Gridded satellite products provide (computationally less-intense) opportunities to compare and contrast parameters from different versions/sensors. In the present study, Level-3 (L3) Cloud Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) aerosol products from the most recent release (version 4, V4) are compared with its earlier version (version 3, V3) products. 

•CALIOP global mean V4 total-AOD is higher than the V3 AOD.

Stationary air-quality monitoring is a common component of understanding air-pollution; however, monitoring at one location fails to capture local variations in pollutant concentrations. In locations where emissions and concentrations exhibit fine-scale spatial variability, including in urban environments in India, characterising spatial variability can be helpful for understanding sources and potential solutions for air pollution.

Keep calm and carry on: This seems to be the reigning mantra during the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) times. Though it’s advisable not to panic, playing down safety concerns can hamper people’s response to the threat of the virus and aggravate the crisis.

The recent upward trend in COVID-19 cases in many cities, including Bengaluru, Pune and Hyderabad, among others, has underlined the need for strict adherence to precautionary measures to limit further transmission of the disease.

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With the world waking up to climate emergency, most countries are looking at controlling emissions, including a reduction in Greenhouse Gases (GHG). Most mitigation measures take the command and control approach that relies on use of standards to achieve a change in emissions. These measures often take the form of environmental standards (such as National Standards for Effluents and Emission), and performance standards (such as Standards & Labeling Programme).

To a layperson, the concept of 'design' is mostly limited to the visual and functional aspects of a product, with the former often taking precedence over the latter. When talking about the design of a product, we generally refer to how it looks, and sometimes, to how it functions. Naturally then, we understand 'design thinking' to be associated with the thinking that goes into the designing of a product. While this is true, it does not bring out the complete meaning of design thinking or its application potential.

Every epidemic leaves a distinct mark on our cities. Compact cities — with high-rise, high-density settlements — have been urban planners' solution of choice to accommodate the constant influx of population. The current contact-spread pandemic, however, has challenged the status quo. Our cities are at a great risk, despite their proclaimed resilience. India's densely populated cities do not allow proper physical distancing.