Science thrives on rigorous experimentation, peer review, and an open exchange of ideas. However, history has shown that when political ideology takes precedence over scientific integrity, the consequences can be disastrous. One of the most infamous examples of this is Lysenkoism—a pseudoscientific movement led by Trofim Lysenko in the Soviet Union. Lysenkoism not only stifled genuine scientific progress but also led to widespread agricultural failures, purges of dissenting scientists, and a significant setback in Soviet biological research. Trofim Lysenko, an agronomist, rose to prominence in the late 1920s and 1930s by promoting the idea that acquired characteristics could be inherited—a direct challenge to Mendelian genetics and Darwinian evolution. This theory, known as Lamarckism, was politically appealing to Joseph Stalin’s government, which sought a rapid transformation of agriculture to meet ideological goals. Lysenko claimed that by exposing plants to specific environmental c...
The Sri Lankan Civil War, which lasted from 1983 to 2009, was rooted in deep-seated ethnic tensions between the majority Sinhalese and the Tamil minority. After gaining independence from British rule in 1948, the Sinhalese-dominated government implemented policies that marginalized Tamils, such as the Sinhala-only language policy introduced in 1956. These measures fostered resentment and demands for autonomy among Tamils, ultimately leading to the emergence of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the late 1970s. The LTTE aimed to establish an independent Tamil Eelam in the northern and eastern regions of the country. Despite the brutality of the war, which included widespread violence and human rights violations, Sri Lanka’s economy demonstrated resilience during this period. The geographic concentration of the conflict primarily in the north and east allowed the southern and western regions, including the capital, Colombo, to remain relatively stable. Key industries, such as...