What has eight legs and might have just had a husband for dinner? Most likely a spider.

Often confused with insects, spiders have long been the subject of myths and stereotypes in literature, movies, and pop culture. Hollywood often depicts them as big, hairy, and dangerous monsters with ravenous appetites. However, this portrayal overlooks the critical role spiders play in the world’s ecosystems, explains biologist Divya Uma from Azim Premji University in conversation with Richa Govil in this episode of Story Of…

Spiders are far from the villains they are often made out to be. In reality, they are a crucial component of the food web. Their presence helps maintain ecological balance, and without them, Earth's ecosystem would face dire consequences. Among the thousands of spider species, some stand out for their size, venom, and unique behaviours.

Cultural perceptions of spiders vary widely. While Western media often portrays them as menacing creatures, in some parts of India, spiders have their place in religious and cultural traditions. In Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district, the Kodumon Chilanthiyambalam temple is dedicated to spiders, and people visit it in hopes of being cured of spider bites.

Interestingly, some spiders, like the Signature Spider, are believed to create cryptic patterns on their webs that resemble writing. These patterns might serve as a warning to birds, deterring them from flying into and damaging the webs.

Composed mainly of protein, spider silk is a highly versatile product. It can be of various kinds depending on the function it needs to perform, from sticky silk for trapping prey, soft silk for wrapping egg sacs, strong silk for building the structural elements of the web like arches and scaffolds, and so on. The silk produced by spiders, despite their lightness, has other properties like high tensile strength, ductility, and stability at high temperatures, which makes it a material that arouses the interest of architects, and structural engineers. Some scientists believe that spider silk, if it can be successfully synthesised in laboratories, could well be the fibre of the future.

Beyond their fascinating behaviours and cultural significance, spiders are indispensable for their role in biological pest control. Their extinction would lead to a cascade of ecological problems, including a surge in insect-borne diseases and crop failures due to uncontrolled pest populations.

In a world where spiders are often misunderstood, it's crucial to recognise their importance and the delicate balance they help maintain in nature. Without them, the world as we know it would be a much darker place.

Credits:

Akshay Ramuhalli, Bijoy Venugopal, Bruce Lee Mani, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Sananda Dasgupta, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi, and Velu Shankar

Head over to our website to find resources for further reading and exploration, and to solve a fun crossword puzzle: y.edu.in/story-of-the-unfamiliar-stories-behind-familiar-objects/burp-guess-who-had-a-husband-for-dinner

Boyfriend. Cargo. Distressed. Flare. Mom.

What do these terms have in common?

If you’ve ever shopped for jeans, you’ll know the answer.

It takes about 15 minutes and 12 steps to produce a pair of finished blue jeans. In this episode of Story Of…, host Richa Govil gets under the skin of a fabric that is arguably a second skin for people globally.

It is estimated that 4.5 million pairs of jeans are sold every year, with an estimated 50-70% of the production concentrated in India, Bangladesh, and China. In 2023, India was estimated to be the fastest growing country for denim consumption. In 2020 alone, Indians bought 640 million pairs of jeans.

Our guest, Arima Mishra is a faculty member at the School of Development at Azim Premji University. A medical anthropologist, she shares surprising findings from her research in Bengaluru’s garment factories. Karnataka, accounting for around 20% of India’s garment production, houses over 760 factories in the state capital alone. Arima's interest began with a shocking discovery of high mortality rates among young female garment workers, prompting a deeper investigation into their lives and health vulnerabilities.

Through personal anecdotes and research, we uncover the realities these women face—migrants from various regions, primarily from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, working under intense pressure to meet production targets. They endure physical and mental stress, often leading to serious health issues like chronic pain, irregular periods, and even cancer. Despite laws and policies aiming to protect workers, their everyday working conditions remain challenging.

This episode also touches on broader issues of women's workforce participation and empowerment, highlighting the nuanced impact of employment on women's health and well-being. Arima’s findings challenge us to rethink occupational health beyond visible hazards and consider the profound effects of daily working conditions.

Tune in to ‘Story of Jeans’ to learn the human stories stitched into the fabric of your denim. Next time you buy a pair of jeans, remember the young women who crafted them, balancing dreams and hardships somewhere on the shop floor in a Bengaluru industrial estate.

Boyfriend. Cargo. Distressed. Flare. Mom.

Now, do you see these words in a new light?

Credits:

Akshay Ramuhalli, Bijoy Venugopal, Bruce Lee Mani, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Sananda Dasgupta, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi, and Velu Shankar

Acknowledgements:

Garment workers interviewed by Sumedha Mohanty. Additional thanks to Rajesh Joseph, Arima Mishra, and Dechamma CS

For a comprehensive list of acknowledgements and resources, please visit our website:

https://azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/crunch-slurp-the-story-of-pani-puri

The story of Lantana is one of unintended consequences. A strong-smelling flowering plant with clusters of colourful pink, yellow, and red blossoms that resemble miniature wedding bouquets, Lantana is hard to miss in the Indian countryside. Despite its alluring appearance, the plant has earned the dubious title of an invasive species, which rapidly outcompetes native flora and poses a challenge for conservationists.

European planters, who chanced upon it while exploring its native haunts in Central and South America, introduced Lantana to India about two centuries ago. Today, it is hard to find a part of India that is free from the plant’s influence. Most commonly encountered at the edges of forests that have been burned or cleared for cultivation, it grows roots quickly, spreads aggressively, and chokes out native vegetation by excreting chemicals that stunt their growth. Being toxic to grazing animals makes it even harder to control. Pollinated by bees and butterflies, with birds dispersing its seeds, Lantana has travelled far and wide. Now it is naturalised in more than 50 countries on five continents.

In Story of Lantana, the third episode in our series Story Of… Richa Govil and Madhuri Ramesh of Azim Premji University ponder the differences between alien and invasive species, mulling over the role that humans have played in altering biodiversity around the world. They reflect on the broader implications of introduced species and confront the complexities of categorising organisms as invasive or desirable.

While examining how to live with invasive species that are a challenge to manage, Madhuri and Richa applaud the efforts of organisations that have embarked on innovative ventures to repurpose Lantana as a valuable resource. Through craft collectives and artisanal workshops, the sturdy stems of Lantana find new life as furniture and sculptures, offering both economic opportunities for local communities and a sustainable solution to its proliferation.

But the story doesn't end there. By examining how food crops like potatoes and tomatoes were introduced to India by Portuguese traders centuries ago, we embrace the intricate relationships between humans, plants, and ecosystems. Through a thought-provoking exploration of 'novel ecosystems' that challenges conventional dichotomies, the presenters invite us to reconsider our perceptions of native and invasive species. As we navigate these nuanced discussions, we are urged to contemplate the interconnectedness of our natural world and the implications of human intervention.

The story of Lantana prompts us to observe, question, and appreciate the intricate tapestry of life that surrounds us. So, the next time you admire a blooming flower or savour a meal, ponder its origins and the intricate web of relationships that define our natural world.

Credits:

Akshay Ramuhalli, Bijoy Venugopal, Bruce Lee Mani, Harshit Hillol Gogoi, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Sananda Dasgupta, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi, and Velu Shankar

For a comprehensive list of acknowledgements and resources for further exploration, visit our website: https://azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/crunch-slurp-the-story-of-pani-puri