Kaaviya Balakrishnan

@isba11.bsky.social !!

Did you catch @kaaviya.bsky.social's vole talk?

@aarc-community.bsky.social @isbarchaeology.bsky.social

Our phd student @kaaviya.bsky.social will give a flash talk on #OrkneyVoles. We apologies in advance for all the terrible puns she will make. It is inevitable 🥲

As part of the 4EU+ spring school we put together a policy brief on ecosystem management.

The need for an appropriate disturbance regime as part of management is the crux of it.

More info here!

www.hce.uni-heidelberg.de/en/education...

A chart showing that cats kill around 2.6 billion birds annually in North America, compared to 624 million killed hitting windows, 214m by cars and 64m by collisions with industrial installations (e.g. wind turbines, factories, lighthouses, communication towers, etc). Graphic from the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.

From the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. Apart from the overwhelmingly largest cause of population declines - habitat loss and destruction - what are the other big killers of birds? A reason to consider keeping cats inside.🪶🌎

Behind the Glass: Museums, Colonial Loot and Reparation The last few weeks, I’ve been on a research trip across the UK, collecting samples for my PhD in paleogenetics. My work involves extracting and analyzing ancient DNA from archaeological specimens. …

Giving back the Koh-i-Noor isn’t a straightforward argument. Here's why.

A new blog post based on what I learned from working behind the scenes in UK museums.

Restitution is messy, necessary, and long overdue.

purebyheartsinnedbysoulblog.wordpress.com/behind-the-g...

Next stop, Creswell crags!

Was at the National Museum of Scotland to pick up some vole samples and got a tour of their inventory collections. Absolutely amazed by what’s behind the scenes!

On Borders And Belonging - The Genetic Challenge To Nationalism Nationalism thrives on the idea that a nation-state consists of a homogenous people. Yet, genetic ancestry tests contradict the notion of pure, isolated national identities.

Uttryck just published my piece on how genetic ancestry tests have unexpectedly disrupted the notion of nationalism.

Pick up a hardcopy in thier office at Uppsala University!

www.uttryckmagazine.com/2025/04/28/g...

During last week’s #LPCGJournalClub, PhD students @kaaviya.bsky.social and Gabriela Damentka shared highlights from the policy brief they're developing with 4EU+ Spring School Collegio Futuro.

How do we incorporate disturbance regimes into ecosystem restoration and management strategies?

This was such a fun event to organise. Same time next year?

The Burden of Feminism in India India will adorn its goddesses in gold and fall to her feet. But underneath the veil of worship is the sad story of real, flesh-and-blood women fighting everyday for the right to live a life free f…

The modern Indian women have been told they can do it all. But what they aren't told is they are expected to do it alone.

Here's a new post on feminism in urban India - an insidious form of oppression.

purebyheartsinnedbysoulblog.wordpress.com/the-burden-o...

The Distance Between Us and Contemporary Art Last weekend I was in Łódź and managed to visit two locations of the Museum of Art on the same day: ms1 and ms2. Both house curated modern and contemporary art pieces with a weight on young Polish …

The relationship our generation has with modern and contemporary art is often a disconnect. While the elite invest millions, the majority of us struggle to see their value. But why does the contemporary art trend not appeal to us?

purebyheartsinnedbysoulblog.wordpress.com/the-distance...

We are wrapping up an incredible week of Landscape Genomics at the University of Łódź! 🎉 Huge thanks to our amazing instructors and the highly motivated students who joined us. Together, we explored how genetic diversity interacts with the environment, mastering state-of-the-art methods and tools.🧬🌍

Stop Name-Dropping Your Caste A friend of mine, an Indian I met during my master’s in Uppsala, crashed at my place in Warsaw for a night while backpacking through the Baltics. While he was here, I took him to meet some of my In…

This has unexpectedly turned out to be my most popular blog post. Also a great sign that the younger generation is in fact ready to step away from the caste system.

purebyheartsinnedbysoulblog.wordpress.com/stop-name-dr...

Rice vs. Wheat: The Culture, Debate, and Evolution The debate over rice vs. wheat cultures has recently stirred conversations about the ways agriculture shapes societies. This notion, framed as a dichotomy of communalism versus individualism, paint…

How relevant is the Rice Vs. Wheat comparison today where global food systems and lifestyle has distanced us from our agricultural roots?

A new blog post :)

purebyheartsinnedbysoulblog.wordpress.com/rice-vs-whea...