Chai and Why?

23/09/2026

Abstract: If we bend, stretch, twist, or deform a geometric shape, does it retain any of its original features? Topology is the study of geometric features which survive despite such drastic changes. In this talk, we will introduce topology through various 2D and 3D examples and then discuss how one might try to visualize a higher dimensional object while being trapped in our 3D world.

About the speaker: Dr. Mohan Swaminathan is a Reader at the School of Mathematics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. His research interests are mainly in the area of symplectic topology and enumerative geometry. He also enjoys teaching and science communication.

17/09/2026

Atomic nuclei are tiny quantum systems that exhibit a variety of phenomena, expanding our understanding of basic science while also contributing to applications across many fields. Particle accelerators produce and excite different isotopes through nuclear reactions, and the emitted gamma rays provide unique fingerprints of their quantum states. This talk will illustrate how accelerators produce excited nuclei, detectors capture their response, and together they reveal the quantum world inside the nucleus, while also providing a glimpse of emerging technologies that are opening new frontiers in nuclear science.

About the speaker: Dr. Rudrajyoti Palit is a Professor at Dept of Nuclear and Atomic Physics, TIFR. His research interests include Experimental Nuclear Physics to explore the structure and dynamics of atomic nuclei through different nuclear reactions. He is also interested in the development of the associated instrumentation for accelerator based nuclear physics experiments.

28/08/2026

Let's 'catch atoms with light' and look at laser cooling and futuristic technological possibilities at upcoming Chai and Why.
Online Only!

11 AM
Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026

YT link: https://www.youtube.com/live/Dx_3uBJZeLs

24/07/2026

Why do new variants of a disease emerge, and how do bacteria become resistant to antibiotics? The answers lie in evolution, a process that continues around us every day. This talk introduces the ideas of evolution, natural selection, and adaptation through examples from human evolution, viruses, and bacteria. We will explore how microbes adapt to changing environments and how understanding these processes helps combat antibiotic resistance and enables scientists to engineer microbes to produce medicines, sustainable chemicals, and other valuable products. Through stories and scientific research (including ours), we show how evolution is an ongoing process and how it connects the history of life with some of the most important scientific and medical challenges of today.

About the Speaker: Dr. Amitesh Anand is a Reader at the Dept. of Biological Sciences, TIFR. His research interests are in the area of microbiology and evolutionary biology. In particular, he is interested in antimicrobial stress tolerance, microbial resilience and evolution. Alongwith research, he is an avid science communicator and enjoys various sports.

02/04/2026

Just like a society is made of people, all living things are made of molecules. Molecular-Interactions drive life processes. If we can see these interactions, we can understand the inner-workings of life. One way is to send molecular sensors into living cells to ‘spy’ on the molecules of life and their communications. Come learn about how we can see the chemistry of life unfold in front of our eyes using molecular sensors.

About the Speaker: Dr. Ankona Datta is a Professor at the Dept. of Chemical Sciences, TIFR. Her current research interests are in the fields of Chemical Biology and Molecular Imaging.

01/12/2025

John Clarke, Michel Devoret, and John Martinis have been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics for experiments that first showed quantum tunnelling and energy quantization in a "macroscopic" electrical circuit. In this talk, I will describe the experiments they performed using a Josephson junction, a superconducting electrical circuit element. I will explain how their choice of system and skilful engineering, enabled the observation of quantum effects. These first experiments led to the use of superconducting circuits for quantum bits, now a leading approach to building quantum computers.

About the speaker:Dr. Vijayaraghavan is an Associate Professor at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai. He carried out his doctoral research at Yale University with Prof. Michel Devoret, who is one of the recipients of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2025. This was followed by postdoctoral work at the University of California, Berkeley where he collaborated with the other two Nobel Laureates, John Clarke and John Martinis.
He is currently leading several projects to build small to medium scale quantum processors with funding from DAE, DST, DRDO, TCS and the National Quantum Mission. He is a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore and was awarded the inaugural Pancharatnam prize for excellence in quantum science and technology by the Government of Karnataka in July 2025.

01/03/2025

In the midst of National Science Day hectivity, forgot to announce that our regular 1st Sunday Chai and Why? session
will be happening as always! We will have Prof. Anand Sawant, from the School of Math at TIFR speak about the the math behind college admissions, train reservations & stability of relationships.

Live on YT if you can't make it!
https://www.youtube.com/live/2NJ-Zby4bcs

08/01/2025

Geometry is a very basic notion that we use in our everyday life. In general relativity, we explain the force of gravity using the geometry of spacetime.
Recent theoretical ideas suggest that this spacetime geometry could be associated to quantum entanglement, a fundamental quantum mechanical property.
In this talk, we will describe these ideas using various analogies
and intuitive explanations.

NOTE:

1. Attendees may avail TIFR Buses (on first come first served basis) from CSMT/Churchgate during from 03:45 pm to 04:15 pm at an interval of ~15 minutes each.
2. Please click here for boarding points ( https://maps.app.goo.gl/iFzHigy5wMUdmZHs7 CSMT / https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZN5GLDeBM11wPgWs9 Churchgate)
3. Alternately, BEST bus route numbers 3, 11, 125 from CSMT and no 137 from Churchgate could be availed to travel to Navy Nagar. TIFR is at 5 min walking distance from the last stop.

PS: Please carry a govt issued photo id card in original and on request, display it to the security personnel on-duty.

07/12/2024

Science Theatre at Mumbai!

After four successful shows across three cities - Hyderabad (TIFR Hyderabad & Rangbhoomi Spaces), Kolkata (Science City) and the most recent show at the National School of Drama-Delhi - TIFR Hyderabad is staging the last show of the science themed play Nilanjan P Choudhury's 'The Square Root of a Sonnet' at the Homi Bhabha Auditorium, TIFR Colaba, Mumbai.

We cordially invite you to the last show of this play with this quite the stellar (we have been told!) cast and crew!

📅 Event Details:
🗓️ Date: December 08, 2024 (Sunday)
🕖 Time: 5 PM - 7 PM
📍 Venue: Homi Bhabha Auditorium, TIFR Mumbai

🎥 Watch the Trailer: https://youtu.be/kadlWQb7eYA

🎬 About the Play: The play explores the intriguing and complex relationship between two giants of modern astrophysics - the Nobel Laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar and his mentor Sir Arthur Eddington. Witness this story of ambition, friendship and betrayal set against the backdrop of the two great world wars, the Indian freedom struggle and the birth of the strange new sciences of relativity and quantum mechanics. Don't miss this chance to witness history, science, and drama come alive!

Book your (free) seat here!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-square-root-of-a-sonnet-science-theatre-tickets-1091045579699?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl

11/11/2024