From light waves to quantum physics: the science behind smart washbasins

Even though phones now provide an inexhaustible source of entertainment, going to a nearby movie theatre to watch a film still has its own charm. The shared loud laughter, the annoying phone calls of neighbours, and even the endless paan-masala ads featuring fitness-enthusiastic Bollywood actors remind us of simpler times when only humans were sometimes called intelligent.

But even though movie theatres have transformed from having inedible food to unaffordable food, a few things have changed for good. For example, one of the most magical things in recent multiplexes, even if you ignore the thousand-crore-movies and the ear-wrenching Dolby surround sound, is the humble-looking washbasins. Incidentally, when you place your hand below the tap, it becomes self-aware and offers you water.