Environmental scientist Dr Ashokkumar Veeramuthu from Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris district has once again brought pride to India, earning a place in the World’s Top Scientists list compiled by Stanford University and Elsevier Publishers. This marks his third consecutive appearance — in 2023, 2024, and 2025 — an honour achieved by only a handful of Indian…
Elon Musk has made headlines again, this time sharply criticising NASA’s leadership as the competition to return to the Moon intensifies. The SpaceX CEO publicly questioned NASA administrator Sean Duffy’s competence, suggesting he lacks the intelligence to effectively lead one of the world’s most influential space agencies. Musk’s comments come in the wake of NASA’s…
A fascinating new species of ichthyosaur, Xiphodracon goldencapensis, has recently been described in a study published in Papers in Palaeontology. The nearly complete fossil, officially known as specimen ROM VP52596, was discovered along the scenic Jurassic Coast of Dorset, England—specifically near Golden Cap between Charmouth and Seatown. Dating back to the Early Jurassic period, this…
Astronomers have confirmed that Earth has a new temporary mini-moon, a small asteroid designated 2025 PN7, which has recently joined our planet’s orbit. Measuring roughly 62 feet in diameter, this quasi-moon is not permanently bound like the Moon but instead follows a looping trajectory that keeps it near Earth for decades. Its discovery offers scientists…
Astronomers have found that Earth has acquired a new cosmic partner, a tiny asteroid named 2025 PN7, which will orbit with our planet for approximately 50 years. Though described by some as a “mini-moon,” scientists clarify that it is not actually a satellite like our Moon. Rather, it’s a quasi-moon, an uncommon variety of asteroid…
A Harvard astrophysicist has sparked widespread curiosity online by warning people to “take vacations before October 29,” suggesting that NASA may be withholding critical information about a mysterious interstellar object passing through our solar system. Designated 3I/ATLAS, this visitor has captured global scientific attention due to its unusual size, estimated at roughly 5.6 kilometres across,…
In a new discovery outlined in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, astronomers have identified a mysterious celestial body known as Companion Candidate 1 (CC1), orbiting within the young WISPIT 2 system. Initially observed during a study focused on the protoplanet WISPIT 2b, this intriguing object may represent either a dense dust clump reflecting long-wavelength light or…
Krill, the small, shrimp-like creatures drifting through the oceans might appear insignificant, but they are central to the balance of marine life. Recent findings have uncovered fascinating details about how these tiny crustaceans feed, revealing an impressive adaptability in the face of environmental changes. The research, published in Biology Letters by The Royal Society, sheds…
Representative image (ANI) Artificial intelligence (AI) is the new currency of global power, and China is amassing it at scale.In 2017, China declared its ambition to become the world’s leading AI power by 2030 and has pumped in billions, spurring domestic innovation. Between the state and the private sector, the country is projected to spend…
Snake milking is frequently misunderstood, often perceived as a dangerous or cruel activity. In reality, it is a highly precise and carefully controlled scientific procedure. Trained herpetologists extract venom from snakes under strict safety protocols, ensuring both human and animal welfare. This venom is vital for producing antivenoms, which save thousands of lives each year,…
NASA has signalled a significant change in its lunar exploration plans by opening the prestigious US moon landing contract to additional bidders. The decision comes amid growing delays with SpaceX’s Starship lunar lander, which was originally selected in 2021 to carry astronauts back to the Moon under the Artemis 3 mission. Acting NASA administrator Sean…
Representative image (Picture credit: AP) NEW YORK: Two bright green comets are streaming through the skies and are visible to skygazers in the Northern Hemisphere. Both hail from the outer edges of our solar system – possibly what’s known as the Oort Cloud, well beyond Pluto. Comet Lemmon will have its closest brush with Earth…
Astronomers have observed odd and strange lights on the Moon, or Transient Lunar Phenomena (TLPs), for centuries. These TLPs vary from bright, short flashes to weak glows and transitory colour changes, drawing the interest of observers across the globe. More than 3,000 TLPs have been sighted so far, but their precise causes are unknown. Scientists…
Interstellar object 3I/ATLAS has captured the attention of scientists and space enthusiasts around the world. Renowned Professor Brian Cox describes this comet as truly remarkable, offering a rare window into the early universe. Discovered on 1 July 2025 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), it is only the third confirmed interstellar object to…
Like Tony Stark’s Arc Reactor — the fictional, self-sustaining power source that fuels Iron Man’s suit — a real-life innovation is taking shape in a British lab. Kerala-born biomedical engineer Dr. Arathyram Ramachandra Kurup Sasikala is developing battery-free medical implants that generate electricity from the body’s own movement — a breakthrough that could one day…
In a laboratory in Norway, scientists have achieved something that sounds like science fiction: turning industrial waste gases into clean, usable fuel. Researchers at the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) added specialised bacteria to a reactor and watched as carbon dioxide and hydrogen transformed into nearly pure methane, exceeding 96 per cent purity. This…
Source: The New York Times Scientists have found that a massive earthquake in the Pacific Northwest could trigger a second catastrophic quake along California’s San Andreas Fault. A study published in SciTechDaily reveals that seismic stress from one fault system can transfer to another, creating a dangerous domino effect across the region. This challenges the…
When Myanmar was rocked by a powerful magnitude-7.7 earthquake in March 2025, scientists noticed something unusual. The ground shook harder and faster than expected, and data showed the rupture moved at extreme speeds. Researchers later confirmed it was a supershear or “sonic boom” quake, where the rupture front travels faster than seismic shear waves. This…
A remarkable fossil discovery in China is rewriting our understanding of insect evolution. Scientists have identified a 151-million-year-old fly preserved in amber with features not seen in any modern species. The fossil, found in Liaoning Province, retains ancient wing structures, bristles, and mouthparts that reveal an evolutionary branch previously unknown. According to a 2025 report…
Photograph of sappan heartwood used for the study BENGALURU: A team of chemists at Christ University has turned a traditional Asian dye wood into a scientific tool to tackle one of the most persistent problems in food safety—detecting when milk begins to spoil.Using extracts from Caesalpinia sappan L., or sappan heartwood, the researchers have developed…
