for particles called muons. When muon was discovered, there was a lot of confusion about the role of these particles in the larger scheme of nature. Today, it is recognised as part of a family of particles called leptons, which along with quarks, are recognised as the fundamental constituents of matter.

The source of muons on earth is the primary cosmic ray particles which impinge on the top of atmosphere from all directions. These particles interact continuously in the atmosphere creating many electrons and muons. Compared to electrons, muons traverse long distances without appreciable scatter.

In the 1950s, it was found that they are able to traverse rocks and were the only particles found inside deep mines. Several scientific groups across the world studied these particles as a function of depth. It was found that the number of muons decreased as the equipment was taken deeper. The number of muons inside a mine varies with the amount of rock above the observation site. If there is more rock, the number of muons is less. This property of muons is what made Alvarez curious to look into the mysteries inside a pyramid.

Alvarez used simple particle detectors like the scintillation counter and spark chamber to do the experiment. The scintillation detector had an area of four square metres and the spark chamber could record the path of particle from all directions. The was done at the Pyramid of Khafre. The detectors were first tested with the known chambers and it showed that the method was feasible.

The experiment was done for several months in 1965. The rate of the cosmic ray events as a function of the direction was plotted and as expected, there was a lot of fluctuation at the corners. The extrapolation of the muon rate clearly showed the distinctive appearance of the pyramid. The detailed study finally concluded that there are no unknown chambers in the pyramid similar to the known ones.

This experiment introduced the method, muon tomography, to the world as a method to study the integrity of ancient structures. This method could be thought of as X-ray imaging the structure.

The latest discovery

Despite being one of the oldest and largest monuments on earth, there is no consensus about how the pyramids were built. To better understand its internal structure, a mission called the ScanPyramids was started. This is a joint programme between Cairo University and the French non-profit HIP Institute, with guidance from the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities. Scientists from those institutions teamed up with Japanese physicists from Nagoya University and started imaging the pyramid using muons. They tested the method first by locating an already known chamber.

Later, in December 2015, physicists from Nagoya University placed several detectors inside the Queens chamber of the Great Pyramid. After running for several months, they noticed that there were more muons coming from a particular direction. This pointed to a void in the pyramid.

To check the result, two other teams of physicists also joined the enterprise. Nuclear emulsions used initially had shown the effect but later scintillator detectors confirmed it. All three teams observed a large, unexpected void in the same location above the Grand Gallery, a passage to the royal burial chambers in the Great Pyramid. Their results were reported in the journal Nature on November 2, 2017.

A study of some of the worlds most obscure marine life suggests that the central nervous system evolved independently several times - not just once, as previously thought. The invertebrates in question belong to families scattered throughout the animal evolutionary tree, and they display a diversity of central-nerve-cord architectures.

The creatures also activate genes involved with nervous-system development in other, well-studied animals - but they often do it in non-neural ways, report the authors of the paper, published on December 13, 2017 in Nature. "This puts a stake in the heart of the idea of an ancestor with a central nerve cord," said Greg Wray, an evolutionary-developmental biologist at Duke University, USA. "That opens up a lot of questions we dont have answers to - like, if central nerve cords evolved independently in different lineages, why do they have so many similarities?"

In 1875, German zoologist Anton Dohrn noted anatomical similarities between the central nerve cord that runs length-wise through the bodies of annelids and the nerve cord in the spine of vertebrates. He proposed that the groups ancient common ancestor had a nerve cord that ran along its belly-side, as seen in annelids. He also suggested that this cord flipped to the back of the body in a more recent animal that gave rise to all vertebrates.

More than a century later, evolutionary-developmental biologists revisited Antons theory when they discovered that the same genes involved in the development of vertebrates central nerve cords are also activated in the nerve cord of the fly Drosophila melanogaster and of the marine annelid Platynereis dumerilii. Similar gene expression underscored the concept that the cords could be traced back to a common ancestor.

Developmental debate

But researchers questioned the theory in 2006, after looking at the expression of a suite of those genes - including the one named bmp - in acorn worms. They found that bmp is activated in these animals early in their development, well before they form two nerve cords that run along the sides of their bodies. The scientists suggested that bmp helps to provide coordinates for cells in the developing embryo. But rather than do away with the idea that bmp unites the nerve cords of disparate species, many biologists suggested that acorn worms might be an exception in using the gene in a different way. After all, they had unusual, dual nerve cords.

Andreas Hejnol, an evolutionary-developmental biologist at the Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology in Bergen, Norway and senior author of the Nature paper, was fascinated. "I thought, you should not call an animal weird," he said. "Let the animals tell you who is weird." In search of creatures with diverse nervous systems, Andreas team explored fjords in Sweden and Norway by boat. They sifted through sludge dredged up from the sea floor, and probed the guts of sea cucumbers to find parasites buried within. The scientists also scoured the rocky shores of islands off Washington, USA.

Some of the tiniest worms the team collected belong to an ancient lineage in the animal evolutionary tree called Xenacoelomorpha, and they possess a plethora of nervous systems. For instance, Xenoturbella bocki has no central nerve cord, but rather a net of nerves similar to those in jellyfish, Isodiametra pulchra has eight nerve cords, and Meara stichopi has a nerve cord running along its back, as vertebrates do.

As in the acorn worms, these itty-bitty worms activated bmp before nerve cords formed, early in embryonic development. Moreover, Andreas blocked the protein pathway and found that the animals nerve cords still developed. The result suggests that they are constructing their nerve cords differently than mice, flies and other well-studied animals.

In lampshells, Andreas group found that other genes previously associated with the central nerve cord switched on as the lampshells developed, even though the creatures have no central nerve cord. The discordance continued in the wheel-bearers, the nemerteans and other odd animals. Andreas concluded that genes found to underlie the central nerve cord in vertebrates, flies and some annelids functioned differently in an early ancestor, and were instead integrated into the nervous system at different points in time as disparate animal lineages evolved central nerve cords of their own.

Decrease in Himalayan glaciers

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology and National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee have found that the number of glaciers has decreased in a span of 35 years. The findings were published in 2017 in the journal Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research. The study warns of a long-term decline of water resources and impending flash floods due to the glacial lake outburst as warming climate may accelerate the glacial recession in the area.

The researchers studied changes to glaciers in the Baspa basin in the western Himalayan region. Due to their massive size, remote and harsh locations, glaciers are not easy to monitor, the Baspa Basin being no exception. The researchers used a combination of satellite data to demarcate the changes in the glacier area, its length, and how much of it is covered with loose rock material, also called debris cover.

The researchers delineated 109 glaciers having a minimum size of 0.01 km2 in the glacier inventory for the year 2011. To assess glacier changes, they selected glaciers larger than 0.10 km2 in size to reduce inaccuracies in glacier mapping. They found that the number of glaciers had gone down from 103 to 97 and a total area of 41.2 ± 10.5 km2 was lost between 1976 and 2011. The study showed that factors like glacier size and topography influence glacier changes.

A feathered dinosaur

Perhaps it was soft, even fuzzy. But it was also very much a dinosaur. Anchiornis was a four-winged birdlike species that lived about 160 million years ago, and many fossil specimens have been found in China. A number of them were discovered with preserved feathers, but until recently the feathers had not been described in detail. Anchiornis (the name means near bird) was about 14 inches long from its beak to the end of its tail, barely larger than a pigeon but much more impressive. It had long feathers on its four wings, and appendages ending in claws. Anchiornis did not, however, have the reverse toe that lets modern birds perch. It climbed trees, clinging with all four feet.

A recent study in Palaeontology takes a close look at its feathers. Anchiornis had small bushy plumes covering its back and neck, unlike its straighter wing and tail feathers. These short feathers provided insulation and may have been water-repellent. But they were not as efficient at either task as the feathers of modern birds. Anchiornis probably glided down from trees, like a flying squirrel, but more likely was incapable of powered flight. The feathers on the wings and tail lacked the curved aerodynamic structure that allows for flight.

"Palaeontologists got excited when we learned that birds are dinosaurs," said the lead author, Evan T Saitta, a doctoral student at the University of Bristol in England. "But we have to remember that these things are much older and more primitive than birds. Feathers dont evolve overnight. These are steppingstones on the way to modern birds."

Ticks trapped in amber

Palaeontologists have found entombed in amber a 99-million-year-old tick grasping the feather of a dinosaur, providing the first direct evidence that the tiny pests drank dinosaur blood. Immortalised in the golden gemstone, its last supper is remarkable because it is rare to find parasites with their hosts in the fossil record. The finding, which was published in a paper that appeared the journal Nature Communications, gives researchers tantalising insight into the prehistoric diet of one of todays most prevalent pests.

David Grimaldi, an entomologist at the American Museum of Natural History and an author of the paper, was inspecting a private collection of amber from northern Myanmar when he and his colleagues spotted the eight-legged stowaway. Upon further inspection, he and his colleagues concluded that the tick was a nymph, similar in size to a deer tick nymph, and that its host was most likely some sort of fledgling dinosaur no bigger than a hummingbird, which David referred to as a nanoraptor.

Galapagos: Realm of Giant Sharks

Darwin Island, a remote oceanic region on the outskirts of the Galapagos Archipelago, is home to a growing population of great whale sharks. All of them are pregnant, about to give birth. What has drawn them here? Where are they going? The documentary, Galapagos: Realm of Giant Sharks (directed by Thomas Lucas), finds out what lures the sharks to the island by following a group of researchers, headed by world-renowned naturalist and photographer Jonathan Green, that has travelled out to Darwin Island to decode the mystery.

In an exciting blend of science and natural history filmmaking, Galapagos: Realm of Giant Sharks draws audiences into the world of one of the oceans largest and least understood creatures. It also provides illuminating insights on the growing dangers currently threatening the great whale shark population, and efforts underway to protect the species. To watch the documentary, visit www.bit.ly/2lgxqej.

In a first of its kind effort, researchers from all over the world have quantified soil erosion due to rainfall by collecting data from 63 countries to prepare a rainfall erosivity map of the world. The study, published in Scientific Reports, is a joint effort of 31 scientists from over 20 countries all over the world.

Erosivity is the tendency of rainfall to cause soil erosion. Displacement of soil from its original place is called erosion. Rainfall, rapidly flowing water like streams and rivers, wind, or even mass movement of land like landslides or avalanches can cause erosion. Rainfall alone causes more than 50% of soil erosion in the world. Erosion takes away the nutrient-rich topsoil from the erosion site, and in the long run, leads to desertification. The other side of erosion is eutrophication - excessive richness of nutrients - caused by the eroded soil being deposited as sediments in water bodies like lakes and rivers, choking them in the process. This excess of nutrition in the water causes the unabated growth of vegetation and algae, resulting in reduced dissolved oxygen in the waterbody.

The erosivity factor

Erosion causes a lot of ecological damage too and impacts economies dependent on local resources. "When the water of the flooded Brahmaputra flows downstream in Bengal, it disrupts the fishing reservoirs of the region. The local fishermen, thus, lose their means of livelihood," says Dr Nabansu Chattopadhyay of the Indian Meteorological Department, Pune, and a co-author of the study.

Erosivity of soil is the combined effect of the duration of rainfall, its magnitude and intensity. "For example, if a place gets 100 cm rainfall in 24 hours, but it is quite uniformly divided, such rain may not cause soil erosion. However, suppose there is 10 cm rainfall in a mere one hour, then soil may get washed away," points out Nabansu. To determine erosivity, it is also essential to take into account the previous erosivity events that have occurred over a long period of time. Erosion is more likely to happen when the soil is already saturated with water and a heavy downpour occurs. Water can no more be absorbed into the soil, and soil then flows downstream with water.

Erosivity factor, evaluated based on the duration of rainfall, its magnitude and its intensity, is essential for assessing the extent of soil erosion by water. This also helps in calculating the risk of floods and preventing natural disasters. Suitable mitigation measures can then be taken to prevent losses to lives and property. The researchers of this study collected data from 3,625 precipitation stations all over the world and created a Global Rainfall Erosivity Database (GloREDa). The data came from rain gauges spread over different continents, in different climatic conditions, during different time periods and of different accuracies. Rainfall measurements at short duration, once every 30 minutes, was taken for evaluation.

The number of years for which data was available also had a large variation; some gauges had only 10 years of data, a duration much shorter than the 22 years recommended for evaluation of erosivity. The researchers had to interpolate this data suitably in the framework used for this assessment. Uncertainty is also introduced in erosivity values due to the variability of rainfall, its duration, its magnitude and its intensity in areas lying between different climatic zones.

The final map that the researchers came up with indicates that the highest erosivity values are located in Southeast Asia, Central Africa, South America, Central America and the Caribbean islands. The lowest erosivity was found in Siberia, West Asia, Northern Africa, Canada and Northern Europe. The researchers observed that spatial pattern of erosivity values corresponds to the extreme rainfall events observed in those areas. An analysis by the climate zone indicated that the tropical climate group that included tropical rainforest and monsoon climatic types showed highest erosivity. The cold climate group, that includes the subarctic region had lowest erosivity values.

Mitigation measures

Another major achievement of this study is the setting up of a global erosivity dataset with a spatial resolution of about one km that is now available. The researchers credit this to the availability of rainfall measurement at short duration, the growing computing power and the development of sophisticated geostatic models. "We acknowledge that this achievement was only feasible through the scientific cooperation between scholars from all over the globe," say the authors. The global erosivity map is now publicly available, and researchers can use it to model soil erosion at a national, continental or global level. This can certainly help plan erosion mitigation measures.

One way to conserve what is left of the soil is to increase the time of concentration of the runoff or reduce the velocity of the runoff. This allows more water to sink into the soil, and prevents it from carrying the soil along. Building terraces and bunds are one way to prevent the runoff at a smaller scale. On a larger scale, dams and retention reservoirs could also be planned, opine the researchers. Biological measures include planting vegetative strips, protective bushlands and forests in regions prone to increased soil erosion. Certain agricultural practices like contour ploughing, where the land is ploughed across a slope following its elevation contour lines, and mixed cropping, where two or more of plants are grown simultaneously in the same field, could also help.

For a country like India that is largely dependent on agriculture, soil plays a very important role in driving the economy. So what are implications do the findings of this study have? The researchers believe that soil conservation efforts in India can hugely benefit from the erosivity map. "The Ministry of Agriculture in India undertakes multiple soil and water conservation projects. With a view to better monitor rainfall, installation of automatic rainfall measurement gauges is planned," shares Nabansu. With more such systematic measures, perhaps soil erosion could be a thing of past.

(The author is with Gubbi Labs, a
Bengaluru-based research collective)

Music courses

Global Music Institute (GMI) has opened applications for its spring 2018 courses. The last date to apply is January 8, 2018. For more details, visit www.globalmusicinstitute.in.

Super 30

Super 30, which is an IIT JEE entrance coaching centre, is now being offered by iScholar Education Services through their i30 programme. The course curriculum will include 150 hours classes for Physics and Mathematics and 120 hours of Chemistry. For more details, visit www.i30jee.com/super30.

Graduate scholarships

The Humanities and Social Sciences Department, Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar invites applications from graduates enrolling in the MA programme for Humanities and Social Sciences Scholarship 2018. The last date to apply is January 15. For more details, visit www.bit.ly/2CuAZZT.

Social Media internship

Sofa Clinic is hiring interns for Social Media marketing profile in Bengaluru. Students with knowledge of Adobe Photoshop can apply by January 13. The stipend is Rs 8,000 per month. To apply, visit www.bit.ly/DH-199.

ICSE scholarship

Trio World School has announced the ICSE scholarship programme for the academic year 2018-2019. The scholarship test will be held on January 20, 2018. For more details, call 080-40611222.

Content writing internship

Sideways 6 is hiring interns for content writing profile in Bengaluru. Students with knowledge of blogging can apply by January 11. The stipend is Rs 10,000-15,000 per month. To apply, visit www.bit.ly/DH-200.

All India essay contest

The Council for Youth Development and Research Foundation invites entries for All India Online Essay Competition 2018 at the junior and senior level on the occasion of 69th Republic Day of India from students of Class 9 to 12 and university students. The last date to submit is January 10. For more details, visit www.bit.ly/2qdDtpT.

WOS-C 2018

Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India invites applications for Women Scientists Scheme (WOS-C) 2018 from women scientists and technologists who are in the age group of 27-45 years. This is specially meant for women who have their qualifications in science/ engineering/ medicine or allied areas. The last date to apply is January 19. For more details, visit www.bit.ly/2Cvr7zf.

DRDO robotic competition

DRDO Robotics and Unmanned Systems Exposition (DRUSE) invites applications for DRDO Robotic Competition 2018 from engineering students pursuing UG or PG courses. The objective of this competition is to identify and develop novel ideas in different parts of our country. The last date to register is January 15. For more details, visit www.bit.ly/2DwgPvC.

Clarendon scholarships

The University of Oxford is offering Clarendon scholarships to students who are applying for graduate study. The last date to apply is January 8. For more details, visit www.bit.ly/2fCUPrq.

City Meet â€" Nexus

IMI-New Delhi invites students to its first ever City Meet â€" Nexus on January 13, 2018 at the BHIVE Workspace, HSR Layout, Bengaluru.The meet will also happen in New Delhi and Chandigarh on January 13 and in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Trivandrum on January 20. The agenda of the meet is to address the common doubts that the students have during their pre-college search phase. For more details, visit www.events.imi.edu/nexus2018.

Operations internship

Treebo Hotels is hiring interns for operations profile in Bengaluru. Students can apply by January 5. The stipend is Rs 10,000 per month. To apply, visit www.bit.ly/DH-197.

CIS scholarship

The Canadian International School (CIS), Bengaluru has announced scholarships for outstanding students in IB and IGCSE for the August 2018 academic batch.For more information, +91 9008607755 or email scholarships@cisb.org.in.

Dear Madam,

I have a son studying in Class 11. Though he is smart, he is extremely lazy when it comes to studying for exams and doing his homework. I have tried to reason with him about his attitude towards studies, nothing seems to be working. As a result, I am concerned that his future may be in jeopardy. How can I help him?

A Mother

Dear Mother,

I have often said this in this column before and will repeat it again. We parents need to learn to deal with our anxieties outside of the parent-child relationship. The fact that you are anxious about your childs future is normal.

But no matter what you do you cannot control his future. It is something only he can influence. Sometimes children have to fall and fail to learn important life lessons.

Ultimately he has to realise and take responsibility for his actions. He has to face the consequences and enjoy the successes. You cannot do it for him. You may want to ask him if he would like to talk to a counsellor who can help him work through his blocks. The objective should be to help him achieve his
potential and not short-change himself.

Dear Madam,

As my English is poor, I am often mocked about it by my classmates while making presentations in class. This has led me to not talk as much as I usually do and has affected my confidence level. While I am working on my English skills, it is taking me time. Until then, what can I do to overcome my current situation and boost my confidence?

A Student

Dear Student,

Remember your strengths. English may not be your strength area right now. But I am sure you have many other strengths. You may think you dont have any. But remember all of us do. Sometimes we just dont allow ourselves to think we have strengths because we are only too busy keeping track of our weaknesses.

Reminding ourselves of our strengths allows us to feel better and more confident about ourselves and that is very important. So make a list of at least ten strengths and these could be things that you are good at, as well as what are the good qualities you have. Then keep this list safely in a place that is visible and easily accessible to you. Look at it often so that you internalise it.

Also, remember that no one is perfect and the same people who are teasing you also have their own flaws. Yours may be your English skills while theirs may be something else. Just because you do not speak English as well as many of the others does not mean that you are less important or worthy than the others. But the responsibility to let people know your worth is yours.

Stand up for yourself. Dont let people get away with insulting comments. Let them know how their comments make you feel and that it is not acceptable to you that they make those comments. Remember, the world reflects back to you what you think, feel and believe about yourself.

If you think that you are not as worthy as the others because you do not speak English well, then that is what you will hear the others saying about you. You may want to reach out to a counsellor who can help you find your confidence.

Dear Madam,

My daughter is extremely active on social media. As she is in Class 12, I would like her to cut down on her usage and I have discussed this with her. However, it does not seem likely that she will do so and we even had a bitter argument about her excessive Internet usage. What can I do to make her see that my argument is valid as well? With her exams around the corner, I do not want her to be distracted unnecessarily.

A Parent

Dear Parent,

Parental anxiety is normal because all parents want the best for their children, and they really want to be able to control the outcome, somehow. Unfortunately, that is not possible. We cannot control the outcome no matter what. We may only be able to influence it, slightly. So therefore, I think all parents, especially parents of children at critical stages in their life, should seek some counselling support for themselves to be able to handle their anxiety in a way that does not block and obstruct the parent-child relationship. Talking to a counsellor and working through your concerns and fears will help you to be able to talk to your daughter in a way that is non-judgemental and supportive. That increases your ability to be able to influence her.

The end goal for you should not be her marks, but to get her to be self-motivated enough to be able to work towards achieving her potential (not your desired potential). For all you know, she may be using social media as an escape from reality because it may be her way of coping with her own fears and anxieties around her exams (which I am sure she has plenty). Giving her access to a counsellor at this time will also help her deal with things that may be holding her back. It will be time well spent. All the best!

Dear Madam,

I am from a middle class family. I couldnt complete Class 12 due to a health problem. Though I attempted the board exams a few times, I could not pass. I feel very low when I see the marks card. Though I want to move on, I dont find any way. Please help me to come out of this situation. I know how important education is for a person. But unless I find a solution for my problem I wont be able to concentrate on studies.

A Student

Dear Student,

Like you said, education is important, not the marks. And you can get an education in many ways. There are many online options to gain an education. Information and learning content is now available online in an unlimited way. So go ahead and get all the education you like. Being a constant learner and knowing how to learn is important. The marks and degrees help open some doors for you, but once the doors open, making a success of those opportunities is not dependent on your marks.

Look for other doors that may open, which are not dependent on your marks, and then make a success of those. After all, success in life depends on several other things like your self-image, your self-esteem, your confidence, your ability to solve problems, your ability to think creatively, your ability to work in a team, your communication skills and many other such qualities.

There are many people who have been successful in life without a formal education and formal degree. That does not mean that they dont know anything. It just means they did not gain their education in a formal way. They learnt informally, maybe on the job, in their own way. It is often referred to as the school of hard knocks. Read their stories for inspiration.

Remember doors open for those who let them. And inside every open door there can be an opportunity which we can tap. Good luck!

Language is our primary source of communication. Its the method through which we share our ideas and thoughts with others. When I was younger, the boundaries were thick, the world was way too big for us to connect. But when we look around today, language has gained paramount significance specially with the penetration of mobile, social media and Internet access across every walk of life. The past decade has been a witness to the fact that the world is more connected now than it ever was.

Organisations are looking to engage with customers on a deeper and more customised level. Consumers worldwide want everything on their own terms, and this includes a preference for communicating in their own language. In India as well, the scenario is no different. The significance of communicating in native languages has increased drastically with the advent of Make in India movement. At the same time, with the increasing access to Internet, India began running on a digital mode. The importance of foreign languages, as a result, has skyrocketed.

With data moving across the globe, numerous opportunities have come up for linguists across languages and industries. Knowing more than one language can open the door to a wider range of opportunities.

Translation and interpretation

According to a recent report, the field of translation and interpretation services is expected to increase by 36% by 2019. In times of mass lay-offs, this is one of the few industries that has projected such growth in career opportunities. Translation of content has expanded from books, documents, technical specifications to websites, mobile apps, games and more. These show the demand for language skills and the amount of growth that the field of translation and interpretation services is going to witness in the coming years.

Translation is not just limited to documents or books as generally perceived. In fact, there are other areas where translation specialists are needed. Some of possible careers include:

Voice-over artist: The multimedia industry is always on the lookout for efficient and cost-effective voiceovers for their multimedia requirements. It is here that bilingual or multilingual artistes can put their skills to the test.

Linguistic testing: This field, also known as linguistic quality check, has
gained traction in recent times. The ability to authenticate translated content is a skill that is high in demand.

Interpretation: Gone are the days when interpretation was only limited to a single person providing face to face linguistic support. Today, linguistic support is combined with the latest multimedia tools to provide simultaneous interpretations for events and conferences, among others.

What makes learning a new language more effective is the possibility to combine it with an existing skill or passion. It could range from a passion for public speaking or a skill in a particular tool. Learning languages also opens the doors to opportunities in various industries like education, information technology and tourism.

Many benefits

There are several benefits that one can reap when one learns multiple languages. For instance, one can solve problems faster and become better at multitasking. With the increase in awareness of the benefits and rise in demand for language expertise, language learning is now receiving the much-needed attention.

Earlier, a good education was perceived to provide a child with a degree or subject expertise. However, a good education today is measured by transferable skills that are desirable in the job market. This implies that language knowledge is likely to be regarded as a desired attribute in the global job market and, hence, language education can be regarded as a substantial requirement for high-quality education.

Language learning,when it is integrated with education, forms an essential part of developing cultural awareness. Starting early with additional languages results in a native-like competency in the language. They have also influenced the reform of language education policy in many countries. Poland, for instance, has introduced mandatory foreign language learning from the first year of primary education.

In India, many schools that are affiliated to CBSE offer ones mother tongue or Hindi, English and foreign languages like French at the pre-primary level. This is most likely to increase in the days to come. Various professionals and educationalists are slowly recognising the importance of learning a new language and the demand for learning them is only accelerating. Language, therefore, plays a pivotal role in making the world smaller and bringing people closer.

(The author is with Mayflower Language Services, Bengaluru)

As India gets increasingly digitalised, cloud computing is evolving beyond the basics and becoming the engine of enterprise technology innovation, bringing in new job opportunities to those skilled in this area.

Cloud computing refers to the delivery of computing services - servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics and more - over the Internet. This is becoming increasingly popular today. Big businesses wanting to curtail their IT expenditure and small-budget enterprises looking for more computing capacity no longer have to spend on servers and expensive hardware. Cloud companies, with their network of data centres, deliver these services over the Internet. Various global and local companies are now foraying into to this new and growing market.

With mounting data workloads and the increasing threat of cyber hacking, companies are dumping software and IT maintenance contracts in favour of cloud-delivered services. As a result, this has created a new area of specialisation in the IT sector.

Skills required

In the last few years, cloud computing has undergone rapid changes. According to IT experts, what the market is undergoing today is, in fact, the second phase of cloud adoption. Market research indicates that the vast majority of businesses using cloud computing in one form or the other are moving from initial migration to architectural transformation. In fact, a study found that end-user organisations and service providers have moved beyond the stage of uncertainty around cloud offerings and are embracing the concept as a primary IT and business model for creating new IT infrastructure and executing operations.

It is estimated that, by 2020, the public and private cloud market in India will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 30-35% year-on-year. Almost all stakeholders - cloud providers, system integrators, start-ups and channel partners - are looking at a new crop of the cloud-trained and certified workforce.

Till now, cloud integration and architecture were primarily handled by IT engineers. Now the model is changing. Developing cloud models as primary business operations on cloud computing is now rapidly gaining ground. Apart from the integration of cloud technology with on-premise IT infrastructure, organisations also require specialists in cloud deployment software, network monitoring, virtualisation, network infrastructure and server administration.

Hybrid and multi-cloud approaches have emerged as standard practice, therefore the skillset needed includes the ability to weave together solutions based on business requirements. Cybersecurity is central to the successful adoption of cloud technology leading to the requirement of people with expertise in cloud security.

Apart from security, automation and orchestration bring massive value to the business. Techniques like workload migration to cloud platforms will continue to grow, leading to workforce requiring knowledge of cloud storage, moving workloads between cloud providers and application migration considerations.

In the coming months, there is going to be a huge number of job openings in cloud computing in India. Both service providers and leading multinational companies are looking to hire cloud engineers. But there are very few people who are skilled in cloud technologies. The market is therefore wide open for new entrants to this expanding field. Since the cloud computing landscape is changing rapidly at this stage, the academic curriculum is not able
to match the skills required by the industry.

New age cloud engineers are required to work across multiple vendor-specific cloud technologies such as Azure, AWS and Google Cloud. They need to understand the basic functions and technology that drive cloud computing. The answer to the current need is a vendor technology-neutral certification. It helps those wanting to specialise in this field develop the necessary skills needed to thrive and contribute effectively to the workforce.

With such skills, the new age cloud workforce can work across technologies in a data centre having multiple cloud providers. It will also help the workforce gather a holistic understanding while learning the vendor-specific cloud technologies.

(The writer is regional director, CompTIA India, Gurugram)

What comes to your mind first when you think of exams? Stress! Well, that is nothing to worry about. Exams and stress go hand in hand. The right amount of stress can act as a booster for you to achieve more. On the other hand, unnecessary stress can show itself in different ways like stomach cramps, overeating, loss of appetite etc. How you deal with this type of stress all depends on you. Would you choose to let it be your downfall or use it to drive you to improve your work?

Here are some ways that will help you bring out the best in you even while you are experiencing stress! To avoid crippling anxiety at the time of exams, here are some suggestions that will clear your mind and give you the understanding as to how to deal with stress.

Take notes

Taking down notes right from the time your classes start is extremely crucial. When exams are around the corner, this can be a life saviour and can save you from any last minute stress. You can also make comprehensive notes of each subject and topic so that at the last moment you could easily go through these notes.

Keep things in context

The exams may appear like the most critical thing at the present time. Be that as it may, keep in mind that they only play a small role. So, if you ever experience bouts of negativity, make a conscious effort to think positively with thoughts such as I can do this and I have done it sometime recently, so I can do it again. Actively challenge your considerations, good and bad. Regard yourself for taking this course and getting this far, whatever the result may be.

Time management

When you have a lot of material to study but too little time, you may experience some anxiety. To avoid it, plan your studies well. One way to do so is by planning 50-minute study sessions on your own and taking five to 10 minutes breaks in between.

Also, avoid last minute crippling. At this time, focus on topics that you are good at and avoid topics you feel that you are not confident in. Wasting time on such topics will only increase the stress.

Past papers

Practise using questions in the coursebook. Talk to your lecturer on what you can expect in the exam and what topics are important from an exam point of view. Manage your time well. Practise as much as you can using questions that have appeared in exams previously. This will build up your confidence in attempting the examination.

Be calm the night before

Rest well the night prior to the exam. Reach the venue where your exam is being held early. It is essential to keep a track of time during the exams. So, wear a watch or sit in a place where you can see the clock.

Keep negativity at bay

Avoid caffeine the night before and on the day of the exam. Keep away from things which may increase your stress levels. Avoid things that may put you on the edge.

With these tips in hand, having a stress-free exams period will be a reality.

(The author is co-founder, Talent4Assure, New Delhi)

Today, children have become more independent and are aware of what they want to become as a working professional. However, there are times when they are unable to choose the right course owing to many reasons. The confusion of which course to take, at times, may lead to students making a wrong choice. Hence, it is important for students to think about their abilities, skills, personality and interest before picking up a course or profession.

A systematic way of finding out ones aptitude is by taking a set of tests which include aptitude, personality, interest, intelligence and study habits. One must also understand what these tests are and why are they important. There is a lack of awareness among students, parents, teachers, educational institutions as to what these tests are and why they should be taken.

Lets take a look at how these tests help students make a good career choice. Aptitude tests are standardised tests that are designed to help determine a students ability in a particular skill or field of knowledge. Each of the tests ask a variety of questions that may not be asked in a regular test.

Different tests

Aptitude is the inherent ability or talent of a person to perform a task. There are different abilities present at different levels in an individual. One such aptitude test that throws light on this is Davids Battery of Differential Abilities. This test gives a measure of an individuals various mental abilities in eight different areas. These are:

Verbal ability: This measures ones ability to comprehend words and ideas, and the ability to understand written language. It is aimed at evaluating the students ability to think constructively. The test will predict with reasonable accuracy, a students success in fields where complex verbal relationships and concepts are important. Vocationally, this will indicate a career that a student may thrive in since there is a positive relationship in many occupations between the level of responsibility and the complexity of verbally phrased ideas that need to be comprehended.

Numerical ability: This measures the students ability to reason with numbers, to manipulate numerical relationships, and to deal intelligently with quantitative materials. Along with the verbal ability test, numerical ability test acts as a measure of general learning ability. Education-wise, it is important for predictions in such fields as science, engineering and other fields in which quantitative thinking is essential.

Closure ability: This involves the ability to perceive relationships in abstract figures and education of principles from non-language designs.

Spatial ability: This is a measure of ability to perceive spatial patterns accurately. The ability to visualise a constructed object from a picture of a pattern has been used frequently in tests of structural visualisation. Similarly, the ability to imagine how an object would appear if rotated in various ways has been used effectively in the measurement of space perception. There are many vocations in which one is required to imagine how an object would look if made from a given pattern.

Mechanical ability: This measures logic and ones understanding of basic mechanical principles. High scores on this test indicate that the student finds it easy to learn the principles of operation and repair of complex devices. The test is useful in occupations where an appreciation of the principles of common physical forces is required. High scores on this test indicate an aptitude for physical sciences, technical and manual training courses.

Clerical ability: This measures ones ability to type, sort and file documents correctly and sorting variables in a particular order. This is intended to measure the speed of response in a simple perceptual task. This test places a heavy premium on speed. The ability to do routine work of the kind which this test exemplifies is important in coding, stock room work and such other occupations.

Reasoning ability: This refers to the ability to apply the process of induction or to reason from some specific information to a general principle. The scores on this test will be a good indicator of non-verbal, non-culturally biased intelligence. Reasoning is important for success in many areas particularly those that stress on logic such as law.

Psycho-motor ability: This refers to precise movements that require eye-hand coordination under fast working conditions. The test scores are relevant for success in assembly line work, drafting, clerical jobs etc.

Holistic approach

Apart from figuring out what your abilities are through this test, here are a few other tests that help students find out their aptitudes more accurately:

Personality test: The most distinctive feature of any individual is his or her personality. This is the overall pattern or integration of his or her structures, modes of behaviour, interests, attitudes, intellectual abilities, aptitudes and other distinguishable characteristics. Personality tests are designed to measure personality traits. Ones personality traits are equally important to be successful in any career.

Intelligence test: An intelligence test measures differences in performance. Intelligence tests help an individual understand the ability to take up a particular course.

Interest test: Students must have interest in the career they choose. We come across lot of students who are forced into courses which dont interest them. By identifying the interest areas, it would help the counsellor guide the student appropriately.

Study habits test: Regular study habits are essential to maintain a consistent record. To regularise the study habits, this test is administered.

By taking these tests and finding out the strengths and weaknesses scientifically, a lot of problems that the students may face in future can be avoided. Hence, students and parents must keep in mind that planning is very important while deciding a career. Assessment followed by proper guidance would be the most appropriate way to move forward while deciding on higher education or choosing a profession.

By finding out appropriate areas of interest through these tests, students can choose appropriate career paths when they are at crossroads.

(The author is director, Manasa Consultants, Bengaluru)

A new year is essentially a new beginning. As people, we hope to build productive lives and quality homes. A good house is one which is comfortable, aesthetically appealing and falls within a feasible budget. It is not an impossible task to acquire the same, rather all it requires is planning and organising. Read on to get some ideas on building an ideal house.

For right reasons

When youre planning to construct a new house, it is important to keep in mind the reasons and expectations. Recognising your reasons for moving forward with a new build and identifying your future plans helps you develop a design brief that your designer, architect or builder can turn into a workable plan. If you are unclear about your requirements, or are trying to accommodate conflicting needs, then you may be disappointed with the outcome.

In order to get it right, decide between an owner-occupier building or an investment. While this sounds simple, it is an important step with major ramifications. If you plan to live in the building, you will have certain needs and expectations, and these may be different from constructing a building for rent. Designing for your needs means different choices and spending more money as compared to building it as a rental or property for sale.

Expert advice

Before you start, its always good to get some advice from your architect and builder. An architect will advise clients where best to invest in their homes and will try to recommend ways to save money and keep the job within the budget. You could also consult a contractor to get a model price on what you are planning to do.

Clarity in budget

There is a misconception that telling an architect or builder how much you plan to spend is a bad idea. It is impossible for them to advice or chalk out a good plan without knowing your budget. Having clarity about the amount youre willing to spend will allow your architect to prioritise and steer you in the right direction in terms of where your money would be best spent and what compromises need to be made.

At what price?

Be clear about the services offered and their costs, because the contractors price covers only the construction, electrical and plumbing work, including internal doors. But, it does not include the purchase of windows, kitchens, bathroom fittings or finishing.

Do your research

It is a good idea to get quotes from different suppliers for the items that are not covered in the contractors price. Make sure that the companies are working on a similar brief. Subtle differences also have a huge impact on the total cost. Weigh your options and compare the quotes and choose the one that offers you the best deal.

The professionals fee

If you are planning to work with an architect, speak to him or her about how their fee structure works; is it percentage-based or a fixed fee? A percentage-based fee will mean that as the budget increases, the fee would also increase. So, this is a very important to factor into your cost plan. Besides the architects fees, you will also need to include fees for other consultants, such as structural engineers and a quantity surveyor.

Get samples

Source samples of timber, architraves, floors, tiles, etc, to include on your mood board. While a lot of this can be considered interior design, your choices here will help convey the right feel you want for your home to your designer.

Other costs

If you need planning permission for the work you are proposing, there will be contributions to the council. These will vary depending on the work you are planning. If you need to move out while the work is going on, for example, will you need to rent? Or will you need to pay for storage costs?

Set aside contingency

Once you have a substantial idea of what your budget is, you will need to set aside at least 10% as a contingency for any unexpected extra costs. Building projects can often run up against problems that are unpredictable from the outset.

Changes can be costly

Finally, once your project is underway, be careful about making big changes or last-minute additions. These will be things that the builder had not priced before and will add up quickly, and can lead to an add-on to the existing budget.

Add value

Consider the resale value of your new house and how you can add value to the house plans for your future. Even though you are far from having it built, thinking ahead not only improves your current lifestyle but can also result in realised gains later.

Finally, a very important aspect, the amount of light that enters the house depends on its orientation, design and placement of windows. Consider the views as well. If you are fortunate enough to have a beautiful view, then take advantage of this and plan for windows or French doors in a spot that allows you to appreciate this and provide added value.

(The author is city head - Bengaluru, SILA)

The fifth wall

When we redo our home interiors, we often forget about the ceiling. A well-styled ceiling can make an impressive statement. What better way to welcome the year by sprucing up your ceiling. Designer ceilings are in trend and are one of the simplest and aesthetic forms of renovation, while gypsum-based ceilings are easy to experiment with by adding the shape and colour of your choice. Whether you use paint or wallpaper, gypsum-based designer ceilings last as long as the building and give a smooth, seamless finish. Whether its your bedroom or living room, designer ceilings also provide a wide variety of lighting options while concealing all the electrical wiring.

Wall art

Photo frames hung on the wall are long gone and are a trend of the past. Wall designs, paintings and decals are the new kind of wall art becoming increasingly popular among homeowners. However, if youre still looking to hang some of your favourite paintings or showpieces, and dont feel your wall is strong enough to sustain the weight, a new range of plasterboard is available which helps you fix heavy and difficult items such as TVs, shelves, large paintings, etc. As part of a new range of gypsum-based plasterboards, this new wall is strong and durable and does not require any special drills or fixings to be installed.

Cosy up

Your living room is one of the most important spaces in your home. Whether you are entertaining guests or relaxing by cosying up in a corner, walls with good thermal and acoustic insulation are always a plus.

Why not welcome the New Year with a simple change of partition walls? Partition walls create spaces for hosting guests, a play area for children, a TV room to relax over weekend and more. Gypsum-based partitions are time efficient and can be installed three to five times faster than masonry construction. Gypsum panels are also relatively large compared to other materials and therefore, they easily cover large wall and ceiling spaces. They require a few tools for construction and can be fixed within a few hours. While their light weight makes them easy to carry, their durability allows you a lifetime of strong, high-quality walls. Highly versatile, gypsum boards can adapt to any form of decoration and also help reduce energy consumption caused by the air conditioning in your home.

Gypsum walls, or drywall as they are called, also prevent unwanted sound to adjoining areas. You can easily host your guests in your living room without the sound travelling to other areas of the home. They are readymade and provide a long-term affordable investment for your home.

Splash of colour

Colour never goes out of style. When unsure of what to choose between a wide range of vibrant and diverse shades, it is always best to go with a minimalist look. One or two simple, low-tone shades and soft-washed pastels like a dusty rose can work wonders for your ceilings or walls.

Create space

Nowadays, its all about creating space. If you have a couple of weeks to spare, redoing your ceiling can make your room look taller. Gypsum-based designer ceilings take about one or two weeks, as per the customisation. However, if you are looking for quick and hassle-free design solutions, glass is the answer. Adding glass-based windows or doors makes the ceiling looks higher than usual and makes the room look larger. If you want to go an extra mile, try placing tall mirrors and curtains of lighter material and softer shades to make the room look elongated.

Sudeep Kolte
(VP sales & marketing, Saint Gobain India Pvt Ltd â€" Gyproc Business)

Satinder Chawla, managing director, Span Floors

With people being more and more sensitive about the impact of chemicals on health, there has been a move towards natural as well as benign materials which do not contain harmful chemicals. The luxury market prefers natural materials such as real wood over imitations, stone over tiles, real leather over faux leather, etc. In terms of colour trends, there is a clear shift towards pastel, lighter tones and greys in the wood flooring segment.

Emanuela Tavolini, director of Sales Europe, GRAFF

For 2018 we expect a great attention towards new finishes and new materials both for the faucets and the furniture elements inside the bathroom. The trend of luxury is to create products that can make the customers life easier and more comfortable: Hence, products have to be attractive but, at the same time functional, resistant and easy to maintain.

Sukriti Sharma, director, PLÃœSCH

Across Europe, and subsequently India, the past year has seen many design trends that define synchronous kitchen design. Like, a matt glass surface for wall units is an interesting element that is becoming increasingly popular and will continue in 2018. This gives a high-end touch to the kitchen design, but at a significant cost. Glass is one of the most expensive finishes for kitchens in any case, and matt glass doors are toughened and often treated with scratch-resistant materials, which further add to the cost. The kitchen is an essential part of every house where a lot of time is spent and hence, should be designed ergonomically while keeping in mind aesthetics. Kitchen design is constantly evolving in response to consumer trends and preferences.

Namit Ajmani, MD, IOTA

Regarding luxury furniture, the trend will witness the technologically advanced furniture, or you can say futuristic furniture. The furniture like beds and sofas having a music system, LED, charging spots will be in demand amongst the luxury homeowners. Such furniture will incorporate all the comfort youll need along with a few gadgets to help you with entertainment. This kind of furniture is trending in European countries. Other than that, unusual home accents will be praised. The more of the rustic and traditional form of accessories will be appreciated, and they will gel comfortably with the contemporary look of your space. As Pantone colour of the year is already announced, then significant transformation in the home decor segment will take place; regarding introducing accent chairs in ultraviolet-blue colour and home furnishing textile in a similar hue. By incorporating such colours, you can be a part of the trend. Geometrical shapes in lights will take place in your abode and it will be a year of praising metal inspired wall art as well.

If your resolution this year is to give your home a new look, then windows and doors may be one of the first places to begin with. Some important trends are:

Transitional Living More commonly known as the indoor or outdoor living trend, transitional Living is something where interior and exterior spaces flow together seamlessly. Today, transitional living is redefining home designs. The trend has consistently dominated design demands for the consumers who are looking for open floor plans and outdoor entertainment spaces. The blending of the natural environment with the home has spurred the development of sliding glass windows and doors.

Creative Window Frames - Homeowners are gradually gaining interest in window frame options and colours beyond the typical white colour. They look forward to creative wooden frames, classy bronze or muted neutral colours on window frames.

Upgraded Glass Stronger and better glass options are trendsetters in the market. You can also expect to see a rise in insulated and fibreglass-reinforced window glasses in the upcoming months. Strong glass means a lower likelihood of your windows succumbing to damage. It also holds a higher level of energy efficiency and longer durability than the other traditional glass options. When it comes to increasing the value of a home, owners generally prefer guaranteed investments. Thus, these glass options remain as a steady feature in the trending window qualities of 2018. In short, you can expect a higher level of aesthetic features, efficiency and durability in the trends of 2018.

Smart Windows - Everything in homes and offices is going wireless. With this in mind, various manufacturers have started to produce digital windows that perform neat functions. For instance, some of them are equipped with sensor glasses which use environmental triggers to adjust the window tint allowing less or more heat or light to enter your homes. In fact, many window experts have predicted that future windows will be equipped with connective glass with the ability to connect with Smartphones.

Shutters - In 2018, buyers are going for shutters that provide superior light control and privacy with exceptional craftsmanship, long-lasting finishes, and classic styling. These are also versatile products that are easy to care and safe for families with young children. They are the perfect choice for your home as they will also enhance the existing design and architecture of your home.

Bolder is Better - Doors and windows are getting bigger. Larger door sizes wider than three feet, higher than seven feet make a bold statement. For colour, your front door doesnt need to stick to the traditional red, black, or white. One of the most recent design trends in windows and doors is using found objects and reclaimed wood for entryways and window casings to give a unique, rich look. Choose floor to ceiling windows to let in maximum light and give your home an open, welcoming feel. Consider replacing an entire wall with glass, or update older windows with stained glass. If you choose a colour palette rather than natural colours. Liven up your space with jewel tones, metallic fabrics, and geometric patterns. Adorn simple window treatments with a texture, like beads, metal accents and eye-catching tie-backs. Be sure to layer your draperies with sheer and opaque fabrics to allow for both light and privacy.

Insulation and Heat Values - Insulated windows are used in an attempt to maintain interior temperatures as cost-effectively as possible… you dont want to run the air conditioner all day in the summer, and you dont want to blast the heater for long periods in the winter. Its estimated that you can lose 20 to 30 percent or more of heat or cooling in your house through poorly insulated windows. Replacing windows can make good economic sense and add to your comfort level while indoors.

The hottest trend in window and doors is energy efficiency. After all, windows and doors play a huge role in sustainability efforts and saving money on energy bills. And old window or door can let air out of the home, resulting in higher bills for homeowners. This has led to more window and door replacements in older homes. Upgrading them to newer and more efficient models.

Monumental Doors - As the next evolutionary step in connecting a house with its surroundings, grand-scale doors add flexibility and enhances the quality of home life. In those parts of the country where weather conditions are more consistent, monumental doors will become a much more common order for new homes and remodels.

Smart Homes - Homes are getting smarter with the technical features that help an owner to stay connected with his home even while theyre away.

It is a very exciting time for the design industry and in response to the fast and fluid lives, we celebrate the new exploration by creating the unexpected. We are seeing lots of blending and experimenting as designers play with new morphs in styles mixing old and new like vintage
meets tribal.

Opposing styles are being thrown together in funky new products, geometric and layered patterns are also prominent. From lush gold and copper tray tables in living rooms to textured rugs, everything seems slightly over the top. Lace and velvet are likely to make a comeback. The colour palette for the next year includes shades of royal purple and is likely to gain momentum fast as we can already find hues of violet and plum in living rooms and bedrooms.

Choosing new furniture is an exciting task but is also a big investment, so its worth doing your research first to ensure the furniture you choose fits seamlessly into your home, both size-and style-wise. Avoid clutter by investing in multi-tasking pieces of furniture such as extendable tables, foldaway chairs and clever storage solutions.

The living room is a space youll be spending a lot of time enjoying. So, youll want to create a relaxing retreat to sit back and unwind after a long day. From chic coffee tables and side tables to inviting sofas and stylish bookcases, a wide selection of furniture will instantly make your living room feel homely and inviting. The new bedroom furniture collection will allow you to create the sleeping space youve always wanted.

If youre in need of a home-office revamp, there are lots of workplace furniture options. Were talking stylish desks, office chairs and that all-important office storage, working together to create a productivity-boosting environment. In a bigger space, you can get away with large statement pieces and dark wooden furniture, adding a touch of drama to your decor.

Your furniture choices will also depend on your individual taste. Vintage-inspired furniture with dark wood finishes and ornate detailing will suit a more traditional interior scheme, whereas if you prefer contemporary minimalist interiors, then white furniture and light oak pieces coupled with clean, minimal shapes will help you achieve this aesthetic.

The purpose of interior styling is that often people have an eye for design and a nice selection of interiors items in their home but do not know how to put it all together cohesively or how to maximise the space and style. This is where stylists succeed. Some stylists also try their hand in property staging.

This is something that is relatively new to the market and where interior stylists can really see benefits from their work. Interior designers can also be interior stylists and can style their own projects in a way that they have visualised it. They are known within the industry for their glamorous approach and amazing knowledge of locally as well as internationally sourced furniture and accessories which aid in enhancing the vocabulary of the spaces.

Shami Goregaoker
(Design Director, GA design

In 2018, we will see some classic trends coming back in style. The use of dark colours, retro shades in furnishing will return. Below is a list of what we will see as the top trends in home decor and furniture this year.

n Retro colours will be making a comeback. For example, millennial pink in upholstery, use of linen, rich fabrics such as velvet in upholstery rather than leather, will be in vogue next year. The classic black and white combination will be back in the home decor as well as in furniture.

n In metal, Gone are the days of rose gold, copper will shine more than any other metallic shade. Brass had made a comeback in 2016, it is expected to be in trend again.

n Going back to the roots, with a hectic and technologically driven lifestyle, people are trying to reconnect with their roots and prefer natural fabrics and traditional handicrafts. The traditional patterns provide a sense of comfort and security.

n Classic material, furniture with a velvet upholstery will be back in trend, though it was once considered old-fashioned. Th minimal and rustic decor styles that were popular in mid-2017 will stay popular this year.
Kitchen mania

n For kitchen cabinets and select walls in the room, people will be looking at colours such as avocado green, forest green, teal and olive green. This year, we expect to see more solid wood fronts rather than a painted finish in cabinets, leading to a display of more sophisticated palettes

n One of the exciting things we expect to see this year is concrete accents, marble finishes in wardrobes, kitchen cabinets, more use of backsplash, making it easy to keep the kitchen tidy and refreshing.

n Two-toned kitchen cabinets can bring a unique life to space and can make a visual impact, adding a variation that adapts well to styles such as traditional and modern.

n 2018 will also see the classic range of kitchens coming back in style with the walnut wood finish being on top of the list for finishes. In the contemporary style, we will see glass fronts, painted shutters and extensive use of glass

n Both in living rooms and in the kitchen, we will see more of open shelves. The skeletal look in shelves will be a major decor trend.