Imagine a job where you play with toys. Isn’t that a career that we all would love to have?

>Alby and Arby visited the Children’s Science Centre located in the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics in Pune, India to meet scientist and toymaker, Mr. Arvind Gupta.

Meet meteorologist, Professor J Srinivasan, who is the Chairman of the Divecha Centre for Climate Change at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. The centre closely studies climate change and its impact on the environment. In a stormy conversation, Brainwave quizzes Prof. Srinivasan on rainfall, tsunamis, cloud-reading and other cool meteorological happenings.

Meet two scientists from the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) in Bangalore: Dr Krushnamegh Kunte and Dr Gaiti Hasan. Learn more about the fascinating things they do, from researching butterflies and fruit flies to uncovering the secrets of genetics and human behaviour.

A chat with one Rom Whitaker, one of India’s biggest croc experts

Rom Whitaker is one of India’s leading herpetologists and wildlife conservationists. He has spent a lifetime researching and understanding the natural world. A large part of his work includes setting up research stations across the country to conserve wildlife. Rom has helped start and run the the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station and the Andaman and Nicobar Environment Team.

As you zip past the green countryside, listening to the lulling chukk-chukk sounds of the train, it’s easy to forget that there is someone who is sitting at the front and operating the locomotive. The engine driver or the locomotive pilot wears many hats: he is in charge of safety, getting you to your destination on time as well

In 2009, Resul Pookutty became the first Indian sound designer to win an Oscar, for his work on Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire. Since then, he has been awarded a Padma Shri and a National Award. When we went to meet him at his Mumbai studio, Resul showed no outward signs of all this acclaim. He had had a long day of wading through red tape at the visa office, and he was visibly exhausted. It was 9pm on a Ramzan night, and he was yet to break his fast. Brushing our concerns aside, he sat us down and spoke to us for a fantastic two hours about his life, his struggles and the art of creating soundscapes. Here’s a peek into that conversation.